Any Indiantown, Fl jumpers?

[SkydiverRick 0]

Anyone ever jump at SFPC inIndiantown, Florida? How about Florida Skydiving Center in Okeechobee, Florida?

Rick

[chuteless 1]

I used to jump at Indiantown when Popenhager run the DZ. I filmed several TV commercials there. Always had good time ..Bill Cole D-41 CSPA licence.

[howardwhite 6]

I jumped at Indiantown several times many years ago. About the only rule was "don't throw your beer cans out of the plane on the way to altitude."

Parties at the Seminole Inn were intense.

HW

[wdy_bnckr 0]

We use to go down to the New Years meet that Pop sponsored in the 60's. I beat Gene Paul Thacker (us army Parachute Team) for first place in 67...Woody D 624

[bodypilot90 0]

friend of mine did, lots of good stories. One I remember is about a pile of beer bottles at the end of the run way from the sky divers

[wayne8577 0]

Yea, I jumped there many years ago. It was a wild place. Lots of fun. Did most of my jumps in FLL with the Gold Coast Skydivers. Jack Woodall was the pilot. We used a C-180. Great a/c. Also jumped in DelRay and Homestead in the early days! I am just starting back jumping after 32 years. My 2 sons just started 2 mo ago. I just can't stand around and watch any longer! Lots of changes though! Did you by any chance know Bob Bowen or Roy Barnes? Wayne Roach

Here's to Old Farts in the Wind!

[poppenhager 1]

Yea,I new em all including you.
POP D47

[wayne8577 0]

Well I'll be damned,Popy. How have you been? Sure has been a long time! I have often wondered about you and all the people I knew back then. Where they might be and such. Might know you would still be in the game. You were like THE man back then as I am sure you are now! You have got to be kidding me...still jumping an old PC. Ya just gatta love it! I know you'll rec the antiques in my pic here. My 2 boys just started jumpin and I can not just watch! Have to jump again after 32 yrs. I quit when I got married and persued a career with the airlines. I know you heard Jack Woodall died smoking in bed back in the early 70's. He was a great jump pilot and friend. Merl Ledbetter died of cancer about the same time. Well, It was sure great to hear from you and I would love to see you again! Keep in touch and if your ever in Ga let me know! Wayne8577@cs.com Next time I'm down in the area I'll try to look you up! Wayne Roach

Here's to Old Farts in the Wind!

[lekstrom10k 0]

I was there when Paul made his 1000 jump he went to 2000 and pull at 1000. drop his gear for the kids to pack and get back into the 170,s and up again . I dont recall the no beer can rule .If you sat on the floor student style and the pilot pushed your head against the dash better keep it there because a beer can would be flying by . Then the pilot would reach into a cloth cooler under his seat crack it and take a drink before putting it into a swivel holder like on boats . We jumped Sweets Lodestar there there was a B-25 set up for crop dusting too Dont know if it was jumped though. Ah yes iremember it well

[poppenhager 1]

Larry, At 64 your memory must be failing! When you were at Indiantown I made my 5000th jump,not 2000th.I made it out of Bill sweets loadstar at 4500'and yes I did take it to 500' because 28 others on the load were going to try and dump me at some unknown altitude so I left early and foxed em.Also got the disk with my trusty PC.That was 12-31-1972.Some of the jumpers on the load were,Steve Snyder,Bill Ottely,Curt Curtis,Dan Poynter,John Eiff,Paul Fayard, and many other personalities.
I made my 2000th at Clewiston,Fl.with most of the same jumpers present on 12-30-1965.
And the rule was no bottles on board (cans only)!!!
Those were the days and thanks for the memories.

POP D47 & OLD Instructor 21

[RogerRamjet 0]

Quote

Larry, At 64 your memory must be failing! When you were at Indiantown I made my 5000th jump,not 2000th.I made it out of Bill sweets loadstar at 4500'and yes I did take it to 500' because 28 others on the load were going to try and dump me at some unknown altitude so I left early and foxed em.Also got the disk with my trusty PC.That was 12-31-1972.Some of the jumpers on the load were,Steve Snyder,Bill Ottely,Curt Curtis,Dan Poynter,John Eiff,Paul Fayard, and many other personalities.
I made my 2000th at Clewiston,Fl.with most of the same jumpers present on 12-30-1965.
And the rule was no bottles on board (cans only)!!!
Those were the days and thanks for the memories.

POP D47 & OLD Instructor 21

Yeah, I remember jumping at Z-Hills (73-78) where a lot of jumps was 1000 and a real lot was 2000. Jeff Searles who owned the center at the time had 2000, I saw Pat Moore make his 2000th, and Hooper had around that many too.

You were a legand then with 6000. It just didn't seem possible for someone to have that many in those days since they all took so long...

So good to see you posting here, such great memories!

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[tgoaffi 0]

Never jumped Indiantown, but am drinking at Chayn's wed the 5th. c'ya????

[SkydiverRick 0]

I'll be there. Maybe we can get a wave going????

never pull low......unless you are

[deadwood 0]

I jumped a Itown on the late 70s. Great place, good memories. i remember paying Pops daughters to pack my PC for a couple of bucks.
Twin Beech
Beaver
C180
C182

Hope all is good with you Pop

He who hesitates shall inherit the earth.

Deadwood
Skydive New Mexico Motorcycle Club, Touring Division

[kkeenan 14]

We used to have some great times at Indiantown. I remember every Sunday morning, the pile of empties around the fire was awesome.

Once when there was a storm on top of the DZ, we jumped a Beaver load of us into a field at Naked Lady Ranch, a few miles away. The guy in charge came up to us, screaming bloody murder that we were tresspassing and he was going to call the cops. Right in the middle of his eye-bulging tirade, I hears the engine cut on the 182 overhead. Well, thinks I, this dude is in for more stress. Sure enough, about 60 sec. later, the Cessna load opens overhead, and the guy's apeshit level jumps up another order of magnitude.

Popp was flying the Cessna, and thought all was fine with us landing there, but this manager was obviously not clued-in on that agreement. While the manager was busy yelling and calling the Sheriff, Popp swoops in with the Cessna on a super-low buzz job and a bunch of aerial tricks overhead. Needless to say, the manager was about to have a seizure at this point, and all of us jumpers laughing and cheering didn't help his mood. Popp eventually landed after his airshow, about the time the Sheriff's deputies showed up. We all packed while they sorted things out - we figured if we were going to jail, at least out rigs would be packed. Eventually, everything worked out, and we all piled into the airplanes and went back to the DZ. Don't know if they ever jumped at Naked Lady Ranch again, though.

Kevin K.
SCR 3022
SCS 2226
ToadSucker 46

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[poppenhager 1]

HI Kevin, I remember the day well and we never jumped at Naked Lady again! The crazy manager was Clyde Dawson whom I had trouble with before.He bought Indiantown airport and stopped all jumping there in 1986,He still owns it today and is friendly toward me when I land there!!!
I was surprised at his attitude toward us that day because I had done several demos there for him free.
POP D47

[krkeenan 0]

Quote

I was surprised at his attitude toward us that day because I had done several demos there for him free.
POP D47

He musta got some out of date Budweiser

======================
Seasons don't fear the Reaper,
nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain...

[Moloki 0]

I jumped at Indiantown in the early 70's. I can still remember the first day I met Pop. I walked into the hut he used for a packing shed and the first thing I see is a guy shooting birds off the ceiling with a pistol. I new I would like this guy!!. Once I bet him I could beat him in accuracy. We went out on a very long spot (past the rodeo grounds) Pop nailed a dead center and I barely survived. Hope all is well Pop...deno

[yobtaf 0]

I made a couple of jumps at Indiantown in '67 or '68. Learned to jump at Homestead. Bob Bowen was my instructor and JM. He lives in Castleberry, FL and I see him often.

By the way, I was married to Merle Ledbetter's niece. Met her at the little DZ in Ft. Lauderdale when she used to babysit Merle and Rebba's kid.

>Ron Clayton

[tuffjump 0]

I jumped Indiantown in the early to mid 70s. I was on the jump that John Abitishio went in on. I also had to cut away a Mini-Cloud that the migrant workers picked up and ran away with.

[McGonigal 0]

Made my first jump at Indiantown in Feb,1971. My jumpmaster was Carl Smith(Smitty) and made a 5 sec delay using a Para Comander. I think Pop flew the plane.

[howardwhite 6]

The great Indiantown days were the late '60s, with amazing parties at the Seminole Inn.
And don't throw your beer bottles out of the plane, but it's o.k. to throw cans, as long as you're sharing with the pilot.

HW

[lekstrom10k 0]

We stayed at the "Semihole in back then too . I remember the C-170's with the "Beer Bouys" a beer can holder that pivots for boats, If you sat on the floor student style and the pilot tipped your head keep it there as an empty was whipped out the open door. Iwas there when an accuracy tournament was going on, but we had Sweets Lodestar to fun jump. Great place there was a B-25 rigged for crop dusting too.

[patmoore 14]

Fun to see this thread revived. I met my first wife at the New Years meet in '68. We were married 11 months later. The next New Year's she became the first woman to jump a square. As i recall Donna Humansky jumped one later that day and broke her leg.

I was a destitute young airman stationed at MacDill AFB when I first competed there in '67. Pop let me sleep in the cab of tractor trailer that was wintered there. I think the truck's owner was Lou Bell.

I have great memories of Indiantown and the Seminole Inn.

DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

[tooslow 0]

gosh...
i'll have to check my logbook, but, yes... i jumped there.
it had to be the very EARLY 70s.
the master riggers were trying to figure out how to get the 'new' chutes to open slower; the openings were BRUTAL.
methinks they were v-shaped airfoils; not the flying mattress of today.

home of Parachutists over Phorty?

sorry... i'm old and VERY forgetful.
(TU5, TU7, paracommander mk1)

just got home and checked my logbook;
december 1968
signed off by:
pop (?) d-47, john coppe (?) d265, bill burr c-5961, ed darey(?) d-241.
any of these people still around?
lee west d-2? is thar even possible (xenia, ohio)

some interesting names and license numbers from 'back in the day'.

when my daughter wanted to take up skydiving, i brought my logbook, to the DZ, as my credentials.
when the owners thumbed through it they, virtually, BEGGED my to jump with them.
considering my age and infirmities, i declined; big mistake.