chuteless

How long do you think Noriega will last in a French jail? George Bush Sr has a lot of persuasion and will not want many things to be made public. The last such case was when the French arrested Major Curt Meyer, Nazi SS officer. Meyer threaten to release much information including names of those he collaborated with in the French Government during the war. A couple of months later, Meyer's heart stopped and the cause was never released. Likely because of a 9mm in the back of his head.

August 1962 first jump; Total of nine Static line jumps, but it was 1 jump per week for about two months + Several dummy ripcord pulls during Static line jumps clear and pull...5 seconds, 10 seconds, and then on my own. I later had one student ( a natural) who did about 15 including about 5 static lines, dummy pulls, clear and pulls , and on his 16th jump I took him to 7500 and buddy jumped him for 30 seconds. He was grinning for two weeks. He continued on 30 - 45- 60 second delays after his 16th jump. He had never done a night jump, so on his 102nd jump I took hi to 30,571 sometime after midnight. Bill Cole D-41

Rod Pack did his chuteless jump on Jan 1st 1965 in California. He later said he wouldnt do that again for a million bucks. The headline in a Toronto Newpaper read " The Greatest Stunt In History" and that was one of the things that made me want to do it. It was suggested after I did it that I should be the Pres of CSPA. LOL

After watching the news last evening, I got to wondering, Where did GM get the money to pay that vast sum back so soon. They closed dealerships everywhere, and haven't been selling very many new cars...so where did these billions come from? Considering the date when they were given the money from the two governments, it hasnt been a year yet, so how did they manage to come uop with the money ...BILLIONS of dollars. They sure didnt borrow it from me.

No....she was an actress, and I was only interested in getting the commercial done. The guy who plays me in the commercial is Larry Costello, who handed me the chute on my 1st chuteless jump Aug 20 1969. He is now a Doctor. The girl????no idea who she was...where she is....but she would likely be about 70+ years old now, since I am in my 78th year. I am not a drinker,... and Mike Swain from Sarasota Florida, says that I am the only guy he has ever seen order a glass of cold milk in a bar ( back in 1972 when we were filing my 2nd chuteless jump.) regards Bill

I have never had a beer, or even tasted it in my life, and have been involved in about 10 beer commercials. Bill

I used a cap 3 on several jumps to open a 24 ft reserve that we had inserted into the back of an ejection seat. This was for a Carling Red Cap TV commercial. Once the thing fired as my brother left the seat by opening his lap belt at 12,500 ft ( we had exit at 21,500 ft), and the chute could not even be seen from the ground. A police officer found the chute and seat about ten miles away from the airport. We again used the same Kap-3 on the seat, and the guy who hooked it up put the small ring on the end of the device over the cable and not the pin, allowing the thing to just bend the cable when it fired. The seat, chute and all augered in on the back lawn of a farm house. We tried to retreive it without the farmer knowing, but he caught us in the act. That was the last time we jumped with the seat, but I had to admit, the Kap-3 worked great....when hooked onto the pin...not the cable. The finished commercial can be seen on Tou-tube, and I think you can likely see the Cap-3 attached to the 24 ft reserve at the back of the ejection seat. Bille Cole D-41 Canada

Ear problems while or after jumping are sometimes brought on by excessive use of headsets listening to extra loud music. The ear drums can only take so much abuse, and it will start to show in jumpers faster than other people because when we ascend and dfescend, we put severe pressure on the drum asthe Eustachian tube has become weaker and easier to move against the drum. You might get some help from anti-biotic drops, but likely you and many others have damaged the drums and they will never fully receover. Lay off the headset music or cell phones. Many young people will be quite deaf by the time they are in their 40s Bill Cole D-41

My heartfelt thanks to all those who attended, and to those who wrote their best wishes here on DZ.com. I had a great day, and am indebted to Crystal for all the hard work ( and cost) she put into the party. I hope my 77th year which is just beginning, is as much fun as the years gone by have been. Thanks to you all. Bill Cole

I recall Mike Swain decided to go for the pea gravel on a jump when practicing for the 2nd chuteless jump. In the last few seconds of his descent, he changed his mind, and after landing he walked over to the pea gravel pit, and it was solid concrete. He sure was glad he passed on landing there on his tailbone.

I know of one target are that was filled with saw dust. Another was filled with cement and painted green ( Grafton Ohio), and it was always suggested not to do a bum landing. You really had to watch those Grafton guys. Bill Cole

My dear friend George would be 80 years old today. It makes me think of all those good times, great jumps, and many laughs we shared. Time (life) goes by so fast, eh? Bill Cole

My sincere thanks to all. George was a great guy and a good Christian. I know we will meet again, thanks to the promise of Christ. I really appreciate the condolences from all you great guys.

My good friend George Drainville passed away about 1pm Toronto time, on Thursday. He and I spent some great times in the air and on the ground. He was a good jumper, starting about 1963, and jumped with the Descenders Parateam at many events, including the Grey Gup Football Game 1/2 time show in Toronto 1973, and for a cigarette ad, when his pix was put on large billboards across Canada. I'll surely miss him.

Hi fellow jumpers: I received a telephone call from George's wife last night. She is receiving cards from many places in the skydiving world, and is in ABSOLUTE AWE about them. She asked me to thank everyone who has shown kindness and compassion in sending the cards to George, even if he passed away without seeing some of them. She and their children will keep the cards as a tribute to George, and both her and I appreciate what you people have done. Many thanks Bill Cole D-41 Canada

Thanks for doing that. I sincerely hope he isnt going to suffer a long lingering departure. If he whispers " 5 right and cut" before he goes, we will all know he is on spot. Thanks again Bill Cole D-41

Friday Sept 18th 2009 I telephoned Geroge's home this morning, and his wife answered the call. She told me George is back in the hospital, and the doctor says he has no more than 6 months to live, and probably much less. She said he will not be coming out of the hospital alive. He now has lung cancer and is on 100% oxygen. I told her that I have asked for cards of good wishes to be sent, and she says that will certainly give him a lift, as he is really feeling down at the latest news. It may cost someone two or three dollars to get a card and send it, but it will help him....not get better,..... but in knowing the world's family of skydivers are thinking of a brother.. Hope you can help. Bill Cole D-41 Canada

I have emailed compassionate skydivers in many countries, and asked them to send George a card. Many have indicated that they would do so. I expect this will extend his life a few days, and give him a psycological lift that he desparately needs at this time. To all those who have indicated they would send him a card, I thank you sincerely. Bill Cole D-41 Canada

ZOOM 1 , Tell your daughter we are thinking of her, and pray that she will recover. Thanks for your input, and there wasn't any whine I could detect. I'm not whining about George either, I am his friend, and I care about him, and would appreciate anyone sending a card to help him get through this monstrosity of cancer and all that goes with it. Thanks to everyone.

Jumpers everywhere: In 1963, a fellow joined our jump club whose name is George Drainville, and he became a pretty good jumper. Not long after, the local safety officer tried to prevent him from jumping for the sole reason, that he didnt like George. I told George to stay with me, book his name on the loads I was on, and no one would dare interfere. He progressed very well, and with my team, The Descenders Parateam, George was able to perform at many air shows including Canada's largest, the Canadian Intnl Air Show at Toronto. He also jumped at many special events including the Canadian Football classic, the Grey Cup Game in 1973. George has recently undergone multiple operations for cancer of the bladder, and has had much of his plumbing removed, and now has to wear a caffeter. He is coughing up a great deal of blackened blood clots, and this is putting a great strain on his body and mind. He has to go back to hospital soon to have a hole put in his chest so doctors can retreive black blood clots to see if there is any additional cancer. I talked to him on the phone last Thursday, and he is extremely dispondent, and there is much lonliness in his heart, which I attribute to not being able to speak with the many jumpers he had been with since 1963.He lives on the East coast of Canada now, while his jumping was always done in Ontario. It would be a great emotional lift for George, is jumpers from anywhere in the range of Dropzone.com, ( the world ) would send him a birthday card, and a message to get well soon etc etc. He turns 80 years old on October 23rd 2009, and I know that receiving cards from jumpers, would go a long way in making him feel people do care about a fellow jumper. His address is: George Drainville 31 Birch Grove Upper Tantallon Nova Scotia, Canada B3Z-1L1 I thank each and every skydiver who will assist in sending a card of well wishes, and will post a report on how , hopefully, an avalanche of mail lifted his spirits. Thanks to you all, Bill Cole D-41, Canada.

China and Japan hold the mortgage on the entire USA.....and it won't be long before they collect it. Its amazing that Americans cannot see their country heading for total collapse.....and just think of how this would be speeded up to take place in an hour if and when Al Qaeda nukes the two main citys ( NYC and Washington) George W. Bush and Cheney have set your country up to be brought down. Watch for it..... Get a copy of the King James Bible, and read Habakkuk 2:3.

Emmie: I had the same problem back in 1962, and it took a bit of time, because everything then was learn as you go. I have some advice for you re spinning, and all you will have to do is concentrate. Once you are by yourself, in freefall, watch and see if the spin starts, ( concentrate on it) and remember this. You will turn in the direction of the offending arm not being in the right position. Usually it is one of your arms that is not symetrical and slightly behind the position of the other arm. Drawing one's arm back in a basic spread, will cause you to turn ....in the direction of that arm. If one arm is "even slightly behind" the symetery of the other, you will turn, slowly at first, but it will begin to be a faster spin. CONCENTRATE ON IT....and push the arm ahead and the spin should slow and stop when you have symetery. If both arms are symetric, then you should be able to do the entire freefall without any turning. Once you have done a couple of jumps without an unnatural spin, then concentrate on it, and slowly draw one arm, ( either one) back. That will give you the ability to turn. Pick a heading on the ground ( a road or fence line, hedge of trees etc) and turn slowly 360 degrees. then put your arm slowly ahead again, and stop the turn. Then do the same with the other arm....360 degrees, and push the arm slowly ahead and stop. You WILL gain control overthe spinning, but CONCENTRATING on where your arms are...both hands should be directly opposite of each other....say slightly ahead of your face. The arm should be exactly 90 degrees at the elbow. Practice on the ground for awhile...get the feel of it. Back to 1962....I once took a camera to photgraph another jumper, and I saw him every time I passed in front of him. I was spinning at a very high rate of speed, and of course...never was able to get a picture. He just laughed at me...spining past him like a kids toy top. Do NOT do any turns as you are deploying your chute...you will wind the lines to the top. Let me know how you make out with it. CONCENTRATE .....know where your hands, arms are in relationship to your body. CONCENTRATE Bill Cole D-41

having to make a currency jump, is nothing more than a DZO putting your currency into his pocket.

I just read something about George W Bush's grandfather being a big help to the Nazis during the 2nd world war. Things don't change much, do they?

because Americans make heros out of nothing. HERO uis the most misused word in the English language, especially in the USA.