Old school skydiving still rocks

[freeflybella 0]

I just want to give a shout out to the jumpers in this sport who can say "Back when I started..." or "Hell, 5k is nosebleed altitude..."

My DZ has alot of Herd members with some great stories to tell. Low-pull contests, stumbling to the plane 'not-quite' sobering up from the night before, etc. Hell, even the rigs they were jumping!

(I'm not taking a stand on either side of the right/wrong aspect of these stories - it was what it was. Safety is relative to knowledge.)

And it's a GREAT reminder to my generation of jumpers and the 'little ones' getting into to the sport now - of just how far the sport has come and has changed in a very short amount of time.

(With all the talk of canopy BSRs and other 'restrictions' - it's an interesting big-picture perspective.)

I look forward to being the 'old-timer' with stories to tell - hopefully I'll keep an open mind and progressive attitude and still be alive and happy and jumping just like they are!

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[shmali 0]

So, do you have any interesting stories you'd like to share? Or do we have to wait until you are the 'Old-Timer'?

Pineappe Death Juice, If you have to ask you'd rather not know!

[Shadowplay 0]

I think it's kind of like when I used to hear all these old guys in the Navy talk about the good old days. I listened to their stories with awe, but at the same time I was glad that we had it easier and better. I think for the most part the same thing could be said about jumping. It's great to hear those stories because you repsect the people that came before you but at the same time, couldn't it be said that we have it better??

[shmali 0]

I don't really know if we have it better or not but i do know that we do have it 'safer' than the 'Old Days'. As far as how things have changed with respect to the sport i've heard many of my more experienced instructors/friends/etc tell stories about how most of the organization that has come into the sport has taken away some of what use to make it what it was. The ability to go and just do whatever with less of the concern that is put on safety these days. Now don't get me wrong i'm perfectly fine with all the safety checks and stuff. But a little bit of that 'wildness' from the stories kindof does have an appeal if you know what i mean.

Pineappe Death Juice, If you have to ask you'd rather not know!

[JadedLady 0]

I must agree. I absolutely love hearing stories from my more experienced friends about 'that time when I almost...' It just reminds me how much of a risk this really is. Newer equipment is definitely much safer than old days, but we are still jumping out of a plane. No matter how many safety precautions we take, there is always a chance for mistakes, and in a sport as extreme as this, mistakes can be fatal. But the way I look at it, if you don't take any chances, you aren't really living. This is so worth the risk.

~~~~
Rachel
~~~~~~~~~~~
-Converting the world one whuffo at a time.

[jumperconway 0]

The stories I've heard mostly were getting trashed, then jumping not vice versa.

[freeflybella 0]

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do you have any interesting stories you'd like to share?

uh...I think I need to wait for the statute of limitations to run out before...

I mean, NO. No stories here!

Also, I know what you mean about the 'freedom' and 'wildness' of the stories - and who'd have thought they'd actually live throught it!

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[Dogwap 0]

I wonder about the improved safety. I know that statistics on injuries/deaths per thousand jumps are hard to come by. But are there any reliable studies out there that show a trend in safety over the last 20 or 30 years?

Although gear is generally safer than it was 30 years ago, and there are lots more rules, skydivers by their very nature will always push the envelope to it’s tearing point. For example, in the early eighties, pulling at 1,500 was all in a day’s fun and an occasional grand opening was not a grounding offence. Today, you’d be ostracized by your pals and probably get kicked off the airport for such behavior. On the other hand, hook turn landings aren’t given a second glance. And how about those birdman suits? Still look like Black Death to me.

-------------------------------------------------------
To those who say it’s a small world, let me tell you,
I’ve seen the world, and it’s only getting bigger.

[hookitt 1]

I love old school stories. I can see it now when were' old and grey telling youngsters ..

...yes it's true, we used to rely on that crazy 3 ring release system I have an antique Infinity with that very system on it, I'll show it to you....

...Can you believe I actually used to jump a Stiletto? Some day we'll hook it up to a 3 parachute system and let you try it....

Progress is fun. The "New Eyes" of the newbies, teach the oldsters new ways of thinking. Oldsters teach the youngsters from their own trials and tribulations.

Fun Fun...

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[steve1 5]

I think some stories do get stretched more than a little over time. I jumped in the old days, and things were definitely looser back then. But I'll tell you I never saw a low pull contest nor anyone getting on a load stoned. Our club would have grounded them in a hurry. I'm not saying this didn't take place in some places, but it wasn't nearly as common as some of the old jump stories say it was. We partied hard, but this was after jumping. Anyone who opened low, even by accident, was grounded. Most of us were USPA members, even in the 70's. But then again we did bend a few rules and maybe things were different at other DZ's. Some of the wildest stories I've heard were down at Casa Grande in the old days....Steve1

[Meathorse 0]

There are some great old stories over here (especialy from airtwardo, although they ain't all OLD old :))
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=270299;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

[chuteless 1]

Maybe I shouldnt say anything, but the skydiving of today amazes me with what a jumper has to have.

I likethe new gear, as far as a container-Harness canopy is concerned. However I dont understand why

a jumper has to have bells and whistles go off inside his helmet to tell him he is at 5K and should open the rig,

Why an altimeter isnt sufficient by itself,

why he cant open at 2K and be satisfied that if he has a problem, he can still chop it and get the reserve out in lots of ime,

why a jumper cant eyeball his opening altitude ( not for students


why a round reserve is looked upon as some kind of thing that isnt reliable anbd wont get you down safely....a guy HAS TO have a square reserve.

why everyone has to have an automatic opener...like he cant be trusted to open before ground level.




etc etc etc


skydiving sure has changed !!!!!!

At one time, the rules said we had to have a stopwatch. We usuallly wore one even if it didnt work...( the rules didnt state it had to)


a jumper could pack hisown reserve...no problems ( unless it didnt open, but that applies today too.)

I think the changes have taken a LOT of the enjoyment out of the sport.


Bill Cole

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Well, when freeflying, it is easier to have something beep in your ear, then to look at an alti. Not to say you can't but it isn't nearly as convenient as it is when belly flying.

Some people don't have quick reflexes to deal with a malfunction correctly and in time. It is nice to a little extra time to think while you're still relatively new. Although, I agree, at some point after student status, this should probably be choice rather than force.

You don't have to have an AAD, but many people choose to. I can see it being a very useful device if you're knocked unconcious by someone in freefall, or if you hit the plane and go unconcious, etc.

I'm all for freedom, don't get me wrong. I just wanted to comment on a few of the things you mentioned, just to give a different perspective:)

I, too, love to hear the oldtimer's stories! I think it's awesome that not everyone feels the need to have an AAD, and other bells n whistles.

Angela.

[chuteless 1]

I agree somehwhat with your post, but I guess I'm just to laid back to worry about all those things.

Freeflying would account for a few bells whistles etc, but I think I'd just go, do it, and either pull on someone elses opening, or eyeball it. Makes for a bit more excitement and adrenalin.

I'm not meaning to knock what anyone does, but I couldnt be bothered with all the extras.


I think I'd also be more inclined to be concered about someone knocking me out on the ground LOL
LOL

[chuteless 1]

I just read TOWERRAT's posting about a long slow opening. Maybe you guys are right pulling at 5K....I have had slow openings on a para-sled, but my mind may be attuned to rounds like the Para Commander.

I think an opening that takes more than 500 feet would be justification to buy another canopy

BILL COLE

[Mad47 0]

I wish one day we all wake up and realize that we are very old skydivers

[sundevil777 102]

[grumpy old man voice]Back in my day, we didn't have audible altimeters with 3 alerts, or AEEAEEDEEs to open our reserves, or square reserves either, and we liked it. In fact we loved it, because we were stupid and we didn't know any better.[/grumpy old man voice]

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Kris 0]

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Well, when freeflying, it is easier to have something beep in your ear, then to look at an alti. Not to say you can't but it isn't nearly as convenient as it is when belly flying.

That's the kind of thinking that gets people hurt, or worse. An audible is a backup to your altimeter which is a backup to your eyes.

Personally, I have my audible set 500 feet below my planned breakoff and deployment altitudes. If I hear it before I have initiated those on my own then I have screwed up.

Kris

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Well, i'd rather not spend my whole dive looking at my alti. When I think it's getting time, I glance at it, and i'm usually right. I'd probably worry more about it doing solos than jumping with others. When to or more have audibles it's hard to consider that all of them would fail.

Anyhow, I do see your point.
Angela.

[Kris 0]

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Well, i'd rather not spend my whole dive looking at my alti. When I think it's getting time, I glance at it, and i'm usually right. I'd probably worry more about it doing solos than jumping with others. When to or more have audibles it's hard to consider that all of them would fail.

Anyhow, I do see your point.

I'm not saying that you have to keep an eyeball locked on at all times, as long as you give the occasional glance, that's fine.

It just raised an alarm bell with me because I *have* met people who treat their audibles as infallible devices.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[skypuppy 1]

Maybe we didn't have the money for all the frills and whistles, and AEEOOODEEs weren;t as good and still cost too much, and we can't hear well enuf for audibles...

Hell of an attitude there.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[usedtajump 1]

I can't help wondering why so many jumpers of today feel the overwhelming need for audible backups, aads, much higher main deployment altitudes, etc. when all I read about in the Incidents Forum are people who either killed or horribly injured by flying an open canopy into the ground.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[airtwardo 7]

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and AEEOOODEEs weren;t as good and still cost too much,

***
LOL!
I'm glad I wasn't the only one to catch the
AOD / AAD dated mis-quote..
"Pilot chute in da reserve??
what's next...women in the military!"

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[airtwardo 7]

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(especialy from airtwardo, although they ain't all OLD old :))

***
Gotta print that one...
Showing it to my better 1/2 that just suggested
"Just for Men" as and addition to my 'bath products'!!!
AHHHH!!!!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[jumperconway 0]

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I can't help wondering why so many jumpers of today feel the overwhelming need for audible backups, aads, much higher main deployment altitudes, etc. when all I read about in the Incidents Forum are people who either killed or horribly injured by flying an open canopy into the ground.

True, a majority of the fatalities that you read are low turns but you could probably add 3-5 more deaths a year without AAD's. Seems like we already see a couple a year where somone bounces because they either didn't have one or had one uselessly not active. On my 500th jump, a 20-way Texxas star, the JM I had when I returned to the sport got knocked out in when he hit someones leg diving to the formation. Noone saw him going low unconscious and luckily he came to at about 3 grand when his audible went off, he tracked and pulled ok. He had 0 recollection of any of the dive. He wouldn't jump on anything bigger than about 8-way untill he got an AAD. Guess it was a real eye opener for him, he was lucky.