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"Surfing" off the ramp


DC10FE
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There's a video on YouTube showing two Southern Air Transport loadmasters "surfing" off the ramp of a Herc after air drops in the southern Sudan. It was taken about 10 or more years ago. One of the loadmasters was the late Dennis Garcia and I can't remember the other one's name. I had it bookmarked on my computer (I thought), but now I can find it. I've typed just about everything relevant into Google, but nothing comes up about it.

Can anyone help? Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

Don R.

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Hey Don,

The other load was likely Jamie Heath. I can't make out the face but the blonde hair suggests it was Jamie(and I recall Jamie's name mentioned at the bar when "surfin" came up) . Also R.I.P, Jamie was killed in a car accident late nineties (rear ended at a stop sign if I remember correctly). Both were very likeable/good guys. Some of you would probably know Jamie's older brother,Rich(F/E, USAF/SAT and others later). Didn't get a chance to fly with Jamie, but Rich was sure good fun to fly with.

As you know, Dennis was the load on the SAT machine (MSN #4250,N521SJ) that hit the land mine at Wau.

I didn't know they got footage of it. Great stuff!

later....

Bill

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Is this it, Don?

Crazy-assed loadmasters - never know what they will do next.

Yep, Roy, that's it. You're right, loadies are not quite right in the head!

Muchas gracias,

Don R.

Edited by DC10FE
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Bill,

You're right -- the other load was Jamie.

I flew with Dennis on the DC-10 at Gemini Air Cargo. He passed away around 2005 of some sort of medical complications.

I carried a small photo album of some of the aircraft incidents in Africa that I'd show to the prima donna DC-10 pilots. Dennis saw the photo of N521SJ at Wau with the cockpit blown off. He told me all the B/S he and the mechanic had to go through to get the cockpit crew air evac'd out on a King Air.

Hey, send me an email -- I sent you a couple of email questions and never got a reply. Did you change your address?

Don R.

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When I saw the title, I thought it was about chock surfin the rails. Something I use to do that really aggrivated the A/C. I would take off up by the forward stantions and try and ride all the way to the ramp. Made it a couple times. Tried a ride down the ramp once but the chocks just weren't flexible and I wiped out. Don't think I would have tried that trick though. I've sat on the edge before but hanging on by the rollers?

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  • 10 years later...

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