Skydive Orange-Orange,
VA
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Thanks for the great weather you brought us for the occasion. Jumping
> went well all day, and I got to introduce 3 first timers to the sport.
> Maybe you'll keep and eye on them, I think one might be a good RW coach,
> or instructor, or even load organizer one day.
>
> Take off was a bit early, (~7:40pm) and that Westwind do climb nice.
> 7:50 found the 14 of us pushing past 11k, and our pilot asked how
> important it was to hit the 8:00 exit exactly. The group agreed that
> the jump was important, the time wasn't as... Dave said he would give us
> a little more altitude, and see what time it was when we got there.
> Funny, we had been climbing at 1000'/min... all of a sudden the climb
> dropped to 500'/min...
>
> Nearby, the jump plane for Louisa was heard asking for the exact time,
> and our thoughts wandered to the West Point and other area DZ's where we
> knew there were planes watching the clock. We wished them well, and
> safe dives.
>
> Rick Dennis spoke of you, Sandy. Your close friend had much to say
> about the person some of us knew, others had met, and still others knew
> only by reputation. You and I met in passing a few times. Maybe if I
> had asked you to dance in the sky, we too could have been better
> friends.
>
> Then it was time. Funny, at the slower climb rate, it had taken us
> until exactly 8:00 to get to altitude. While it was the jump that
> mattered, even the pilot understood what we needed... Rick lead his
> group out, then the second group left. Finally it was our turn. You
> see, the last jumper in the plane with me was a newbe. At only 18 jumps
> he wanted to be there, but didn't want to push his limits with a (to
> him) big formation, so he was going to go alone. I asked to jump with
> him. How will he ever get better jumping alone? We did a two way, and
> he did very well. We jumped for you, and all those of whom we have read
> about lately. Most of all, we jumped for the love of jumping, and the
> thrill of being among those who insist on living, not just being alive.
>
> When we broke, it was early... Comfort level for the newbe, and a long
> spot made it a wise choice. Flying through the cooling sky, watching
> the sun sink behind the mountains, watched the other canopies drift back
> to the DZ, thought of the friends you left behind, most of whom at that
> moment we also under canopy all across the nation, and raise a flag in
> your honor.
>
> Blue Skies from Orange,
> Jim Wine
> D-15598
> Cypress equipped - believer in choice