hardarch

oh yeah... Can't look at russian skydiving w/o enjoying this old vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSTH1Cx52XQ

I think you're right. She knows some english.

" Release The Kraken !!!"

Just for those that haven't heard the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4&p=2C4F775D863598ED&playnext=1&index=4

If what you got was a "deer in the headlight stare", indifference, or a bored look...well, it could be worse. Have any of you ever gotten a hostile reaction? I recall years ago, when I mentioned this "sport" - some personality types reacted with genuine hostility. One said ..."oh, that is so STUPID"...then,this person I was conversing with actually went into character, and adopting something like an absurd clown face - with a voice to match, mimicked his impression of jumping out of a plane, illustrating his point saying: "I pull this little handle and a cloth thing comes out..." "REALLY STUPID!" I sized this person up pretty quickly,....he was really just reacting very defensively to the whole notion that some people are actually different from him and therefore approach life a little differently. In another conversation I recall discussing how skydiving has an organization and a progression, and there are experienced skydivers that have literally thousands of jumps, and there are actually achievements for the number of jumps and hours of freefall,...and badges for same... This person responded, in a mocking tone....what does the badge say..."I am a fool?" Some people get very defensive when expressing their negative opinion about this activity...and by the tone of their response, actually seem to have a lot invested in the decisions they have made with respect to how they approach their own life. Based on the attitude I experienced, they seem to feel challenged or threatened by any semblance of skydiving being a "sport"....and, in fact, being anything but the activity of lunatics.

Well, just a lust for life is what it is...everywhere you go, they got the same thing in common. Fun video.... I was going to post this in international...merely hoping someone can tell me what the screaming girl is saying at 6:43 at the end....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz23XwesEAI&NR=1

Old gear heads.....here's a vid from a vintage gear meet. Anyone recognize the main canopy at 4:59..looks like only the top half of a seven cell.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nn0W2oOyfk&feature=related

You'll find those Youtube links and some great video and nice music to go with it here....(the first two vids in particular): http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3922890;page=unread#unread

acraze: Shouldn't be a problem...at least it wasn't for me. Of course it was way back when (been out of the sport so I'm lurking around here). On my first jump - I had never been in an airplane either, and I am scared of heights too. I was the only one in the first jump class that had never been in an airplane and our instructor told me that was actually an advantage...I guess if you haven't been in a "perfectly good airplane" before, then jumping out of one isn't as big a problem... I was still getting used to the experience when I went out the door. In fact, for the first two years I could tell people I had gone up in an airplanes....but never landed in one. I thought that was kinda cool. Have fun! This is something you'll always remember, and if my experience was any indicator, you'll meet some fine people and always have this unusual experience to share and recall...it changes you - in a good way.

Having been out of the sport for quite sometime I was curious how jumpsuits have changed.... Long ago the heavy cotton duck fabric with belled arm and legs - maybe some extensions under the arms was what jumpers into RW wore.... Looking at gear today and having been by the local DZ it appears skin tight suits with a few grip handles are what everyone is wearing. How did it change from baggy draggy suits long ago to the skin tight thing...seems kinda 180 degrees from the idea years ago....

More comments on this video over here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3930972;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

That was really good. Very slowly builds some tension while focusing on the minute little details of waiting for the next load up...yet it portrays the sport with an everyday "non chalance" that defies the dare devil image. I love how he contrasts the skydivers with all the earthbound "spectators" - all looking up (esp. the scene where the couple are pointing at the sky and the guy redirects her finger to the right area)... Thanks for posting this little gem.

Not instructional...just entertaining, nice vid, nice music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afZELuCt0N8&feature=related

They like to jump Blaniks.... (in case you missed it on AvWeb ..) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zok7LltWU0E&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3c__hg1A1A&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQjka3ZXtg&feature=related

Hi Jerry. Thanks for correcting that. Caveat Emptor.

Here'd one to add to the collection.... Complete Vintage ParaCommander Mark1 rig + 28' reserve http://cgi.ebay.com/Complete-Vintage-ParaCommander-Mark1-rig-28-reserve-/260642418544?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3caf7faf70

Oh yeah...the magazines...I got a few too. Boxes of Parachutist from the 70's and early 80's...and Spotter magazine. The old Paragear and Relative Works catologs are a hoot to look thru now. A Pacific Parasports black and gold jump suit (paid extra for the "bells") Old Bell helmet with original Baush and Lombe goggles Original Paraplane Cloud and Stratostar owners manuals. "Patrick" boots from Paragear. Sold all the rest of the gear for rent money back then. Stupid me.

There's a story I'm sure, (I don't know what it is). No parachute...that's scary.

Well, mine wasn't that scary...compared to some of these posts..(A DOUBLE malfunction?!...HOLY Moses, Mary Mother of Jesus..!!). I was doing my third jump. The JM had some trouble spotting that day... He must've realized the mistake after watching the first two jumpers descending short of the recovery area so he decided to improve his performance and adjust his fire...for effect. Well, I ended up way long and I tried my best to crab the windline to get back to the airport. As I approached the airport I realized I wasn't going to make it with this 35 ft. TU. ...I was now entering that thicker air and I could see that reaching the airport was just wishful thinking. I now had a decision to make and had three options before I made my last turn into the wind and brace myself: Door #1- the highway down below and in front of me Door #2- the high power transmission lines between me and the airport in the distance. Door #3- a stand of trees along a roadside ditch between the highway and the transmission lines. Observing the cars on the highway below me moving at a pretty good clip (and not slowing down) I suspected I was out of their visual - above their windshield view of the world ..so I decided to try for a little more distance and milk the descent just a tad more..and get past that highway and the sound of screeching brakes and the sickening crunch. OK..that worked, now...power lines or trees, power lines or trees........ Not wanting to add a "sparky" to my jump log I pulled the right toggle and did my turn and ditched in the trees (We had the power line landing in training ..but COME ON ...really now.) I came down through the branches and ended my journey that afternoon with a buttstrike in the road side ditch as a station wagon went driving by..., junior in the back, with his face pressed against the window, in a slightly excited state jabbering away at mom and dad in the front seat, pointing at the goon in the tree. Wave to the people...smile. Free air show for Junior that day.

First jump...the usual static line thing... -28 foot double L mod..that classic quarter white, OD ,Orange & green. Next several jumps were the all OD 35 foot T - U. My freefall rig was my favorite rental rig...the DZ had this white 28 foot job in a solid black sleeve that was dyed and should've come out red but came out this weird lavander color..it was different...and the duct tape patches made it more so. Everyone refrerred to it as "patches"... What..you need a rig??? Well, we're kinda busy today..they're all being repacked right now...but "patches" is available. We learned quick at this DZ that if you wanted to jump several times in a day, repacking was a good skill to learn. I jumped patches on my first freefall....after I packed it. Gave me something to think about on the way up.

This thread needs some pictures... Found a recent one of Terry Queijo...and Scott Crossfield - Mr.Mach 2......wonder how he ever got hooked up with a box kite on wheels and a skydiver...?

Well, maybe not famous, ...but notorious. My jumping career was too short to jump with "famous people", but one hot summer day after VA Tech closed for the year, I did go out to the drop zone in Dublin VA and waited around in the early morning heat for a load to form up. Waited and waited and waited thinking everyone had left until next fall, ..and then along comes this older country couple in their Pioneer jumpsuits...husband and wife team. On the way up, he proceeds to tell me about his first jump, the one where he tried to do a "John Wayne" stand up on landing ...under a cheapo. Broke both his legs on that jump. His wife hurt her back. Despite a long spot that put us all on the far end of the runways in some really hot, thin summer air, we all did goof PLFs and did just fine. Turns out it was Buron Ervin and his wife...he eventually did the first BASE that was done off of New River Gorge Bridge. Sorry, no pic but the story is here: http://members.citynet.net/skydiver/ Also jumping there at the time was Terry Queijo; she went on to make history in the first all women flight crew on a commercial flight (American Airlines) and more recently as alternate pilot for the commerative (as seen on PBS TV) - 100 year anniversary Wright flyer recreation with one Scott Crossfield (Mr. Right Stuff/X-15 jockey advising).

Heheh...MAD magazine. That cover reminds me of that "First Jump" from the movie "Fandango".... Gave the term "Laundry's Out" a whole new meaning.

Yeah...the "good old days"..I can still feel them in my left knee and ball joints sometimes. When I sold my Papillon I was both sad and happy...the DZ in Maryland that I dropped by that afternoon to sell the Pap was preparing a student load...they were all flying squares on their first jump! I felt like a dinosaur. When I was actively jumping, the Strato Star was the "hot" new canopy and you had to have like a hundred hi-performance round jumps on a lifting canopy like a PC before they would let you jump a square. I just had to get a square - they were so cool. Got a great price on a used Paraplane Cloud (there were a few burns from the ringed reefing device on the top...) with all the intention of working my way up to a ram air!... But I eventually flipped it to a guy that just had to have a square too, and he was doing better than me - so I sold it. (needed the bucks for school and some jumps to stay current...oh, those days as a college student). He had the DZ rigger get rid of the rings and rope and modify it to a Strato Cloud with one of those "new" slider deals... Looked great. Thanks for the tip on the Ram Air book...(I still have owners manuals for the Strato Star and Cloud...they need to be in a Parachuting museum).

But a "Skymama" is definitely cool. I wish they had tandems years ago... I think I would have learned a lot quicker. Tandem ...hey if George Bush can do it at his age. I coincidently found out my brother in law did a tandem several years back after his divorce and he is a pretty big fella...200 +. Someone had to carry that load...LOL.