Pope Valley CA DZ pictures?

[ldk 2]

Thanks for the Pictures...

[Guru312 0]

ldk

Pope Valley is closed and has been for some time. ...

As an East Coast jumper, Pope Valley was always at the top of my list of wanna visit DZs. I made it to my other, Z-hills, but never I got to Pope.

Can you give me a short explanation as to why it closed and when?

Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

[ldk 2]

When Calistoga closed most moved to Yolo. Pope Valley was a pirate DZ and didn't become an licensed DZ for maybe two or three years after Calistoga. If my memory serves me correctly...pulled a lot of silver.

[ldk 2]

Prior to the Pope being a DZ is was a "Fly in Ranch Resort" If I am correct and excuse my misspelling for I am certain I will not spell it correctly... so I'm going to take shot at it...Useabelie's. That's terrible but the best I can do. The DZ began regular operations in 1972 and closed approx. 1982. It's closing can only be determined by those who operated it. A the time there were a number of causes floating in the rumor bin. The one that I think is most plausible is that local property owners were opposed to the intrusion of their other wise peaceful Valley that was created by the DZ. That's my take...other's might be able to shed more light. The fact is...It was a blast while it lasted.

[377 22]

ldk

I believe that a mistake might have been made when saying: that Pope valley was once the "Largest Parachute training during World War II" Still there are many of us who will agree that is was one hell of a lot of fun during the 70's and 80's in a little hide away valley just east of Yolo DZ....Back in the days before Velcro....LOL.

There was Velcro at Pope. I borrowed a rig there that had TAPEWELLS. They looked kinda scary to me.

The crowd at Pope was friendly to everyone. Newbies were not outcasts as they were at some other DZs. I only had about 60 jumps when I started at Pope and got a lot of patient RW coaching from superstars.

Not certain why it closed. It was always a buzy DZ on weekends. Neighbors hated the take off noise. I spoke with one of them who was very bitter. She said their peaceful quiet valley was ruined by the DZ.

On one load the pilot took us over nearby Lake Berryessa to show us "some hot babes". There were some naked women sunbathing on a secluded part of the shore. We were too high to see much detail as he passed over.

I remember taking a different route home (to SF) one time and came upon an old airfield with a bunch of derelict Navy PV2 Harpoon patrol planes. I think it was Angwin or at least near there. An old timer at the field told me that it used to be an active DZ.

Does anyone have any info on a DZ at or near Angwin?

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[JerryBaumchen 1,435]

Hi 337,

Quote

Not certain why it closed.

The 'story' back then was that the DZO's did not own the land. The airport was sold and the new owner(s) told the jumpers to pack up & get out.

JerryBaumchen

[Spooky52 0]

I remember the Meridith Bros. 206 and 182 also. I managed to wreck BOTH of them at Antioch one day. Norm wanted to make a jump so I flew him in the 182 and taxiing back in up the hill to the office, I failed to notice that someone had parked the 206 NOSE IN. The left wing of the 182 hit the fin and rudder on the 206 and bent it sideways. Perry was NOT happy, nor was I. Had the 206 been parked tail in there would have been no problem. I remember Pope Valley fondly also. I did the classroom portion of my "D" there (a long time ago).

If you know how many guns you have - you don't have enough!

[377 22]

Spooky 52,

I jumped at Antioch in the late 60s to early 70s. I recall a very decrepit Lockheed Lodestar there that looked complete but abandoned. Do you remember it? I wonder if it flew out or was scrapped?

Perry Stevens taught me how to jump out at his old Oakland Airport location. We did ground school on weeknights there and jumped at Livermore on the weekend. He's still around. I was sure glad to see the USPA recognize his contribution to safety with his RSL (Stevens Lanyard) invention.

The last time I jumped at Antioch they were flyng a Pilatus Porter, a very lng nosed STOL plane.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[377 22]

Check this out:

http://riordanco.com/jimsblog/?tag=parachute

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[topdocker 0]

377

Check this out:

http://riordanco.com/jimsblog/?tag=parachute

377

That is an awesome read!

Thanks for posting that.

top

Jump more, post less!

[ldk 2]

Quote

That's a great post, two damaged ski taxis and the Meridith bros didn't snuff you. Pretty good guys, I jumped alot with Ed Wilkes out of his Beach 18, good fun back in the 70's, sex, substances and sky flying.

Spooky52

I remember the Meridith Bros. 206 and 182 also. I managed to wreck BOTH of them at Antioch one day. Norm wanted to make a jump so I flew him in the 182 and taxiing back in up the hill to the office, I failed to notice that someone had parked the 206 NOSE IN. The left wing of the 182 hit the fin and rudder on the 206 and bent it sideways. Perry was NOT happy, nor was I. Had the 206 been parked tail in there would have been no problem. I remember Pope Valley fondly also. I did the classroom portion of my "D" there (a long time ago).

[ldk 2]

377...10-4 over. When they brought in the DC3 the place went over the top. But it had to be....LOL