"Just where does the camera and all this STUFF go"

Jimmy says..."On your lap...you'll be sitting backwards in the front seat"

              Did I "mention".....it gets "worse" ? it does ...

When he points to the plane....
 I saw IT...in the movie "Gypsy Moth" ... !
( doesn't Burt Landcaster DIE...."flapping his wings" in THAT movie )

HOW ...about....THAT...plane ? Yes it IS/WAS   THAT plane

the 1932 Howard from the movie "Gypsy Moth"     why ....

there is NO DOOR...and the "passenger" seat is facing "backwards"
for filming.......then I find out...pilot,me,Jimmie and a lady "jumpmaster" ..
are also bringing up 2 "novices" that's 6 people and 25 lbs of camera/stuff

in a "rickety 1932 Howard" with NO DOOR ....and "tissue paper" thin skin ?
the "so called "pilot" ......LOOKS......how do I describe it ? ..
C.W. Moss and Arlo Guthrie, with "Cool Hand Luke" glasses
( only set of headphones..in the VERY LOUD ENGINED  plane OUCH ! )

About 6 weeks earlier, Cleveland had a "tragic" skydiving event...
If I remember correctly, 6 of 8 people perished, when they were released
due to "extensive" cloud cover ...OVER LAKE ERIE....not onshore....
SO..the "laws" were changed .... immediately ...


So we climb to 10,000 then the pilot makes his "ruling'  ...
TOO MANY CLOUDS...no jumping ( no taping for me...WRONG ) !

               Did I mention ...."worse and worser"...?

SO, having given the "neck chop" signal.....this "so called" ... pilot ?

puts a 1932 Howard/w NO DOOR.....freezing...LOUD ....
into a 175 MPH dive ( that's the last number I saw on the Air Speed Indicator ..before "kissing my own ass good-bye" ...


Right under my left foot...the floorboard...1 ft. farther WAS Jimmie
sitting there....now on his knees...EYEBALLS jumping through his glasses

and the Pilot......who clearly is struggling w/the wheel in/out
( one of 2 elevator cables has snapped from the strain of 175 mph DIVE )

Jimmy taps the pilkot on the shoulder....and asks ...

"Are we in trouble" ?  BUT ..the pilot thinks he's asking
"Are we OK" ....and starts nodding up and down...then gives a "thumbs up"...

from where he "hunkered down"..middle of the floor...in ONE "motion"

Jimmie leaped over me...RIGHT OUT THE DOOR !!!
no engine cut..nada...rien..pas de quois ....
then the young man...crouching behind him leaps as well
except the 2 "experts" grab his ankles....
so he ends up "bent over" ass in my face
1/2 way out the door...the other half getting "stretched"
like in a "Road Runner Wiley Coyote" cartoon ...
trying to pull him back in the plane ...they did ... I had my hands full too ...



falling "ass first" thru the clouds ..disappearing..over the lake
( don't know if he hit the tail as there IS no "motion" )


                         Worse,worser, and WORSTEST ?

Meantime, Jo Dee and Jimmy's Mom...
who didn't want to go...as she already was "freaked"
about Jimmy's skydiving ... is LISTENING...
as they had the WHOLE FLIGHT ... Pilot's Radio "chatter" ...
live over the PA on the ground ... that's a big "OOPS" ?

Everybody bailed ....except me and the "Rube" pilot
as they refused to land in a crippled plane
the pilot turned to me..and said..you might have to jump too
( NOTE: tails's remaining cable is like a "rubber" band... )

my dilemna..is I can't get up and stow the camera
dare not "toss it" to the back ... as IT..
has the "evidence" as well as "perhaps"
Jimmy's last "moments" ?

So when we finally land...just me and "WizBang" ..my new "name" for HIM
"FunyDudePilot"....the FAA is not only "on their way"....

there IS "somebody in authority"...."immediately in the pilot's face
(should Jim "survive" ...the lake  ...hitting the tail ?..as he was "motionless" )
wants Jim's "jump license" revoked "Permanently"

45 min later.....here comes Jimmy...walking along the road...
trying to "hitch" a ride to the hanger
w/parachute...unfolded..unbundled ( wouldn't fit in the car ? )

He says' .....


SO a second group of people
got all "uppity"  .... in Jim's face,etc....
( I spoke to "somebody" from the FAA ...on the phone )

I stepped forward...and "explained" what happenned....

AND...that some of the jump,etc. I had managed to get on tape.....

somehow....we all walked away about 30 min later and went home

they didn't even look at the tape..but I was "credible"

and executed ..."end-game-strategy" by saying "emphatically"