WFFC

Got a call right before I left work for lunch from an aircraft owner that has been in touch with the WFFC organizers. Seems the want to bring a really big white bird to the convention for a few days. OK Fine...It's a C-130...I'll have pictures up shortly. You heard it at DZ.com First. ***DISCLAIMER*** A contract is close to being signed based on FAA signoffs - so until that happens, it's still pending... Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

This was either here somewhere or on Wreckdot http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=573&ncid=757&e=3&u=/nm/20020718/od_nm/execution_dc_1 Too bad we have too many lawyers that think this would be cruel and unusual. ----- ~~~Michael

I'm checking... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

PilotDave- I promise to add you as a link on Ground-Rush.com as soon as the convention is over. Freefall.com has been taking all of my free time right now. Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com Michael@Ground-Rush.com ----- ~~~Michael

No real requirements. Just something that we can use easily. We'll be able to edit picture and such for size. If you want to get real techy, burn us your daily videos to cd in windows media player format and we'll post them too. Sorry, we won't be able to help with this. I want to jump some too. Oh, the only real requirement is to keep it clean. Not going to post any boobie pics on the site. Now, I can post them on another site easily if you like Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

One of many...You'll be able to find me semi easily with the goofy hats - or I'll be in the webcam trailer near manifest. If anyone has digital pictures they want to share on the website, bring them to the webcam trailer and we'll put them up with the daily reviews and such. This is gonna rock! See ya there~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

Fred and Jordan will be there all night, everynight, from beginning to end, to take care of registration for anyone who arrives after the sun goes down. Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

I'm not sure of the entire process - I've personally never jumped the jet. The first load, I've been told, will be 8:00 A.M. on Friday morning. From what I recall from 99 when I tried to get on the 727 (left Friday and didn't jump due to weather) is go to Manifest when jet loads are being scheduled - I think this started a couple days before Friday. Get assigned to a load and you're on it. Anyone out there who is an 'experienced' 727 jumper that can explain the process better than this? Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

Try this one - it's worked for me Tell the prof that your company is shipping you out of town and you won't be back till xyz day. Can you take the final early/late because the company won't take 'I'm not going' for an answer. Michael ----- ~~~Michael

727 jumps are 69$ and will be on Friday, Aug 9th. Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

You can just show up. Pre-Registration just puts jump tickets in your hand so you'll have some prior to worrying about setting your tent up in the dark... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

Better - Isn't it the messenger that generally gets shot? Don't forget about the Connie being there too. This is what the Convention is about - Heavy, Unique Iron ----- ~~~Michael

Yes - Michael's rule for being Webmaster of Freefall.com - #4 No copy of contract in my hands (i.e. the applicable pages to confirm to me that it's real) means no listing as confirmed. Contrary to some's popular belief, the website never said there would be a jet in 2001. ----- ~~~Michael

I'll have the details posted this afternoon... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

I believe (from the picture archive) the Family Channel balloon was at the WFFC before. I wasn't jumping during that time so I'm not sure what year or how much it was. see www.freefall.com/images/gallery/img0008a.jpg Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

Lisa- I've passed it off to the guy that does T-Shirts for me to see if he can come up with anything...I'll let you know what he ends up with... Michael

ummm...You're looking a little pink-ed. I think you need to stay home a few more days to get over whatever ails you... On a serious note, a guy from my home DZ ended up at the WFFC last year, had to get up early several days in a row to call in 'sick'... Michael Webdude Michael@Freefall.com http://www.Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

There's 2 airports in the Denver metro area that the slurry bombers have been based. On the North end, they're based at Jeffco and, since the incident, they have not even been near the DZ at all. Michael ----- ~~~Michael

The FSDO was called. Apparently the only people the slurry guys were talking to were their own. ----- ~~~Michael

For the record, my 'observation' of the incident was from just outside one of the hangars at the DZ, on the North side of the runway. Landing area is on the South side. I was in the office, heard the call for a wind check and headed outside. I was working, but had made a couple fun jumps during the day, none included an encounter with a bomber. None of the observers outside the hanger, mostly experience jumpers & a couple whuffo's, heard the bomber until the jump plane was on decent. From the video side, the wideangle lense on Peter's camera is a .45 (I believe), so had he been higher, you would have seen the whole plane. As Paul Harvey would say, that is the rest of the story... Michael ----- ~~~Michael

> There really isn't any excuse for that.... It's not > just that somebody fucked up, it's that > EVERYBODY fucked up. This almost was another > example of how a chain of events leads up to > tragedy. > > The bomber should've been on the radio, and > aware of where he was. Well, he was on the radio and aware of where he was, just the wrong frequency. > ATC should've seen the bomber, and alerted the > jump plane pilot. ATC had alerted the jump pilot and he did make the jumpers aware that there were slurry bombers in the area. We were all on the lookout for them the rest of day. We were also aware that ATC was unable to raise the slurry bomber pilot on the radio. Our DZ is just outside of Denver approach and the altitude the SB was flying at, he did not need to contact ATC. > The jumper should've checked for traffic before > leaving. He did, just as the rest of us did. Door was facing South, SB came from the North. > The dz (and through them, the pilot) should've > had ground spotters since this is a frequent > occurance. This isnt' that far-fetched. Eloy almost > always has a ground spotter with a radio - I'm > pretty sure this guy called a go-round because of > traffic when we were all there memorial day > weekend. Because of where the landing area is, trailer ride from landing area, the driver is the ground spotter as well. The winds were light, but in a direction that made the distinct noise of a piston hard to hear. >I'm glad that chain wasn't completed. Ditto...I'd miss Peter's occasional whining... Michael ----- ~~~Michael

Actually, there was a fire in Casper WY that they were flying up to contain. This was the third incident during the day that one of the slurry bomber crews had flown through the DZ. DZO was attempting to get to the Forest Service briefing the next morning. Not sure if that happened or not. It was quite scary from the ground too. The Hayman fire is Southwest of the Denver metro area and that particular day, those slurry bombers were refueling/reloading at Centennial and the Casper WY bombers were refueling/reloading at Jeffco, approx 25-35 miles south of the DZ. Remember to look before you jump - although in this case it wouldn't have helped... Bluez~~~ Michael

OK. I've done my part - DropZone.com is not listed as a group on DropZone Row (www.freefall.com/conven.htm) cya in Rantoul - Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com

It has been discussed...Possible? yes/no...Don't have anymore details... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com

Here's the key for future visits by the 412 - Rod needs to drop 3500 jumpers to break even. There is a deal in the works to get you to buy tickets too...Once I get the go ahead, I'll post it on the front page of Freefall.com... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com www.Freefall.com