Neil Dixon

The France trip had many happy memories apart from PC pebble dashing the toilet wall.

It was the time of the Ray Gray 4 way team so this must have been the second trip to Avignon. Ray Ellis and Graham were into CRW as it was called and every time we finished RW (again as it was called back then) Graham would always pin Ray for a quick bi-plane and. Nish 3rd or 4th who ever was closest. This would always happen even if Nish or I would even dump next to Graham he would wonder off and pin Ray, so this was starting to piss Nish off.

Nish asked me if we could rig an aeroconical into Graham’s kit. I didn’t see why not. So off we went to fill the van up with petrol and the switch was made at the local fill up point. Red white and blue rip stop was added to the deployment bag as Graham didn’t use a bag at that time and we made sure that we were on the first lift out of the airbase. Avignon was about 30mins flying time by which time PC had briefed the team and cameras were set up

In the Aircraft Nish and I made sure that who ever dumped next to Ray they would have the first shot at pin and we would build a quick canopy formation. The Sky dive was some set sequence that you had to do in those day – Zipper Zipper Round to round..

Anyway I flight over seemed to last for ever and at one point Graham asked what was so funny. Even Ray had no idea what was coming. Anyway out we went and the Skydive lasted until about four grand Ray just tracked off but Nish and I sat in front of Graham just to make sure all was ok and to stop him tracking after Ray.

By this time the whole team knew Graham had a round on his back – well two rounds as we were not using square reserves then. Even the aeroconical was a bit of new kit then. The spot was perfect as we knew the team were briefed to film the whole event and he opened right over the DZ.

You could hear the laughter from the DZ under the canopy while Nish and I took turns to Buzz Graham under the canopy. Some great photos were taken that day and even a video. The photos however could never be used as this aeroconical had a throwaway pilot chute and riser bars! The Video sadly long lost.

After the event Graham again came out with another one his one liners “You two guy’s are lucky as I thought that was my reserve and nearly cut it away then you would be in the shit” Urrr Yeh ok Graham.



Dixie



Ps – The van drove off with the pump still attached to the van. Petrol flooding the fore court and after chucking the FISP out rear floater he took us out in free fall on the next jump. Ray said after that he thought we had hit the wind sock – I have a log book cartoon of that one!



PC in the toilet – well no need to explain that one apart crap being found on the light switch!