Yes, it is still on Catherine Street: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Central_Station See they wanted to move it out to the railway station.
What was the best in-flight meal to you?
Thu, 2012-11-01 05:59
#52
Thu, 2012-11-01 06:20
#53
First plane I was ever on was a single engine Cessna. Normally a 4-seater, the rear seats had been removed to accommodate people with parachutes attached to a static line. The door had also been removed because you needed to step out onto the wing strut and then jump.
Weirdly enough, I've never felt safer in a plane than the one I jumped out of. In-flight meals were not to be had, but there was an excellent pub not far from the jump site.
Ditto for me. Can I ask when and where you jumped? My first jump was from this Norseman in Orange Mass., but I was up for rides in my sisters club Cessna prior to that.
Summer of 1981, Victor Bourgese School of Sport Parachuting, not far from Turkey Point. Vic was fond of his cigars, talked with a stub jammed into one corner of his mouth (sometimes lit, often not) and we parodied him endlessly. I was the first one out to stand on the wing strut. I'll never forget standing there, clinging to the wing with 80 mph head winds, waiting for Vic to give me the "go".
We were incredibly fortunate, timing-wise -- the Canadian Sport Parachuting team was practicing that day and we got to see how, with the right chute (we had standard military chutes) you could land on a dime. Of course, when we retired to the local pub to brag to each other about what we'd just done, a member of the team was there. She expressed her horror when we told her that no, we weren't issued anything to cut away a tangled chute if we had to go for the emergency chute packed on our chests. It creeped us out, but then I realized that when you jump from 3,000 ft, if something goes wrong you have 12 seconds before you reach terminal velocity and there's only a slight chance in hell that you won't have to be scraped off some farmer's field.
Thu, 2012-11-01 09:54
#54
Boom Boom
Yes, it is still on Catherine Street: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Central_Station See they wanted to move it out to the railway station.
Thanks! That was an incredibly good location - not far from downtown accomodations, and just a cheap taxi fare to make the train connection at Union Station. Now, since about 1969, to make a train connection, you have to pay the taxi fare all the way out to Alta Vista and the new Ottawa Station. Bummer. Maybe OC Transpo has a bus link from downtown to Ottawa Station - would make sense.
The last time I was in Ottawa - about 2004 I think - the bus line had changed quite a bit, and I think beside the U of O beside the Rideau Canal there's a light tram line. I've never been on it.
Thu, 2012-11-01 10:24
#55
OC transpo to Catherine Street - on Bank, and if I recall some other lines pass nearby too.
There is one of those "Bus Rapidish Transport" stops called "Train" by the railway station. Still, it sucks to have it in a suburban area.
Thu, 2012-11-01 20:31
#56
First plane I was ever on was a single engine Cessna. Normally a 4-seater, the rear seats had been removed to accommodate people with parachutes attached to a static line. The door had also been removed because you needed to step out onto the wing strut and then jump.
Weirdly enough, I've never felt safer in a plane than the one I jumped out of. In-flight meals were not to be had, but there was an excellent pub not far from the jump site.
Ditto for me. Can I ask when and where you jumped? My first jump was from this Norseman in Orange Mass., but I was up for rides in my sisters club Cessna prior to that.
Summer of 1981, Victor Bourgese School of Sport Parachuting, not far from Turkey Point. Vic was fond of his cigars, talked with a stub jammed into one corner of his mouth (sometimes lit, often not) and we parodied him endlessly. I was the first one out to stand on the wing strut. I'll never forget standing there, clinging to the wing with 80 mph head winds, waiting for Vic to give me the "go".
We were incredibly fortunate, timing-wise -- the Canadian Sport Parachuting team was practicing that day and we got to see how, with the right chute (we had standard military chutes) you could land on a dime. Of course, when we retired to the local pub to brag to each other about what we'd just done, a member of the team was there. She expressed her horror when we told her that no, we weren't issued anything to cut away a tangled chute if we had to go for the emergency chute packed on our chests. It creeped us out, but then I realized that when you jump from 3,000 ft, if something goes wrong you have 12 seconds before you reach terminal velocity and there's only a slight chance in hell that you won't have to be scraped off some farmer's field.
Small world. I knew Vic Borghese. He sometimes piloted at our club when I got started back in the 60's.
In terms of cutting away the tangled chute thing, I think the person may have been pulling your leg. I can go into details and the technicalities the next time we get together for a beer. Skydiving is best done in wide open spaces, but discussed over beer. We're probably overdue for a Toronto area babblers get together anyway.
Fri, 2012-11-02 12:58
#57
Small world. I knew Vic Borghese. He sometimes piloted at our club when I got started back in the 60's.
In terms of cutting away the tangled chute thing, I think the person may have been pulling your leg. I can go into details and the technicalities the next time we get together for a beer. Skydiving is best done in wide open spaces, but discussed over beer. We're probably overdue for a Toronto area babblers get together anyway.
Very small world. Yes, we are due for another TO babbler beerapalooza. I can't do much this month, but maybe the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in December?
Fri, 2012-11-02 13:51
#58
That would be good, the Bacchanae misses oldgoat anyway 
Fri, 2012-11-02 15:51
#59
That would be good, the Bacchanae misses oldgoat anyway
As do we all!