tuffjump

I just made my first jump after 15 years absence. Had over 400 and was told I had to do the entire aff to jump. I was pissed, after-all I'd done demos, had at least 14 cut aways.....hell why should I have to be treated like a student again?! Well I made my first aff last week and it was the worse jump I ever made. Over on my back, arch back face to earth spinning like a top! I ate humble pie and it don't taste good at all. Just do the jumps required and be thankful they have your safety in mind. Just a side note.....if you want to be a jumper long time.....keep current. Good luck.

Thanks man it's good to be back!

PC.....ugly gray and maroon that someone had dyed don't know what color it was originally.

Just checking some old log books. One Strato Star jump 1976 borrowed while my sled was getting reefing line repair (again) after another cutaway.

Howar, do you know where Dean is these days? Not a clue. HW I heard that Dean became a Mormon and is now a doctor somewhere down in South America. The guy never ceases to amaze me.

Wow what an eye opener and a huge plate of humility I just experenced!! I did make my jump and it was like I'd never jumped before. I was all over the place. On my back, spinning like a top, heels on my ass.....jumpmasters comment was that he'd never had such a hard time keeping up with a student. Talking about humble pie I got a huge dose. The old body learned for real that it was no longer 30 years old....lol. Still enjoyed myself anyway. Went to the air tunnel and got most of the issues resolved ( hopefully ) and went to the dz yesterday to make my second jump. Before the plane got attilitude it had to come back down due to engine problems.....adrenline rush followed by disappointment. Going back tomorrow if plane is fixed to see if I got my chit back together. I want to thank Art the dzo for not selling me a complete rig before the jump, he obiviously had more forethought than myself. I was a bit resentful that I had to take the aff again because I after all had SO much experence and I didn't need that......man was I wrong! I'll continue the aff with a different attitude until I pass of they kick me off the dz or my body says otherwise. I experenced no heart problems that I'm aware of but man was this dude sore the next day. Thanks everyone here for your input it has been appreciated.

YES!! I told the doctor that he was causing me undue stress by refusing to let me jump ( with halfhearted humor) and he agreed to do a stress test and make his decision from that I did the test and PASSED! Hope to be in the air this weekend. Thanks for the support people!

It's a Firelite reserve and I trust the guy that gave it to me without question. I talked to a rigger that I've known for thirty plus years and he doesn't understand the reasoning behind the issue. I like your idea about contacting the manufacturer. I appreciate all the input from everybody and am going to follow up on suggestions.

I'm getting back into the sport after an extended absence and was given a main and a reserve by an old friend who had just up graded his gear. I took the rig to a rigger for inspection and he told me that the reserve was no good because it had been jumped as a main. My friend told me it had one jump only as a main and no jumps as a reserve. My question is why can't it be re-rigged as a reserve. The rigger told me that the canopy was in good shape but could no longer be used as a reserve???? Any opinions?

Made my first nude jump on my 100th. It was may 1974.I was jumping a baby plane and Goose was jumping a PC. He made the mistake of letting me spot. He landed on a golf course and the pilot picked him up on the fairway...I made it back and got a beer bath from the ladies...

Well I've since found out that I still have blockage that the doctor is hesitant to deal with without consulting some of his fellow cartiac doctors. I can deal with that as long as he works with me to resolve the problem. I go back for test at the end of the month to re-evaluate and make future plans. The doctor is convinced that I am going to jump so I think he is going to help me along. And I did tell him that I'd rather die in the air than in a hospital bed. Thanks for the input.

Marz I'm hating that for you I know the feeling. I am in the process of trying to return to jumping after 15 years but just had two stents put in my heart. Doc says NO jumping. I am doing a lot of research ( including on this forum) about my condition and what it'll take to get in the air again. Read, talk to others but don't give up until you run out of options. I'm pulling for you man and I wish you the very best.

I have no choise now I hafta jump. Jack LaLonde D-4865 who I usta jump with in Delray and Indiantown just bought a new rig and GAVE me his old canopies....how friggin cool is that! He's jumping in Palatka now along with Pop. I'm loving relating memories of the older days with them.

Howar, do you know where Dean is these days?

Was jumping the Lodestar at Pops place at around 2000' Pop says fuel running low we could jump or ride it down.....17 jumpers made the fastest exit I ever saw!

I saw Pop this weekend at Palatka. He flies his yellow and blue Cessna 172 there every other weekend. He got banged up a bit 3 weeks ago landing and being dragged.a few stiches and bruses but doing fine. I ask him what happened and he said that he couldn't run anymore so he fell and got dragged...( not gonna say drugged about Pop..lol) imagine not being able to run at 77 years old. Gotta love that man.

In defense of my "lead sled" I won quite a few accuracy contest with it and had my best ever demo jump with it. July 4 1976 bicentenial into Ft Lauderdale beach. Coming in high I did a 180 out over the ocean bring out a roar from the crowd landing dead center of the TINY roped of area. The red white and blue canopy was very fitting for the time. It also was a better canopy then my Baby Plane that jarred my teeth every opening.....lost the Plane after cutting it away over Indiantown.

I'm an old (64) jumper that has been out of the sport since 1995 that wanted to make a jump on my 65th birthday. I drove over to Palatka nervous that I would be shunned because of my age and lack of jumping. I couldn't have been more mistaken. I found that I was almost a youngster there.I ran across jumpers that I was jumping with in the 70s. Pop Poppenhager D-47 77 years old was there plus several others. Three days later I was in the hospital having two stents being put in. Returning to the dz to get my aff course money back figuring that was the end everybody rallied around me offering suggestions and encouragement about returning. I was GIVEN a rig by an old jumper Jack LaLonde D-4865 72 yo (thanks Jack) and was offered by many to teach me the new ways of packing. All of my previous fears of being shunned by the jumpers dissappeared. It was awesome, it was like a return to family. Young dudes and dudettes came up encouraging me and offering support.I'm now trying to find a doctor to give me a pass to continue jumping ( say skydiving to a doctor and watch a freakout)and everyone is behind me.Even if I can't jump again ( that ain't going to happen) I will continue going to the dz because of the people and the awesome atmosphere. I HIGHLY recommend the dz to experenced jumpers and those wanting to make their first.....I'll be there when you do!

Heres one over Indiantown.

Lester Rupert a Nam vet with his right arm missing jumped the sled as well. He could cut away faster then anyone I knew. I don't know how many times he chopped his but I'm sure it was more than mine..lol.

Tight dz.....lol it was that wasn't it. Was a great dz to learn accuracy cause you had to! I've been watching your post Howard and was thinking I knew you. Yes the bar was close and well used.

How many of you old dudes and dudettes jumped the Parasled? I was jumping at Delray where it was being developed by Dom. Jalpert and got to jump the first production 00001 owned by Dean Mccloughen the owner of the dz. Was a ugly purple thang dubbed the grape. I bought my sled after following a guy down with the pilot chute wrapped around the steeriong lines, he landed and broke his hip.....I bought it on the spot...lol. Had 14 cutaways on the thing before the slider came around, those reefing systems just didn't do the job. By the way the serial number on it was 00013.shoulda known. Just found this pic of my Sled.

Was in the early 70s at Delray dz made six static lines, kept leaving that left arm out and flipping over. My first ff did the same and had my first mal....line over canopy. Was a good start though ended up cutting away my Sled 14 times before the slider came along....lol.

Two that I recall. Had to cut away a Baby Cloud jumping at Indiantown. Pop took me up to look for the canopy in the orange groves and I landed with him. We never found the chute but Pop told me later that he heard some jumpers seeing the canopy used as a car cover years later I'm guessing the migrate workers grabbed it and ran. Second landing was last week in a Caravan at Palatka. I've been out of jumping awhile and signed up for the aff to restart jumping and was going nuts sitting on the ground so I got me a ride in the right hand seat of the Caravan.....was strange going back down with the plane.

I like it Cracker...lol. No I'm not worried about opening shock but that is a valid point. Problem is I'm not worried at all. Like I told the wife..I'd rather die in the air than in a damn hospital bed!