chuteless

Yeh Zen, I suppose thats it. Kinda like all those people who didnt listen to the warnings, and only Noah and his family were saved. Maybe you should join the Boy Scouts...you know, "Be Prepared"

as usual, you don't have a clue

Liz: Thanks for the kind words. I enjoyed that raft dive immensely, a real great jump. Thanks to you, Sarah, and all the others who took part. Yes, it has been a great 42 years, and I only wish I had started sooner. take care Bill Cole D-41

I have been around for awhile.....and I HAVE seen it. I gave up my licence to fly both hot air balloons and fixed wing, and decided to stop jumping. Yeah, Ive seen it. Bill Cole D-41

Of course you can HOPE, you can pretend, you can wish and refuse to see what is obvious, but none of those things will change the fact that "skydiving is going downhill". In the name of progress, the start has already started when everyone has to have a $5000. rig. When every DZ has to have a Otter AND/OR a Skyvan. When everone has to have 2 or 3 costly AADs, and a jumpsuit that costs Hundreds of dollars. When a first jump costs more than a week's groceries for a large family, or a tank full of gasoline costs the equivilent of two jumps, When Insurance rates for Dropzones hits an all time high. Im sure we can find a hole in the sand in which you can stick your head, and you may not have to look at these things, but they will nevertheless still be there....and if you want to jump...you'll have to pay. I believe recurrency jumps should be 60 days..... believe it or not, people ARE capable of learning something and retaining the memory for at least that long. Sure there is the exception...but you might find one who can't remember what he had for breakfast. The DZ owners and USPA/CSPA should be concentrating on how to keep jumpers...not how to drive them away from the DZ. Like I said, you can HOPE, PRETEND, WISH, DREAM all you want....the slide has started, and terrorism will be the push that ends it all. I wish it wasnt so....but the handwriting is on the wall....stop and read it. Bill Cole D-41

I think that Russia should take that $10 million and make Chechnya into one big paved parking lot. Bill Cole

I think you are absolutely correct....Skydiving has gone down hill, and the speed is increasing. As one other person stated, the whole aviation scene is also going down. Gas makes it more expesinve to fly aircraft, hot air balloons, and this added cost is passed on to skydivers. Insurance makes it all more expensive, and the cost of parachute gear, plus the extra costs to get to the DZ, and the higher jump costs, makes it hard for many people. Not everyone is rich, employed with good pay. Many are struggling with keeping their head above water in society, and simply cannot afford a costly sport activity . The 30 currency rule is another hardship on low time jumpers, and I think it is extremely unfair. I have seen many jumpers who were active when "static line" was the only way to learn, and some left the scene for a month or two, came back and picked up where they left off, without any problem. This 30 days currency is nothing more than a USPA/CSPA authorizxation of a money grab. Is there any wonder there are numerous postings from people saying they can't continue. The AFF and Tandem costs are very high, and considering the high cost of living these days, ( food, insurance,health/ dental, gas, vehicles, etc etc) people simply cannot afford skydiving....or aviation, unless they own a large profitable business. The Administration of the US Government has publicly stated they expect another attack from terrorists. They say they dont know where or when...but know it will come. I believe it definitely WILL come within the next two years maximum....and it will make 9/11 pale by comparison. The changes that will take place after such an attack will stun the world. If 9/11 caused so much grief and hardship throughout the economy, what will the next one do? I could answer that question myself, but I'll leave you to figure it out. The future of private aviation including skydiving is certainly not very good. I doubt there will be any skydiving at all in a few years....It is not the highest priority in the scheme of things that makes the world go around. Bill Cole D-41

No...the USA s not a safer place than at any time in history. All September 11 did was to turn a theoretical possibility into a felt danger. It is a very realistic danger, and as VP Cheney, Robt Mueller FBI, and Rumsfeld all said, "We know they will get nuclear weapons, and we know they will use them. We just dont know where or when" September 11 would suddenly become a distant memory. The event that changed the world would be forgotten when the world changed again. The USA is already living in that new world, in denial, yet waiting for it to happen. And it will. Bill Cole D-41

Over the years, I had occassion to photograph or film jumopers as they left the aircraft, and I was shooting the film from the open door of the plane. I always had to belt myself in across the legs, because I knew from the habit of going after someone would instinctively take over, and I would have followed the jumper. The urge was very strong, and I knew if I didnt do the belt up tightly over my legs....I would most likely have chased the guy out....without a chute on. Bill Cole D-41

A very big congratulations to you both. All the best for many years to come. Bill Cole

Thats very nice of you...but I don't agree with this "legend stuff" I was just a jumper who enjoyed what he was doing...bending the rules and having a great time. CSPA was my promotion manager, and it was all fun because it was all experimental...now many would say I was just mental. Thanks for your kind words, and those of the others who posted.....you are my family Bill Cole D-41

Great for you. All the best to you, and may every jump be in the bluest of skies. BIG Congratulations. Bill Cole D-41

B I N G O .....thats great. PM sent Bill Cole D-41

In that case, perhaps someone should propose reparations for the North American Indian. I dont think anyone would argue that the blacks were very badly treated, but I think the Indians were treated worse. They weren't forced into slavery...they were massacred, men , women and children. The only Indians that came out ahead after it was all over was those who found oil on their reserves. Bill Cole D-41

Didnt he bypass Hillary for Monica?

Sarah: My brother and I jumped in the mid 1960s, and decided to do a banana pass. I peeled a bit of the banana skin back, and in freefall the force of the air peeled the rest of it., The banana broke in half from the air pressure against it, so I shoved the remaining half in his mouth and he chomped on it all the way to the ground. I really took him by surprise. Bill Cole D-41

A couple of days ago, I made the decision to retire from active jumping. I've been at it for 42 years, and have had a great time, and have absolutely no regrets except I didn't start earlier. I lived on the air show circuit, did stunt jumps for television and other films, including many television commercials, both filming them and jumping for the cameras.I've managed many high altitude jumps, and whether CSPA says so or not, I still hold the Canadian High Alt record after more than 30 years. Its been a continuous party since Aug 5th 1962. I have really enjoyed this sport . The real good days are long gone, the sport has changed in many ways, and not all for the better. Although I like the new equipment, it is well beyond my ability to own it, and I must say, I liked the older equipment more, like the Para-Commander,and the Delta II Parawing. I loved doing openings between the ground and 700 ft, but would not do them with today's equipment. Dumping out of the bi-plane in a loop at 1200 ft during an air show was the most thrilling of all jumps. Things have changed, and so is my ability to heal from crash and burn landings. I ended my jumping career with such a landing in Missouri on June 5th. I broke my left heel, ankle, and other footbones, and the foot is still swollen after more than 12 weeks. . I recently had more Xrays taken to see if in fact, the spine is damaged. Next is an ultrasound, to determine what else was done to cause the intense pain in both sides and my back. I may monitor the "forums" once in awhile, but won't be taking an active part in them. Thanks to everyone who made it a good ride. I enjoyed meeting many of you this summer , but I am finished with the sport as of now. Stay safe, and enjoy all the sky has to offer....its limitless. Bill Cole D-41

A big congratulations to you. Now you can go out there and head for the "B" licence, its not as far away as you might think. It will take some dedicated work, but you'll get it. Its nice to know that there are guys like you plugging along, with that licence as your goal, and then to see you get it. Go now, and enjoy that big blue playground, it belongs to yiou as much as anyone else....make the most of it, have fun, stay safe, and may the Lord keep every jump you make safer than the one before it. All the very best, from a sky buddy, Bill Cole D-41 (chuteless 2 & 3 ) PS: Save me a jump to sign in your log book, whenever I am able .

Recently I made a trip across the USA and met many great skydivers. In discussions, I alluded to my intention to soon be taking an active role in a "high risk stunt". I have decided that I am no longer going to be a part of this stunt, and have withdrawn from that project altogether. I wish the person doing the stunt well, but it is his stunt plan..not mine. I also had discussions about a woman in California who was supposed to be writing a book about my skydiving experiences. I have asked that the book be not written, as it was never my idea in the first place and I would like her to just forget it. Following those two items being cleared up, I would like at this time to say that I am logging off DROPZONE.COM for an indeterminate period of time. I thank Sangiro, Billvon, Quade and many others for their support, and enjoyed talking with some of them in California recently. If anyone wants to get in touch with me, they can always do so at billcole5@hotmail.com I will always answer my emails, but will not be available at DZ.com in the future. Its been good chatting with most of you people....and I thank you for the time we spent munching on some topics. Take care, one and all, and may every jump you make, be your best and safest one yet. Bill Cole D-41

Why would anyone with a modicum of spiritual understanding call upon a man made Saint to give him help, when if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, you are able to go "directly" to the Son of God? This whole saint thing, is a product of the Catholic Church to bypass Christ in favor of a plaster statue. Jesus Christ is the Mediator BETWEEN God and man, so why would anyone deal with a plaster model when God's Son is waiting for your call. I guess the Catholic Church ( the FalseProphet in Revelation) needs the money....selling these ridiculous statues (graven images) to their followers... Bill Cole

TOO BAD>!!!!!!!!! Bill Cole

Like the others who posted just before you, you too, are wrong. Palestina (Palestine) is mentioned 4 times in God's WORD. The entire Bible is not the story of the life of Jesus, . The New Testament IS, and there are several mentiones and a description of Jesus given in the Old Testament, which were written 712 years before Jesus was born. He will be coming back to earth in the near future, so you will see Him for yourselves. Your ridiculaous postings here, only prove that there are so many,who know very little about very much. Bill Cole

The wall is built on Israeli land. The whole area belongs to Israel, and Palestinians have NO claim on any of it. GOD gave the land toIsrael...it is and always will be Israel's. For you who know nothing about the days in which God gave the land to Israel, don't go off the deep end until you read God's WORD, where it is all explained...many times. Bill Cole

In an attempt to change my profile, I am told in big red letters that my information is incorrect...its not PLEASE look into this mistake made by your computer data collector. Bill Cole

I changed my sig line, it has three lines and a redline teklkls me I cant have more than 4. It also says there is a mistake in my ibnformation...NOT TRUE Can you have someone look into this....It seems your computer genertaed data is wrong. Bill Cole