1980-1984 Overview

  • At the start of the decade the club was moved out of the hangar building and operated on the east side of the aircraft museum building, with a large static caravan as a club house and transport containers for storing equipment

  • In 1980 the first jump course cost £40; example jump prices were 8500ft for £5 and static line jumps for £5

  • The club's aircraft at this time crashed in June 1980, leaving the club without an aircraft for 2 months. 

  • By late 1981 a grant from the Sports Council meant the club could buy their own aircraft for the first time. Cessna 206 G-BAGV  was bought, having been first used at the club in 1976

  • The club came of age in 1981 and celebrated it's 21st birthday with some commemorative jumps at Scone from the original aircraft used by Doc Robertson in 1960

  • The club demo team was run by Martin Rennie at this time

  • The club operated a training program in the Shetland Islands for some of 1981, since some instructors were  located in the Shetlands at this time. 47 first timers made their first jumps at Tingwall Airfield with the Scottish Parachute Club, under the instruction of club instructors Tony Smith and Hugh Price

  • In 1982 club member Tom Dickson died. Tom was one of the main driving forces at the club from its early days, having joined in 1963 and his death was a great loss to Scottish Parachuting.

  • Freefall student equipment consisted of 6 sets of aeroconical mains by 1983

  • The club managed a surplus of over £10000 from 1984's activities

  • For the first time the club moves into the main hangar of the Strathallan aircraft building. An indoor packing area was established as well as proper classroom facilities. The canteen, caravans, and kit store containers were moved inside the hangar. A portable manifest desk and board were wheeled outside when jumping was taking place. The rooms at the front part of the hangar building were still occupied by the Strathallan Aircraft Society, which maintained the Museum and Aircraft collection

  • The club was now the main aviation operation at the airfield, although the museum was still in existence and the airstrip was given over to the Aircraft Society for 4 flying weekends per year. The aircraft collection was slowly sold from 1981 onwards

  • In 1982 Rob Noble Nesbitt started what still remains as the longest term as CCI at the club, being CCI until 1991

  • By 1983 the club had a reserve fund of over £24000 in the bank

  • At the end of 1984, PC canopies were removed from the BPA progression system. 

  • On the 12th February 1984 club member Albert Wheeler lost his life jumping at the club, and a trophy in his memory was donated later that year by his wife. This is given out each year as an award to the 'Student of the Year' as decided by the club instructors

  • Felicity Martin received the  BPA Instructor of the Year Award in 1984 - the first time this had been awarded to a female parachutist

  • The first club fan trainer was installed for landing practice in 1984

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