JerryBaumchen

Hi howard & usetawuz, Just a heads up for the Pioneers thing; the term for not jumping is 'that you are not packed.' Wouldn't want you two to not be PC when you get there. Jerry

Hi goldwing, Didn't Gordon go to Guardian as part of the sale? I seem to recall his being there for a couple of years. I understand that when Frank brought in Dan Abbott from Security he (Dan) canned a number of people; don't know who all got the ax though. Jerry

Hi Jeff, Well, where the h*^* is old Roy Starbird when we need him? Anyone else got's any memories of how things were? Jerry PS) I think I am correct, though.

That's what I did with a 2-out. Worked just fine and I would recommend doing it. Jerry

I think it will be sooner than you think. Jerry

Hi hispeed, Best source would be Gary Douris at Free Flight. He is located on the dz at Elsinore the last that I knew. I don't have his day phone handy. Jerry

About 20 yrs ago I was standing downtown (PDX) waiting to catch the bus to go home after a day of work. I was in my typical suit & tie. Suddenly, a jumper comes walking by. He also is in a suit & tie. We both do a double take and with a "WTF" look at each other. We got to talking and he worked in a bank & I am an engineer; neither of us knew what the other one did. At the dz we were just other folks in whatevers. It was strange moment, made us both laugh. Jerry

Hi Jeffrey, Can you provide any parts info on the small cutter? Also, any methods on making each part. Information is invaluable. I am sure many people would like to make their own cutter(s) and play around with activating their rig(s). I know that I want to. Jerry

Hi 3331, Just after the 1970 World Meet, Mike Schultz (he was a part of the US delegation) wrote the definitive article on a World Meet. As I recall, it was something on the order of three installments. Never a better write-up before or since, Jerry

Hey Bob & kernel, How about we call the two different fabrics: Z-P & Z-3 Then on Sat nite, after a couple of beers, everyone will understand what we just said. Jerry

Hi Mark, Could you give a breakdown of an estimate on time req'd to complete each module? That would effect any response from me. Some things I am interested in and some I could not care less about. Thanks, Jerry

Hi Sparky, Re: the C-8 This thing was a C-9 'except' it had 'gore extensions/stabilizers' on every other gore. They extended down from the 'normal' skirt. A friend had been jumping it when he was in the military in Viet Nam and he 'liberated' it when he got out. It was the only I ever heard of or saw, Jerry

Hi Sparky, The Terry Ward of jumpsuit fame was one of the Arvin Good Guys. He jumped a lot at Taft. Jerry

Hi darkwing, Well, Starlites may have given you bad openings, but that photo is of an original Mk I PC. You can tell because the material at the pulled down apex is of a different material. When they went to custom colors they had to change these panels to the standard taffeta because they could not get this material in colors. Jerry

Hi Mick, The guy who died with Wildes was Terry Dean. He was originally from this part of the world and I was on many a load with him. A very nice guy, IMO. Jerry

Hi drjump, Of course, this now begs the question: How many of us have been hurt because of hitting the door opening in these type of speed exits? I'll go first on the list. Jerry

Hi steve1, Looks like a few of the old Ward-Vene jumpsuits in that photo. Terry Ward died in the Beech that went in on takeoff at Taft, don't remember the time frame though. Also, cannot remember the name of the pilot/owner. Jerry

Hi Ron, Back in the '60's I did one with this configuration. I was testing a AAD for a piggyback system that I had built and 'needed' to get an actual in-the-air test under my belt. I used a set of removeable D-rings (I think they may still be in the Para-Gear catalog). I just slipped them under the main lift web, snapped the chest strap on and tied it down by going behind my back & under the rig (at my back). This was a VERY poor setup and I knew that if I had a total and had to use the chest pack under those conditions I would probably be pretty bruised, lose some teeth, etc. I wrote to PCA about doing it and Heaton about had a fit. He wrote back with all kinds of rules, reasons, etc why I could not do it. I did it anyway and it went very well. A unique feeling to be doing it intentionally; can anyone say 'pucker factor?'. Later, when I had to do it for real it was like merely going from A to B to C . . . . BTW, the main that I chopped from was an old military C-8; ever heard of one of them? Jerry PS) I sent you two photos of the Strong 3-canopy rig; hope that you get them.

Hi pchapman, It is NOT a spread of line length dimensions. The lines on the front of the canopy are longer because the skirt actually is higher up at the front. This was to let more air into the canopy when inflated. Jerry

Hi lawrocket, I liked the write-up. My son is an attorney; I'll send your OP on to him. I just finished A CIVIL ACTION, the book (saw the movie). Great read; I couldn't put it down. Jerry

Hi kkeenan, The last set of risers I built for myself (black mini risers) I put a very small piece of T-3 in silver 'sticking out' just where the confluence wrap is above the grommet. I just caught the T-3 in the end of the confluence wrap so it only stuck out about 1/8". This allowed me to easily know which side went where. The next time you (or anyone) buys a set of risers, you might ask if they could do something like this for you. Then, of course, always remember that silver (or whatever color) always goes to the outside. Jerry PS) Just trying to stay ahead of the problems. Now what was that Bill Booth premise???????

Hi steve1, Welcome to the club. I just had Sparky post a photo because I'm lost. I doubt that you would have jumped in Mac, it's really too big. Might it have been the Flying M? That is a small airport built around an attempt at a resort. A lot of jumps were made into there. Jerry

Hi Sparky, Also, things happen very fast. I was sitting in the seat you are looking at. Jerry PS) Hope the photo comes through.

Hi Sparky, One caveat to your calculations: back when I was a young rigger (yes, Sparky; just after they discovered dirt) and doing some very crude harness designing, an old rigger out here on the west coast by the name of Eddie Brown helped/taught me a lot. He always said to reduce your calculations by 15% because of thread damage as it goes through the sewing machine. I always have and I always will. I use the assumption that the thread is the cheapest item in a rig. Jerry PS) A nice explanation; there is hope for you.

Hi herpster, This is the one that made a lot of us take a long deep breath about just what we were doing. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first fatality with a clean cutaway and pilot chute reserve deployment. We had always subscribed to 'clean cutaway and pilot chute on the reserve' and you're home free. As I remember, a few folks stopped jumping after this one. Jerry