Skydiving - First 50-way - Lake Elsinore, CA circa 1978

[Oldsoho]

I first saw thin in 1979, the year I started skydiving. The Shot of the jumper leaving the DC3 and going straight into a head down dive was one of the most inspirational things in my life, my feeling was I WANT TO DO THAT. I skydived for nearly 20 years afterwards. Thank you Carl for that movie.

[jrrm3]

I watched this sequence over and over back in the 80's I still think it is one of the finest pieces of freefall cinematography ever. In particular the guys exiting the DC-3's and going head first past eh cameraman. He really nailed those shots. I think the slow-motion and big flappy jump suits that just look cool

[Stevie0408]

I remember watching this with a 16mm projector on a big old white sheet hung up in the hanger. I started jumping in Australia in 1984 at the age of 16 and was very inspired by Carls films. I later jumped camera on Australia's 1st 50 way. I actually docked on the formation just before the last guy got in, so I guess I was the 1st to dock 50th in Australia. I also did a lot of Australia's early BASE jumping. I think I was the 5th person to qualify for BASE down under. Click my user name to view.

[8642206b]

this movie ("Skydive") is like finding an old friend ... I did my first jump (static line) using military surplus gear in May 1973 ... did my last jump (# 603) 9 years later.

Skydiving really "came of age" in this period of time. Gear transitioned from chest mounted reserves & "round" mains, to piggybacks & squares, with biog wing RW jumpsuits ... just like you see in this movie.

This is valuable history. I'm so glad that Carl's films are getting remastered and transferred to DVD.

[tpsossff]

@8642206b

It is indeed valuable history. His work inspired so many. I suppose by todays standards this movie would be seen as lacking polish but it has a certain beauty all of its own. I first saw this one rainy day waiting to make my first jump on a static line with a C9LL and front reserve. That nervous (shit scared) student never got to fly a fifty way but he did stick with it for ten years and had so much fun. Thankyou Carl, where ever you are now.

[8642206b]

wonderful video .... thanks for posting

[maceta999]

What is the song on this clip?

[wrcummings]

@maceta999

Franz Liszt (1811-1886) LES PRÉLUDES, S97 (1848-1856) Symphonic Poem 3 Les Préludes Notre vie est-elle autre chose quune série de Préludes à ce chant inconnu dont la mort entonne la première et…

[maceta999]

@wrcummings Thank you very much!!!

[rainbowplacer]

I received an e-mail from Jean Boenish with information about ordering the remastered DVD set. You can see the information by clicking (more info) in the video description.

[nealskydive]

ill probably just order it myself i live over the pond here in the UK

[tspoond328]

From the Carl Boenish film Masters of the Sky

[nealskydive]

where can i find this film lol

[BASEfederation]

Classic Carl Boenish films are available on a complete 2

DVD set, with all this copyrighted material digitally

remastered and color corrected by the original producer,

Photo-Chuting Enterprises, Hawthorne, California, USA.

Here is your chance to suggest insert information,

packaging, order method, and value of receiving Carls

wonderful films directly from their true source.

[mcresq65]

No, this is one segment from Carl's film, Skydive! Masters of The Sky was actually a little bit before this one. They are both component segment compilations, and similar. As we speak (type), I am uploading this same clip at a bit of a higher resolution. However, "Masters" contains better ground shots, and you can really get an idea now how much the Lake Elsinore area has "grown up".

[tspoond328]

Yup, You are right.

Got the two mixed up.

Got both on Beta somewhere.

The soundtrack went something like this:

I want to skydive, Feeling alive,Feeling at one with the wind.

[tspoond328]

I've got Sky Capers somewhere too

[mcresq65]

Sky Capers!!! Yeah I've got that too. It's a hoot!!! I've got the tape with "Masters" ready to pull into my computer, but I want to get a better player than I used to rip Skydive first. "Masters" will be up here within a few days.  Just check my screen-name to see what I have from time to time.

[katyu16]

Elsinore is my DZ. Everything looks so fifferent now that the area has been built up! Look at the footage at 1:55 and you see the blue tennis show with white stripes. I remember them from the late 70's.

Beautiful footage with a beautiful soundtrack!

THANK YOU for sharing this with us.

[mcresq65]

You folks who jump/jumped at Skydive Elsinore are lucky. What a beautiful area. I learned to dive in the cornfields in the middle of Illinois. Oh how DROLL!!! We practically killed for demos over the bigger cities!!!

[nealskydive]

Just out of interest, are any of the these jumps still alive or still jumping today?? I know Carl has passed on

[kuai43]

Word is, this is the first 50-way, filmed by Carl Boenish at Lake Elsinore, CA, circa 1978 or so.