steve1

Just when I think I know a lot about guns, something comes up that I have never heard of. I was watching a movie on military snipers on the History channel yesterday. I've always had an interest in shooting at longer ranges. One of the many variables that affects bullet flight is it's spin. This can cause the bullet to hit left or right of the target at extreme ranges,(depending on the rifling). This is something new to me. Can someone tell me more about this? I'll bet Lou Diamond or John have heard of this.....

I think many of us have a Ted Mayfield story or two to tell. The guy always treated me right, so I think I'll keep quiet....

I've noticed that too. I know one D.Z. in Canada that trains a ton of students using pilot chute assist. It reminded me of the 70's when there were large classes of first jump students on static line. I wonder if the higher cost of accellerated freefall, fewer static line drop zones, and higher liability costs are some causes of this in the states...

I knew of some fatalities at Sheridan, but I had no idea that there were 13 people in all, who went in. I jumped there once without log books or anything else, after about a ten year lay off. I went to Ted and told him I wanted to jump. Next thing you knew I was on a Beech load with a rented rig. You couldn't help but like the guy....

During the cold war with the Soviet Union, B.J. Worth, Skratch Garrison, and Hod Sanders made some jumps with the Russians. It was someplace over there. (Maybe Skratch can comment on this, if he sees this)....Hod said they spoke a common language-(Vodkaese).

Airtwardo, Back in 69 and 70 I went through Basic and Infantry training at Ft. Polk. I can't say I liked that place much. We made a trip or two over to Houston, though. That was some big city! Being right off the farm it was quite a sight! But, getting back to that hangover cure... Back in the early 70's I was getting into skydiving. I was already an airborne trooper, and this parachuting stuff had me hooked. I was doing a fair amount of jumping one summer with the Osprey Parachute club in Kalispell. What a great club! On Friday night, after work, we'd all head into town. We'd make a jump or two, and then head to Moose's a local pub. After closing it down, we'd head back to the hanger and crash on some bunks they had there. At sun-up most of us were feeling terrible. The plan, usually was for a formation load with Cessna's. As we climbed to altitude some of us were feeling down right sick. And then someone would cut the cheese with the most god awful beer fart that you can imagine. That did a lot to sober people up. When the door openned we were ready to get out that sardine can. I don't think I'll ever forget those days. That was back when we were all good looking and bullet proof!

Thanks for sharing Lyndsey. Those names sound familiar. Tell us more about those big hooters!...

Thanks for the great photos Slots. I've never seen parachutes like that....

Thanks Jerry and Howard, After all these years I finally know what a crossbow canopy looks like....

Is Ted Mayfield still kicking? I heard he was on the city counsel at Sheridan. Is Elevator still flying? Those names stir up a lot of memories. I didn't jump at Sheridan much, but I'll never forget the jumps I made there....

............................................................... Jerry, Tell me more about the Crossbow canopy. I wonder if anyone has a picture of one. Back in the early 70's, when I was a newby, a friend who knew even less than I did, bought a canopy that I think was called a crossbow. Being green horns, we thought we were looking at a para-commander. So I told my friend to buy it. We later found out that we had just bought a canopy that wasn't worth a darn. We were told this was a predassessor of the para-commander. I'm not sure what my friend did with it, but he never jumped it. I've always wondered since then, what exactly is a cross bow canopy?.....

I've owned dogs all my life. Sure training and management of a dog is important, but so is the breed. Some dogs are naturally more aggressive. Temperment is one thing that is bred into a dog. Remember that lady who owned that huge male chimp. It was cute and loveable. To her this was her baby. She treated this monkey well all of it's life. Then one day it tried to eat the face off of her friend. Would you raise a wolf pup and think nothing bad would ever happen. I don't care how careful you were, or how good you were to that pup, there would always be the chance of somebody getting hurt bad. A pit bull may have a lot of power in it's bite. But so does a black lab for that matter. I have no doubt that even a lab could do serious harm if it wanted to, but aggression is not bred into them like it is into a pit bull. I don't mean to pick a fight with anyone. But this is how I see the problem. Please educate me, if you think I'm wrong....

I like mine. It was opening hard. I started psycho-packing it. It usually opens nice now.... When it was being made in Africa, I was able to buy one new at an unbelievably low price. They may be hard to find now....

In the early 70's everyone had either B-12 snaps or quick ejector hardware. I don't recall ever seeing a failure back then. I loved my quick ejectors. I've heard people say good riddance to junk, but they served me well. I also wonder about B-12 snaps today. I wonder if they might not be a safer choice for chest straps. Many jumpers forget to fasten up their chest strap. I did that twice when I started using a thread through chest strap. I think there would be less chace of forgetting if there was a buckle to fasten there. I don't remember anyone in the old days forgetting to fasten a chest strap with a snap on the end. Yet today it is pretty common for a jumper to forget to thread that strap through...

Congratulations Pat! How'd we get so old so fast....I'll be 60 this Spring. I sometimes brag to people that I once jumped with Pat Works...

Don't lawmakers know that anybody can saw the barrel off on a shotgun, and have a weapon that is probably more lethal than a semi-auto rifle, for close range killing. Ignorance is bliss though....I imagine many people will sleep better knowing there are fewer army style guns available....

There was a jumper in the 70's who hit a plane. He survived with a few injuries. I think he had a couple of broken bones. He went through the roof of the plane he hit, and ended up inside. He actually landed with that plane. I read the newspaper article on that, but don't know many other facts. In about 1970 our jump plane collided with another aircraft. Everyone on both planes was killed but one skydiver named Jim Ledbettor. he was able to steer his parachute and make a safe landing. He didn't recall pulling his rip cord. Another girl had a good canopy but half of her head was gone. The impact openned her chute. A year or so later, Jim had a double malfunction, but survived. His reserve was full of big holes. His wife talked him out of jumping for a while. Later Jim was killed in a plane crash, flying in bad weather. Yep, this sport isn't always safe.

................................................................... I think you are exactly right on that. For years I wondered why I was drawn to such sports as skydiving, riding broncs, and risking life and limb in other various ways. Then I read some research and opinion articles on that. People tend to gravitate toward what they are used to. When I was a kid it was abuse, and craziness at home. It sent all my adrenal glands into overdrive. Later in life, I had a hard time turning that off.... When I started skydiving (in the 70's), I remember climbing to altitude, and wondering why am I doing this. I would look down at all the houses and think there sure are a lot of people down there who are different than I am. I couldn't figure out why I was drawn to danger.... I'm not saying this is the case with all skydivers, but it certainly was a big factor in why I took up the sport. It's a good feeling to finally figure out what makes you tick, and understanding who you really are. Now I work at keeping myself safe, and controlling the need for another adrenaline rush..... I once heard a therapist say, "what are you thinking about when you are traveling through the air at 120 miles per hour?".....It sure isn't worry about the past or worry about the future. It's freedom and pure fun!....I think some of us jump to feel normal and alive. It's a natural high of the highest order....

I jumped actively for 30 years and raced motorcycles before that. I was also a Firefighter for almost 30 years. Everyone came back with some degree of PTSD. And we all tried to deal with it in different ways. Some worked some didn’t. Sparky ....................................................................... I hate to interject too much psycho-babble into this great thread. Since I am a counselor, it's hard for me not too think in those terms. I was once went skiing with my old friend, the bird dog pilot. He didn't talk much about Vietnam. I told him I was in town to attend a conference on PTSD. That's when he mentioned he probably needed help with PTSD caused by his tour in Vietnam. I mentioned I got my PTSD from growing up in a crazy alcoholic home. Many of us try to self medicate that hurt. Skiing and skydiving helped my friend and I a lot. Some turn to drugs and alcohol. I recently read an article about a carreer soldier who suffered from PTSD. He also worked as a mercenary. He said that he was haunted by the past and what helped bring balance to his life, was by putting himself in harms way all over again. So, he would go back to combat again and again. Adrenaline can be addictive. This what brought peace to his troubled mind. I met another special forces soldier a few years back at Lost Prairie. He had been all over Iraq and Afganistan. He had a full black beard. I imagine that was to blend in with the locals, (in countries like Iraq). He said he had been shot up more than once, and was tired of it. He wanted to be with his family. He said you wouldn't believe some of the action they walked away from. He was still in S.F. and was trying to get out, after twenty years of service. On his leave time he was skydiving. I'll bet that brought balance to his life. This is an interesting subject that I'd like to learn more about....

I think people are beginning to realize that you often can't depend on the police to save your bacon. There's a school in Texas that allows teachers to carry guns. Can you believe that! At first I thought this was crazy. After all, don't we all know a teacher or two who is nuts. But after studying this further, I'm not so sure this isn't such a bad idea. These teachers undergo extensive training prior to being permitted to do this. Statistics show that up to 70 percent of violent offenders (including armed killers) are brought to bay, not by police, but by citizens who are on the scene. Many times these are unarmed people who bring down an armed assailant. I know if I was trying to subdue an armed criminal before he killed my friends and I....I would want a gun too. I wouldn't want to sit on my hands and wait ten minutes (or more) while Mr. Nut Case emptied magazines of ammo into us....

And that's the truth. You didn't want to miss, if you were down winding it. I was black and blue trying to make it into the peas, back in the 70's. I never could figure out how the Golden Knights could make it look so easy....

One of the jumpers in our club flew a bird-dog, spotter plane, in Vietnam. He was also one of our top jump pilots. He told me once he still suffers from PTSD. It's hard to turn that kind of adrenaline off. Jumping and working as a fire chief brings balance to his life. I've got a ton of respect for him....

I've only used a wind drift indicator once. We were doing a demo back in the 70's. We threw the thing out and never saw it again. And that was back in the day when I had good eyes. So, about all I really know about wind drift indicators is that they are hard to see....

There are some real "Ding Dongs" that often get in charge, on fires. Some fire bosses have tons of experience, and always put the safety of their fire crews first. While others are really short on common sense. The biggest rule in firefighting is, don't get above a fire that can burn uphill. That can be a real killer. In California I knew a guy who was a squad boss. He had a group of Job Corps kids working under him. They were told to work above a fire by some idiot in charge. The fire started working it's way up the hill toward them. Then the wind kicked up. There was no way to out run this fire. It was coming up the mountain too fast to outrun. Now this squad boss had a cool head. He was an ex-marine fighter pilot, who had over a 100 missions in Vietnam. They made their way up the mountain to a road. He had everyone pop their fire shelters. The fire burned over the top of them. Everyone survived, thanks to him. He then went down to the head honcho's tent and chewed out some bosses. There was no excuse for a mistake like that.....

Oh, don't worry about that! I can find myself okay. Some times I have a hard time when it's really cold out, and I have on a lot of clothes, and I have to take a whiz....but usually I can find myself just fine. I did lose my glasses a while back. When I find them, maybe we can get a load put together....I get to spot!....