It's story time boys and girls.

OK.  We are testing the old brain cells here.  This story comes to us
from the late 1980s.  So it may not be 100% accurate.  It's still kind
of amusing though.

I was probably still a student myself around this time. I would have
been in my early twenties or so.  Probably still going through AFF but
was pretty familiar with life on the DZ.  We were hanging around toward
the end of the day.  I don't remember specifically, but I think the
ceiling was low enough to prevent us from getting altitude but high
enough to put out the students.

So, there is a set of students standing out by the Cessna, waiting for a
pilot.  My buddy decides we should have a little fun with them.  We go
walking out toward the aircraft.  My buddy is guiding me with my hand on
his shoulder, and I have my white cane in hand.  The students are eyeing
us up coming toward them.  I say "Hi guys.  How is everyone doing?"  I
get some mumbles back.  I continue, "Alright, I'm going to be your pilot
today.  Is everyone READY to skydive!?"

These poor kids were so nervous about the jump they all answered up, "yep
we're ready."  My buddy shows me over to the door and I hop into the
pilots seat, slip on the harness for the seat pack and start buckling
up.

"OK. What is the exit order?  Who is out last and who is out first?"

They sort of chime up and I start telling them to get in the aircraft.

"Alright.  You're Last?  I want you all the way in the back on my side
of the aircraft, and facing forward.  You sit here with your back to the
pilot's seat."

Well, these kids start climbing in and doing what I tell them to do.  I
couldn't believe it.  I couldn't go on.  I eventually just started
cracking up and got out of the aircraft.

I had to ask them just what the hell they were thinking.  Would they
have actually let me fire up the engine and start to taxi before they
started to panic, or what?  They were so freaked out about the jump they
didn't really think anything at the time.

Folks were watching all this from the porch and they all got quite a
good laugh out of it.  I really wish I knew what the hell was going
through those students minds.


I think I'm going to have to try that again this year.  Maybe carry it a
bit further and get a bunch of students into the aircraft and fire up
the engine.  See if any of them chicken out before I bust a gut trying
not to laugh.