Lake Wales Destroyed - Jumping again!

[RoadRash 0]

I am so depressed......I graduated AFF down in Lake Wales and still have friends who work there...

I'm glad to hear that no one was hurt......

I hope that they will recover soon and be up and running in no time......


~R+R...I miss Lake Wales and have only gotten to jump there once this year......::sigh::...

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Fly the friendly skies...^_^...})ii({...^_~...

[mjosparky 4]

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Are you a pilot? Are you going to fly in hurricane winds?

No, but he stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[cvfd1399 0]

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Are you a pilot? Are you going to fly in hurricane winds?

What does it matter if I am or not. The comment did not include "they should have flown in hurricane winds to get away" either

[adamjenner 0]

were there any other DZ's that were hit? or is lake wales the worst of the lot right now?

[MagicMyst 0]

Any updates on how the plane is?? My Dad and I have already decided, if the plane is running next weekend we're definitely up there to show our support and jump all day.

-Tiffany

[Dougiefresh 0]

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"If [President] Bush wants to be re-elected he'll send some money down here," Gibson said.

I wouldn't worry, the Bushes know how to take care of family.. Oh crap, now this thread is going to be moved to Speaker's Corner...

That poor Otter... what did she ever do to hurt anyone? All she ever did was spread joy and happiness by letting crazy people jump out of her...

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[BarbaraKobzik 0]

Unfortunately things look even worse when you are close. I was out there today - you can see on the pics that almost nothing is left.

What I heard today: the plane is in quite good shape, and they want to get a trailer out there as manifest to start jumping again as soon as possible.

Many roads were blocked today due to power lines and poles on the roads, but they opened the 60 this evening. You have to leave the area before sunset.

I am sure people are more than welcome to help tomorrow (sunday) to move some stuff, so leave your gear at home and get some old shorts and t-shirt instead and head out there! (working gloves are helpful, 1.29$ at the gas station...)

Barbara

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It's nice to be important, but it's much more important to be nice.

[Chrisky 0]

~~~VIBES~~~

Damned! I only went there once and had a great time. Really hurts seeing that great place in such a shape.
If there's anything non-local (overseas/westcoast etc) jumpers can do who want to help (apart from coming back to jump there), it would be good to know.

I hope everyone there keeps going! I only have my Freakin' suit for like 3 month, and it rocks... Wanna get some swoop pants too!
And there's nothing like a Jumpin' Jacks Breakfast after last nights party and before (or after ) the first jump of the day.

Keep going people! Please!
I'll be back!

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[jannu 0]

This is sad...

How do you think it will affect the Canopy Piloting World Cup Oct. 29 – Nov. 3... ?

I'm sure the competition can be jumped, you only need a plane, the jumpers, the judges and some blades...

BUT! It sure would be nice to have some facilities also... as this is supposed to be the crowd-pleasing skydive disicpline of the future...

I hope everything can be done and you guys ni FL get things working again!

[leroydb 0]

anyone know if they had insurance?

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[EDYDO 0]

I just spoke with one of the pilots at Lake Wales. The Otter was spun around in the hangar by the wind and then pushed back into the door. There is damage to the rudder where it hit the door. There is also significant damage to the leading edge that will require skin replacement. They are trying to get a rudder and a ferry permit. I believe the parts are available and mechanics are ready to work on it in North Carolina. The engines have been run and are OK. If all goes well, it could be flying jumpers by the week-end.

The entire area is without power and it will take from one to six weeks to get power, depending on the location.

Ed

[Ron 10]

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Are you a pilot? Are you going to fly in hurricane winds?

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Nope but I know 3 that would have flown down there and moved it for them. Hurricane winds I would have gotten out before that.

So you knew wich way the hurricane was going? Funny cause as of Friday my company had made all kinds of emergency plans for our Tampa operation and our Ft. Myers operaton lost it's roof.

I had written off my trailer on the DZ since the projected path was right over ZHills.

Funny thing the storm turned...I guess you would have known which way to fly the plane? I had friends that took their planes from Clearwater to Orlando.....The planes would have been safer in Clearwater than Orlando.

Besides its why planes have this thing called "insurance"....Shit happens.

The projected path was not over LW....Not ONE projection showed it turning onto that path. Using your logic every DZ in FL should have sent all the planes to Alabama.....Except Alabama has gotten hit with hurricanes as well.

The Hangar is quite strong..And in fact DID protect the plane.

The plane is insured anyway.

Feel sorry for them, don't use your "Better judgment" and "Knowledge" AFTER the fact to tell them what they could have done better....Betty and Fayard have both been in the skydiving business longer than you or I have been skydiving COMBINED, and longer than I have been alive.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Ron 10]

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Wow - what was in your breakfast cereal this morning??

Frosted Flakes....How does that matter when a guy with 21 jumps no pilots license and one year in the sport thinks he can make better choices about the best method to deal with a Aircraft when facing a storm? Than TWO DZO's that have been in the business longer than all three of us have been skydiving? Fayard was a World Champion in the 60's, and I was not born until 72. Betty has had a DZ in FL. For longer than I have been alive.

They know what they are doing and some guy with one year and 21 jumps should not be telling them they made a bad choice about how to run a DZ.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[poppenhager 1]

Most aircraft in Florida could not go north all week because of a stationary front that has stalled across north Florida the past week and is still here.Charley was first forcast to land between Tampa and the Suwannee River (my area).I planned on flying my airplane north early Friday morning but was unable to because of the weather here.I would have been screwed if Charley had maintained his original course.
POP

[AggieDave 6]

I was wondering about Collegiates in December as well, if it will be moved or will stay at at Lake Wales.

Wow. Thats some bad shit, I'm assuming, since it wasn't said, that no one was hurt, which is the important thing.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[leroydb 0]

thanks for the info, i didnt know

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[flysister 0]

Let me just add to the events of Friday as it relates to weather. I was parked on my couch in Orlando watching the weather and from 2pm to 4pm the storm took a dramatic turn inland and also went from a Category 2 to a Category 4 in just 1 short hour. So since we don't have crystal balls readily available you just hunker down and hope for the best. The storm rolled right over my Orlando and by 11pm it was gone. You just can't move planes at the drop of a dime.

My thoughts and prayers go to everyone in Lake Whales.

Brooke
PMS #1

[BarbaraKobzik 0]

Folks,
if you are in the area: Stop talking how sorry you are. Leave your gear at home today, and let's go to Lake Wales now. They need help. THEY NEED YOU! TODAY! NOW!
C'mon guys and girls, let's go there, the roads are open again.
Barbara

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It's nice to be important, but it's much more important to be nice.

[jose 0]

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Wow - what was in your breakfast cereal this morning??

Frosted Flakes....How does that matter when a guy with 21 jumps no pilots license and one year in the sport thinks he can make better choices about the best method to deal with a Aircraft when facing a storm? Than TWO DZO's that have been in the business longer than all three of us have been skydiving? Fayard was a World Champion in the 60's, and I was not born until 72. Betty has had a DZ in FL. For longer than I have been alive.

They know what they are doing and some guy with one year and 21 jumps should not be telling them they made a bad choice about how to run a DZ.

Amen brother. I couldn't agree more, and would have said it myself. But I knew you would say it for me.

[cvfd1399 0]

I am sorry for them. You keep refering to moving planes to another city in florida and fail to hear what I say about moving furher to another state so I am through with this. I am glad they had insurance, I am not being critical on anyone in particular I would have told this to anyone.

[PhreeZone 20]

Moving them north was not a real option due to a stalled front over northern FL and storms. Jump planes tend not to be rated for IFR flight. Other option would be to fly towards TX or over the gulf to LA/Alabama and hope to miss the leading edges of the storm. Not exactly a situation I'd want to fly into.

Orignally Zhills was to be in the path and we would have been reading about this there IF anyone is in FL could you go to LW and help clean for me?

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[cloudseeker2001 0]

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Are you a pilot? Are you going to fly in hurricane winds?

Nope but I know 3 that would have flown down there and moved it for them. Hurricane winds I would have gotten out before that.

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Where are you gonna fly to?

Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas Pay a tarmac spot for a couple of days. I bet that another dropzone out of the storms path with a private strip would let anyother DZ aircraft park for free. You don't have to fly to Canada only far enough to make further decisions if needed. I think it sucks that it happened, but it would have been cheaper.

I am not an armchair pilot I am anyone out there that thinks a very valuable piece of mobile property could have been relocated that is all. It could have been a travel trailer or anything else for that matter.

I agree.

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[jtval 0]

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Wow - what was in your breakfast cereal this morning??

They know what they are doing and some guy with one year and 21 jumps should not be telling them they made a bad choice about how to run a DZ.

Quite frankly ,Ron. HE made a statement

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If I owned that million dollar aircraft it sure as hell would not be sitting in a hangar when a hurricane came to town! Fly it to a another dz heck you might even make money with it if you don't just at least park it there.

Probably the same staement many of us had made until we learned that the storm turned. but as usual rather then explian that to someone with ONLY 21 jump you decide to make a federal case out of this. they probably call you a skygod.

THIS THREAD is about the loss at Lake wales,which may personally effect you, but CALM DOWN DUDE!
Its not a personal attack on YOUR DECISION to do anything.

I honestly hope all your losses can be recovered but Im tired of seeing your skygodish posts!

My photos

My Videos

[funks 1]

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Wow - what was in your breakfast cereal this morning??

Frosted Flakes....How does that matter when a guy with 21 jumps no pilots license and one year in the sport thinks he can make better choices about the best method to deal with a Aircraft when facing a storm? Than TWO DZO's that have been in the business longer than all three of us have been skydiving? Fayard was a World Champion in the 60's, and I was not born until 72. Betty has had a DZ in FL. For longer than I have been alive.

They know what they are doing and some guy with one year and 21 jumps should not be telling them they made a bad choice about how to run a DZ.

my god, why is it some people here are so fucking fast to rip into somones comments or statements? Ron, you act like this guy was saying that he knew what should have been done..he was fucking voicing his opinion, thats it, maybe thats what he would have done...who are you to tell him his opinion or statement is ridiculous??? chill for christs sake.

[fsuskydiver 0]

My husband and I spent the last two days helping clean up. The good news is that most of the gear, manifest equipment, video equipment, and other important things are salvagable.... the bad news is there's not a sturdy structure to put it all in. The DZ is ordering trailers - one for themselves, one for the store/rigging loft. Word was as of this afternoon when we left that they will have a plane flying as soon as tomorrow.

Everyone there is obviously quite sad, but is remaining as positive as can be and have kept their sense of humor. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but a few locals did lose their homes. Any help that anyone can offer would be wonderful. Aside from manpower to help clean up, they mostly need ice and water and gasoline. Your warm thoughts have been appreciated.