JerryBaumchen

Hi Bob, I never experienced any greater opening shock with a very short retainer line. Originally, I jumped it with the long Pioneer sleeve that came with it and that thing would knock the sh** out of me at terminal. I finally went to a shorty XBO sleeve and life was all good once again. JerryBaumchen

Hi Jav1, Yup, he is still alive if that is what you are really wanting to know. He lives in Woodinville, WA and I believe that he is listed in the local phone directory. JerryBaumchen

Hi lucky, There were two schools of thought: One was to make it VERY long so that the sleeve & pilot chute would be behind the canopy and not into any of the steering slots. Two was to make it VERY short so that the sleeve & pilot chute would sit in the pulled-down apex area. Personally, I preferred #2; make it very short. Why not give both a try and see which one you like? JerryBaumchen

Hi Rob, Sorry but no cigar for you) TSO C23b has two categories; Low Speed & Standard ( not High Speed ). The Low Speed category requires that the pack & the canopy be placarded something to the effect: 'Low Speed Parachute' ( in red letters one inch high ) and then 'Limited to Use in Airplane Under 150 MPH' ( in red letters 1/2" high ). The Standard category only requires the 'normal' marking such as Mfr, Weight ( of the component ), Type, Serial #, DOM, + TSO C23b/NAS 804. Any 'minimum' would come from the weight/speed charts in the Strength Test section, but this is not req'd to be placarded on the component. Hope this helps inform people, JerryBaumchen

Hi Jack, WOW, how perceptive of you!!!!! USAF = U Sure Are F****** And they meant it, JerryBaumchen

Hi Phil, Would you shoot me an email off of this site? I want to discuss your audits. Thanks, JerryBaumchen

Hi Zig, So will he be jumping up & down on the couches telling Oprah how great skydiving is? On the other hand, is there actually a rumor going around that the dz might be sold & opened again?

Hi Jack, Slightly OT, but do you know what USAF stands for when you are in Air Force Basic Training? JerryBaumchen

Hi Strato, Well, if you believe what you read on the internet . . . . . JerryBaumchen

Hi Strato, Well done on the first baton pass; but it was actually at Abbotsford, BC. And the occasion was the US Nationals that were held outside of the US that year. JerryBaumchen

Hi Strato, Re: What is Charles Hillard Best known for and with who? As mentioned, first baton pass in US but I will wager he is better known for being a world champion acrobatic pilot. I 'think' he also owned a Ford dealership in Ft. Worth, I seem to remember looking at a car there once. JerryBaumchen PS) Now for some other bonus points: Where was the first baton pass in N. America made at?

Hi Strato, I've seen all of those photos before; some I recall and some I don't. #2 I think this is Charlie Hilliard and Lou Sanborn. #3 Maybe Lou Sanborn; and just maybe Steve Snyder, a tough one. #5 Lou Sanborn kneeling and Jacques Istel behind him. I think this is in Russia at the '56 World Meet. So, close, waaay out there, or what? JerryBaumchen

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on... If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, "Who's on First?" might have turned out something like this: COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou. ABBOTT: Your computer? COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou. ABBOTT: What about Windows? COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here? ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows? COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows? ABBOTT: Wallpaper. COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software. ABBOTT: Software for Windows? COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything? ABBOTT: I just did. COSTELLO: You just did what? ABBOTT: Recommend something. COSTELLO: You recommended something? ABBOTT: Yes. COSTELLO: For my office? ABBOTT: Yes. COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO: Yes, for my office! ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows. COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need? ABBOTT: Word. COSTELLO: What word? ABBOTT: Word in Office. COSTELLO: The only word in office is office. ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows. COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows? ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W". COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: I need money to track my money? ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer. COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer? ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge. COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much? ABBOTT: One copy. COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money? ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money. COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money? ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT! (A few days later) ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off? ABBOTT: Click on "START".............

Hi Sparky, Re: Tony Fugit, manufacture of the "Frap Hat". Actually, I believe the manufacturer was his girl-friend at the time ( maybe still is for all I know ) Linda Forney. Some history of the US-made 'French' hat. Gary Lewis was working at Para-Gear, he & Jim Lowe had the lease on the dz at Issaquah. Lowe was a rigger and was playing around with some sewing and Lewis sent him a well-used French hat and asked him to take a look at whether he could make them or not. I was up at Issaquah sometime after that and Lowe and I were talking about them as he was having a hard time in locating all of the various colors of leather ( because they were wanting to make them in colors, the fad of the day ). I told him to just make the 'arrows' out of Cordura as that would be sufficient 'color' to make customers happy; the rest is history. Later, Lowe & Lewis sold the hat business to Linda and she made it into what it was & is. Just for those who might want to know. JerryBaumchen

Something a little closer to home: I made my first jump in Feb '64. A 12,500 ft jump cost $5.25 & the average salary in '64 was ~$6,000. Today the average salary is ~$30,000 which would mean that same jump would be $31.50 today. Gasoline was about $0.30 gallon which would be $1.80 today. So driving your car is way up & jumps are much cheaper. What is more important? Should make for some good discussion around the dz bonfire this coming Saturday evening. JerryBaumchen

Hi tbrown, Let me take you back a little farther. I made my first jump in Feb '64. Paid $18 for the S/L course. A few months later the CrossBow System came on the market, a complete rig (harness/container, main canopy & reserve canopy) cost $525. Soon thereafter it forced the ParaCommander onto the market; $225 for a Mark I PC. A jump to 12,5 cost $5.25. I Googled wages and the average salary for '64 was $6,000. Things change, JerryBaumchen

Hi hudson, As someone who started jumping in the '60's I can tell you that most people who quit jumping in the '60's & '70's did not quit because of some injury. It was for just about every other cause. We were tough & could take it NOT! JerryBaumchen

I think he said: 'Call me on Monday' JerryBaumchen

Hi lodestar, About that same time we had a local dipstick, who happened to be the brother-in-law of the dz owner. The aircraft was a 180 w/Snohomish door and he would do a complete pull-off; just stand on the step and pull and wait for the canopy/etc to pull him from the step. Eventually, even the DZO got tired of it; it sure made the other guys in the plane to get rather wide-eyed. JerryBaumchen

Hi Squeak, Crap, it's lousy getting old. That is who I meant, Davey C. JerryBaumchen PS) For Skymama, it is a quite nice motel; I've stayed there a number of times. Never did get to meet Fess though.

Hi mama, How old is your dad? Fess Parker has a rather nice Red Lion Motel in Santa Barbara. Does your dad remember Daniel Boone on tv from the 50's? JerryBaumchen

Hi Prof, Ha, Ha; I was just thinking about that with some of the replies about 'They're adults, let'em do what they want.' Once again, if they are adults and I do not have to pay ($$$) for their mistakes, then have at it. JerryBaumchen PS) Or maybe I should say 'thinking adults' as some adults have yet to grow up.

Hi chick, Five days to fly to Maui; what kinda airplane you using? JerryBaumchen PS) Have fun, it is why we are here.

Hi strato, A year or so ago Mick sent me a DVD of some of the testing on the Catapult ( do not ask where it is right now, but it is somewhere in this house ). The DVD showed a number of tests with horseshoes, cutaways, totals, etc. It showed that the Catapult worked really well if a little time consuming ( but, hey in a horseshow what else have you got ) and in a total or cutaway, the Catapult had no effect on the normal deployment of the system. I cannot see any downside to the Catapult although there is some negative feeling about them; based on what, I have no idea. Now, as for the wide bridle actually deploying your rig; well, I would not count on that, and that includes the 3" bridle as used by JumpShack. Just my old 2 cents, JerryBaumchen

Hi pirate, For me it is personal greed. (Yes, I know the article was about Canada) I simply do not want to support him/his wife/his kids/etc when he is laying there in a vegetative state until he finally dies. If they said OK would you jump without your reserve? Why not? JerryBaumchen