PhreeZone 15 #1 January 15, 2003 What DZ or DZO was the first to bring turbines into the skydiving environment? Also does anyone know the first DZ to use an Otter? A Caravan? King Air? I imagine that was a huge risk on the first DZO's parts.. a lot of cost compaired to the older planes like Beechs and DC3's.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #2 January 15, 2003 I don't know who was first but the first one I ever heard about was an Otter at Spaceland in Texas. (Australian) Ken Hills and I had it up for a weekend at (the first dropzone named) Skydance in Tahlequah in 1980. Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,351 #3 January 15, 2003 Spaceland definitely had Otters in the late 70's. Dave Boatman (then DZ-owner) was the chief pilot (I think) for Houston Metro Airlines, and we'd get one of their planes each weekend. I have no idea which year in particular it was, but I'm pretty sure it was by 1978, and it could have been earlier. I was in school until 77, and so real irregular about jumping. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #4 January 15, 2003 We've got a turbine C206 at our DZ...love the turbine..hate the lack of space..JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 January 15, 2003 To make a the distinction, that was the *old* Spaceland, the new Spaceland opened 2 years ago, right?--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,351 #6 January 15, 2003 There is only one real Spaceland. League City, TX. However, the new Spaceland also has turbines. And more of them, too. Wendy W. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #7 January 15, 2003 The first DZ to use a Twin Otter was Pepperell, MA, in April 1972. Mark Schmidt, D-21, was the pilot. It was written up in Parachutist a few months later. If you don't believe this, I'll sic Ted Strong D-16 on you. He was a co-owner of the DZ. HW 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #8 January 16, 2003 Just out of curiosity, anybody know when Roger got busted? Was he using otters, or the DC-3 at the time....? _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #9 January 16, 2003 I thought he had the C-130 back then...If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeTJumps 4 #10 January 23, 2003 To my knowledge, Dave Boatman (deceased) operated the original Spaceland Parachute Center in League City, TX (Houston Gulf Airport formerly known as Spaceland during NASA construction days), and was the first one to introduce the Twin Otter as a regular jump ship (I emphasize regular as in scheduled routinely, not just one or two times) in skydiving operations. That was back in the 1976-77 era. Mike TuroffMike Turoff Instructor Examiner, USPA Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #11 January 23, 2003 Quote regular jump ship (I emphasize regular as in scheduled routinely, not just one or two times a. That wasn't the question. b. Talk to Poynter about this. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JumpHog 0 #12 February 11, 2003 QuoteThe first DZ to use a Twin Otter was Pepperell, MA, in April 1972. Mark Schmidt, D-21, was the pilot. It was written up in Parachutist a few months later. HW I don't know about this. On the October, 1971 issue of Parachutist, there is a picture taken by Carl Boenish, of jumpers leaving a Twin Otter(N7669) over Perris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smokeitdown 0 #13 March 19, 2003 One of the first Caravans was bought brand new by Dave "Cowboy" Williams around 1985. It was based in Jenkinsburg Georgia when it was not on the boogie circuit. It crashed on takeoff at Jenkinsburg that summer killing all aboard, including Williams. The NTSB sighted fuel contamination as the cause of the crash spawning rumors of conspiracy and sabotage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #14 March 25, 2003 I don't know, but we're on that road in South Africa now. I'm CI of only the second turbine DZ in the country. We got a Porter a year back. The other DZ is maybe 100 miles from here and they operate a King Air B90. Everyone else is in Cessnas... tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #15 May 1, 2003 Re: "The Real Spaceland", you nailed that real good Wendy. Something like that won't ever come around again. JerryThe older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #16 May 27, 2003 They weren't the first with Turbos, but the United Parachute Club, aka The Herd, in Pennsylvania was using Skyvans and hosting Skyvan boogies regularly by about 1977. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
annabates 0 #17 October 19, 2003 I made many jumps from Boatman's Twin Otters at Spaceland back in the 70s. I remember his partner, a guy named Jess Hall, saying they were the first and only DZ in the country to use turbo-props at the time. I have no idea what happened to Jess Hall. I know Boatman died from cancer, and that the commuter airline he ran (which is where he got the Twin Otters) went out of business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeTJumps 4 #18 October 20, 2003 Howdy Jerry. Long time, no chat! How are things going for you? I'm still operating in the Houston area and I've just published (with Dan Poynter), the 9th edition of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook. Yes, I'm still active but I'm slowing down a bit. .Mike Turoff Instructor Examiner, USPA Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReverandJim 0 #19 March 16, 2004 Hey Guys, speaking of da old days...I've started a little triva site for SPX's olden days, the mid 70's. Got any good pics, send'm along. I was SPX's first, first jumper on June 14, 1975..........Only had a 110 instamatic during my short stay, but it lives with me everyday of my life....Enjoy http://www.hdfed.com/spx/spx.html Always Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,351 #20 March 16, 2004 Hi Jimmy. This is Wendy Nordstrom here; I started just about when you did at Clover, and did some jumping at Spaceland when you were there. But I was in college most of that time. I'll send some pictures, I have a variety of them lying around. Have you been by the old site lately? It's totally depressing. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adriandavies 0 #21 March 16, 2004 Whilst looking through some old British Sport Parachutist magazines dating from 1970 at my DZ I saw some pictures of parachutists exiting from an Otter, but I'm afraid I can't remember any more details. When I'm there on another weather day I'll try to remember to look up the details. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #22 March 17, 2004 QuoteI thought he had the C-130 back then... You sure Nelson? any relation to Ricky Nelson?R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LittleBoatman 0 #23 December 2, 2004 Hi Mike! Valarie here! My first time on this forum. Anyone have any more information on my father, Dave Boatman? Pictures or anything? Feel free to contact me at vlvclss @ msn.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #24 December 26, 2004 Howard--what ever happened to the "Spotter" newsletter? Doc. D-2785 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #25 December 26, 2004 Boatman started bringing the Houston Metro Otter to Spaceland in the spring of 1971, loading jumpers there and dropping them into The Galveston Skydiver's DZ in Dickenson, TX. Just five miles the other side of the gulf freeway at Hwy 517. The first Otter entry in my log book is April 24, 1971. Don Stewart D-2785 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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