Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Mike Earach, Cole Kiser
Date: August 26, 1984
My one and only skydive. It was at Waynesville Airport. Thirty-one men signed up but only three of us showed up. This wasn’t like modern day with a two-person tandem jump and the experienced skydiver instructor on top of you with an easy to land softly on the ground parachute. We used the old round parachutes and were jumping solo. We had classroom training and then practiced landing by climbing up various sized ladders that got higher and higher. We had to hit just right & roll to the side so that we would not break an ankle.
In both photos below that is me in the center. Finally, it was time and we boarded the plane. Our three wives thought they would never see us again. When I jumped out of the plane I counted to five and pulled the cord although a static line opened the chute. Once the chute opened and I felt safe, I was in awe staring at the beautiful view of the countryside. I had a walkie talkie in my pocket and the airport staff on the ground talking to me to pull my chords right or left to guide me to land on the grass runway. I was sightseeing to much and not listening and did not correct in time and landed in a field next to the airport safe and uninjured. Rosie captured some of my jump and descent on a super 8 camera.
