flajumper

Wow, talk about a small world. I've been lurking this board for about a year now, keeping mostly quiet, but this thread hits so close to home. I was on the same DC-3 that lost the engine on takeoff. I was with one of, as I recall, two of the 10 man teams from Palatka that year. I remember Harold's Lodestar, Kivi, Niki, and a bunch of other folks from that era as well. Lot's of good times. I remember while turning downwind in the DC-3, one of my teamates (I think Gary Jenkins) looked out the window and said "I've always wanted to see what a feathered engine looks like, and now I hope I never do again". Good to see some of you are still alive, kicking, and hopefully doing well. Bob

My logbook shows my first lodestar jump in Palatka around Apr 76. Last one was in early 78 from the same lodestar. Showed up one Sunday morning in 78 and it was no where to be found, and never to be seen again apparently. It was probably the cleanest looking lodestar I think I'd ever seen, and more fun to jump from than any other aircraft I've jumped since.