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Spirits were
definitely up. The lead OTTER flew in at 20,000 feet
& the base 9 exited 3 miles before the DZ. The chase
CASA went over the base at 18,000 feet, and then in
came the last CASA at 16,000 feet. We looked out of
the cockpit window and saw the formation building
above and 5 miles ahead, wow that's big, 3 minutes
to go. By 12,500 feet the thirty-six way base was
hammering through the sky. AT 12,000 feet the last
two planes flew in down each side of the formation.
We looked out the other OTTER on our right side,
good its there, just right this time, we watched the
formation building to a 49, as we flew by it just
under us prefect, lets do it.
We stood up, I had
10 pounds of extra lead on, low fived all on board
and took a deep breath, Let’s GO! I exited the last
Otter as number 80. I opened my parachute, and
turned toward the formation, there was my left wing
leader Annie. Right; lose some height, three front
riser A-line left turns, and now line up and wait
for your turn to dock on it. I heard the reassuring
voice of Mike Lewis calling row sevens in, good we
are not late, just right this time, The formation
built to 64 quickly and relatively smoothly by
around 8,500 feet, then I heard the call to arch,
right this formation is going to lock out and fly
fast now. Mike then called our row 9 wings in on the
radio. Now concentrate; GO.
I followed my wing
in, good old Reager, very smooth; it was an easy
formation to catch. I docked in my slot, on to
Reager & Jim next to Cliff; he said “pleased to see
you here buddy”. We both grabbed hold of Ralf, put
our feet in his lines and we then knew we had an
81-way at least. The row 10 wings came in shortly
afterwards, and the formation built into 90+'s by
the time it reached the 5,000 feet hard deck. Mike
gave a "hold on" call in anticipation of the last
four people docking and to the sound of arch calls
we waited; and waited…and waited…. and…well, you get
the picture. (On the ground every body was shouting
‘build baby build’).
And, in short, the
picture was wrong. According to whomever you speak
to, the starburst call came at heights between 3,500
- 2,700 feet. To split the difference, we can all
safely (or unsafely) say that we were in a solid
96-way canopy formation at 3,000 feet. It was,
however, healthy, and it broke down cleanly as we
had practiced it, and it needed to be, a wrap now
will be very bad indeed, and we were out of it at
2,500 feet. We all landed in the boonies. Us
foreigners kept an eye out for alligators, and a
little black caterpillar that shed’s its hairs if
you touched it,and it feels like your skin is on
fire. Every one got a lift back to the DZ 107 of us
in total, aboard a convoy of cars, pickups & Percy’s
camper van. (You should get some more friends Percy
just to fill your van.) Certainly something to tell
the grandkids about. (and all the big kids on the
DZ).
I have landed a few
diamond formations in my time, and had to break a
few up low when it got a bit bumpy on a Demo, but
this formation was the most rock solid one I have
ever been in. But even crazy old me had to think
twice about landing this one. (Tempting though; I
was thinking; are their 95 other lunatics around
me?) We repacked our parachutes, made a few changes
at the bottom of the formation, put baggier clothing
on some of the outside wing jumpers, riggers taking
a inch off a line here and there, re-charged the O2
bottles, re-briefed the pilots & wing leaders, a bit
of extra lead in a weight belt, dirt dived it, and
tried it again.
The next formation
broke off a little higher with more people on it.
Four more to be exact. Ninety-six plus four
equals……………..’A WORLD RECORD’.
Spirits were
definitely up. The lead OTTER flew in at 20,000 feet
& the base 9 exited 3 miles before the DZ. The chase
CASA went over the base at 18,000 feet, and then in
came the last CASA at 16,000 feet. We looked out of
the cockpit window and saw the formation building
above and 5 miles ahead, wow that's big, 3 minutes
to go. By 12,500 feet the thirty-six way base was
hammering through the sky. AT 12,000 feet the last
two planes flew in down each side of the formation.
We looked out the other OTTER on our right side,
good its there, just right this time, we watched the
formation building to a 49, as we flew by it just
under us prefect, lets do it.
We stood up, I had
10 pounds of extra lead on, low fived all on board
and took a deep breath, Let’s GO! I exited the last
Otter as number 80. I opened my parachute, and
turned toward the formation, there was my left wing
leader Annie. Right; lose some height, three front
riser A-line left turns, and now line up and wait
for your turn to dock on it. I heard the reassuring
voice of Mike Lewis calling row sevens in, good we
are not late, just right this time, The formation
built to 64 quickly and relatively smoothly by
around 8,500 feet, then I heard the call to arch,
right this formation is going to lock out and fly
fast now. Mike then called our row 9 wings in on the
radio. Now concentrate; GO.
I followed my wing
in, good old Reager, very smooth; it was an easy
formation to catch. I docked in my slot, on to
Reager & Jim next to Cliff; he said “pleased to see
you here buddy”. We both grabbed hold of Ralf, put
our feet in his lines and we then knew we had an
81-way at least. The row 10 wings came in shortly
afterwards, and the formation built into 90+'s by
the time it reached the 5,000 feet hard deck. Mike
gave a "hold on" call in anticipation of the last
four people docking and to the sound of arch calls
we waited; and waited…and waited…. and…well, you get
the picture. (On the ground every body was shouting
‘build baby build’).
And, in short, the
picture was wrong. According to whomever you speak
to, the starburst call came at heights between 3,500
- 2,700 feet. To split the difference, we can all
safely (or unsafely) say that we were in a solid
96-way canopy formation at 3,000 feet. It was,
however, healthy, and it broke down cleanly as we
had practiced it, and it needed to be, a wrap now
will be very bad indeed, and we were out of it at
2,500 feet. We all landed in the boonies. Us
foreigners kept an eye out for alligators, and a
little black caterpillar that shed’s its hairs if
you touched it,and it feels like your skin is on
fire. Every one got a lift back to the DZ 107 of us
in total, aboard a convoy of cars, pickups & Percy’s
camper van. (You should get some more friends Percy
just to fill your van.) Certainly something to tell
the grandkids about. (and all the big kids on the
DZ).
I have landed a few
diamond formations in my time, and had to break a
few up low when it got a bit bumpy on a Demo, but
this formation was the most rock solid one I have
ever been in. But even crazy old me had to think
twice about landing this one. (Tempting though; I
was thinking; are their 95 other lunatics around
me?) We repacked our parachutes, made a few changes
at the bottom of the formation, put baggier clothing
on some of the outside wing jumpers, riggers taking
a inch off a line here and there, re-charged the O2
bottles, re-briefed the pilots & wing leaders, a bit
of extra lead in a weight belt, dirt dived it, and
tried it again.
The next formation
broke off a little higher with more people on it.
Four more to be exact. Ninety-six plus four
equals……
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