Niki1

What part of North Carolina do you live in? I'm in Robeson County and it's like a Third World contry. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I would go with that. And with drjump that the name is (might be) a 26' Super Steerable. It looks too tall in profile to be a Tri-Con. I think the main container was called a Fastback? Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Hey, Jack! Toda Bone? I'm thinking that the pattern you're reffering to is the "Merry Widow". It was black with a multi colored keyhole. A "Black Widow" would'nt be a very good name for a life saving device.

That's great!! Skydivers either disprove Darwin's theory of natural selection or "super-prove" it. Did you ever hear about Leon Richie's refridgerator box jump? I asked him about once and he said it happened pretty much as it was related to me. The story: Leon thinks it would be cool to get pushed out of the cargo door of a Twin Beech in a large refridgertor box. This is back when P.C. meant Para Commander. So out he goes in the box. He thinks, "Wow, this is Cool. I wonder why my altimeter isn't working." He figures he better go ahead and get out before he loses track of time. He tries to jump up and out but the box seems to jump up with him. He tries to roll it over but somthing seems to be stopping it from rolling over. Finally, he pulls his ripcord, Insted of the pilot chute jumping into the air, the pilot chute and sleeved P.C. fall on the floor of the box. He picks up the spring loaded pilot chute and holds it out over the top of the box in the wind stream and it takes off like it's suppoed to do, takes the sleeved P.C. off the floor of the box and opens normally. The box floats sort of gently to the ground. I think Leon learned something about physics that day. But it might be said that he was the first modern skydive to use a Hand Deployed Pilot Chute. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

O.K. Now I'm confused. (Familier territory for me) The pilot chute is the "Ballute" pilot chute Bill Booth designed in about '87. The upside down spring and all F-111 (no mesh) was kind of radical but it did produce a steadier drag than the 1/2 mesh pilot chutes. (I got to make about 40 intentional cut-a-ways with Mike McCowan filming. One of the stills even made the USPA calendar, July of '87 I believe. Several good jump stories came out of that but they're for "Scary Stories From the Old Days") The part that confuses me is that the bridle perminately attached to the pilot chute. I would have sworn that the 4 bite, O-ring freebags were no longer being produced at that time. In fact, I thought that by '91 the loop on the bridle was large enough so it could be larksheaded onto the pilot chute. If the data stamp on the line stow pouch is not the same as the pilot chute, then it's a retrofit and would exjplain my confusion. As for the width, I might have been off on the numbers because it sure looks like a Vector ii, V-4 or 5. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

The 4 bite locking loops were used on the Relative Workshop freebags for a short time in the early to mid '80s. (Freebag, there's a misnomer if there ever was one) The Safty Stow replaced it, That's the elastic shock cord loop that we see today. The bag appears to be for a V-4 or 5. Measure across the top. If it's about 12", that's what it is. If it's about 14", then it's for a V-7, 8, or 9. It dosen't look long enough for a V-10. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Tink1717 is right about it being a Vector freebag and Counsilman24 is correct about the "O" rings. These were used around 1984 to maybe 1987. The 4 safty stows started when, I think it was a Golden Knight that had a "bag strip" on a high speed malfunction. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Ad hominem rhetoric is so much easier than real discourse. But it's impossible to have a real discourse with people that are improperly hanging flags upside down and creating tombstones for the death of America out of some disillusioned state that our country has fallen. edit]not aimed at anyone in particular. Funny thing. First president in recent elections to win BOTH the pop and electoral vote. No words of "God wanted him in the WHITE house were spoken, just the majority of the country has spoken. We took the house and senate too. Your good ole' boy Bush has left this to you. So if you truly believe America has fallen apart, blame him for the tragedy that most are smart enough to recognize as a blessing. If ANYONE has had the call to hang a flag upside down or erect a tombstone to America, it's been those that did not believe in Bush in 00' and 04'. We have watched powerlessly as he and his buddies systematically raped, pillaged, and now somewhat burned our country, filling their coffers with lucre. No one here (AFAIK) is rubbing it in your nose that we won. But there certainly is a gnashing of teeth, renting of clothes. Wonder how much ash and sackcloth we'll see the theives of washington wearing... They've been caught out, and you've been duped. America has spoken, and it was the people of America that spoke, not some fucked-up disillusionment that God willed it. The major thing that has disappointed me over this campaign is that John McCain should have been our President for the last 8 years, NOT w. Karl Rove and all his minions did a hatchet job on McCain in the South Carolina primary in 2000. That took the momentum out of McCain's "Straight Talk Express" and he never caught back up. And in this campaign, it looked to me as though he "sold out" and hired those same bastards to run his show. I think he lost because he sold his soul to the Devil. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

This is what makes democracy work. The willingness of the minority to accept the results. Without that willingness, we are just like the old "Bannana Republics" in Central America. It is easier for the minority to do this when the majority acts in ways that benifit ALL the people, not just the ones who voted for them. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

When we came up with the hand-deploy pilot chute, nearly all the custom piggyback rigs of the time had belly bands, Wonderhog included. We already had a single closure point with a bight of the bridle since the Wonderhog had an external pilot chute at the time. The belly band just seemed like a natural place to put the pouch and without altering the rig, was the only place with enough room. I never had any problem with the bridle on my arm, but I can tell you as the first to jump a hand-deploy, the hardest part was letting go of the handle after extension Booth moved from the belly band location after a couple of twisted belly band PIT events. After leaving Booth's shop, I went to work for Buchmann and on his rig, we put the pouch on the attachment webbing from the container to the harness. Even though the orientation looked as though it would be a pull forward and then out, it seemed to be just out when you actually jumped it. Haven't jumped a BOC, but I'm sure I'll have to think about it when the time comes... At the Z-Hills meet just after Bill started putting throw-out pilot chutes on his rigs, some one had a relly nice "toss blanket". It was pack cloth maybe 10 or 12 feet sqare with Type VIII hancles all around. Being the show off that I was, I got on and did some somersault and twists. When I got off, Bill asked me to demonstrate the throw-out. Never missing a chance to show off, I said, "Sure!." I put the rig on, got back on the blanket and got tossed WAY up there. I really should have done a practice pull on the ground before I got on the blanket. I fumbled all the way down and didn't get it out. (I really hate being embarassed) But on the next toss, I threw it out at the top and by the time I got down, the pilot chute was inflated and loading the closing loop. Every one seemed to be pretty empressed. With the pilot chute, not with me. It let's me think that I had a little bit to do with popularizing the throw-out. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I remember the pc was on my leg or belly, why and when did they go to the BOC? In the late 80's (maybe '88?) Bill Booth had a personal rig made and wanted the pilot chute to be in the same place as the drouge chute on his tandem rig. He actually jumped the tandem rig more often and didn't want different pilot chute locations. Some other people in DeLand saw it, liked it and retro fitting some rigs. I think the idea really caught on with the lawn dart crowd. The BOC seemed to be a lot less prone to accidental release. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

A Mae West would be a line over on a 28 foot canopy. A Dolly Parton would be a line over on a T-10.

QuoteWe must get this thread back on subject and start bashing the DB Cooper nonsense posters. So many experts, so little knowledge or experience. The radio program Car Talk made an interesting supposition the other day. If 2 people discuss a subject about which BOTH know VERY LITTLE, is it possible for their total knowledge to be less than either of them? I think that other thread about He Who Must Not Be Named is proof that it is. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I just stumbled across this thread. In the "Park Demo" picture, that looks like Dick Higley on his knee waving. Anybody seen Dick? Is he still around? Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Jim, I agree with Nick and Jerry. I hope you stay around and keep posting. There are few engough literate people here as it is. I always enjoy your comments, It appears as though Quade doesn't understand or recognize the difference between talking about the subject of a thread (He Who Must Not Be Named) and talking about the thread itself and the people with 2 digit IQs who post there. Well, Fuck him. How's that for an intelligent, reasoned argument? Personally, I don't believe that everyone is entitled to an opinion. If sone one doesn't know what they're talking about, in spite of the facts available, their opinion is just itellectual polution in the same class as the check-out lines tabloids. That's just my opinion. Anyway Jim, I hope to continue to see your thougts, comments, and yes, your opinions. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Thanks, Jon. That's the name I couldn't remember. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Of course this is Bill Booth with Connie Simpson and Ted Strong with (I can't recall her name). Probably 1983 before either of them put drouges on the tandem rigs. I think it's over DeLand but I might be mistaken. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Hi, Jon. How ya doin'? You know the difference between a Delta II and a Paradactyl? The Delta II covers the whole car. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Howard, are you sure about this being a Delta II? I don't remember my 1970 Delta II having that many slots in the top. Steering was done with a "control panel" toward the rear sort of like flaps underneath. Also, there is no OSI (Opening Shock Inhibitor) at the left rear corner. Could this be a Delta I? I never knew why mine was called a Delta II. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Yeah, right, There weren't any crazy people there. They werw all like us. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

it was shot by Norm Kent, so i dont think handycam. Although I am not sure it was on this jump, Norm duct taped a 16mm movie camera to my right arm, at my request, so that I could get a good slow motion view of how the opening shock was spread between the two harnesses. So this very well could be a frame from the first Handi-Cam tandem. This footage ended up as part of a movie Norm made for me, to convince the USPA board (as well as the rest of the world) that tandem wasn't insane after all. It's not that the idea wasn't isane. It's that enough crazy people said, "Cool, I want to do that."

And charged the most if you had TRIED to do it first. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Joe gave me my rigger "course" in DeLand in Sept. '72 and wrote the letter for me. I was there at 8:00 AM, Monday morning and Joe goes to the refridgerator and gets a pitcher of beer left over from the night before. He says, "When you finish this, we'll start." It took a while to get those first few pack jobs done. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Jim, it's funny but you're not the first person to tell me that. The Historic Event seems to have been lost along the way. I'm thinking that the first 10 Way Nationals is what Howard is getting at. (Or was it the first 10 Man Nationals)

The "Ten High" part might indicate the Ten High Bunch from Z-Hills of '72, '73 & '74. Also Himalayan Rope Company of '74 who may have been a little more adventurous. I seem to remember a brief time when DC-3s were new to jumpers and people were trying to take full advantage of all the various access hatches. The cargo hatch behind the door created more problems than it was worth but it seemed like a good idea at the time. But the mountains in the background would suggest some where out west. Other than just running off at the keyboard, maybe it will spark some one elses memory. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?