Gary Patmor

Many of the first camera jumpers used Word War II fighter gun cameras. These cameras were on fighters and recorded whenever the gun was fired. The footage was used to verify kills. Skydivers obtained these surplus film cameras because they were light, compact and inexpensive.

This is a closer shot of the film camera and its mounting box. The box completely enclosed the camera. There were adjustment slides on the top and bottom to change the line of sight of the camera.

See related article First Air-to-Air Video Jumps

Photo by Bob Sinclair

Additional TV and movie work included over 400 stunts for "Daring Game", "Burke's Law", "Combat", "12 O'Clock high", "Mr. Novak", "Run for Your Life", "Man from UNCLE", as well as other shows. Gary was often filmed by Bob Sinclair.

The real-time advantage of video over film was a feature most jumpers wanted. Once video systems because smaller and lighter, they could be used for jumping. Gary was involved with the early days of air-to-air video. He was a sponsored by SONY to promote the first portable video system in 1971.

Gary served on the USPA Board of Directors from 1969 to 1974 as a National Director. He was on the Safety and Training, Membership and Development and Research and Development Committees. He was instrumental in producing the Student First Jump Packets and Aircraft Safety Placards.

Gary was Chief Scorer for the 1971 and 1972 National and XI World Parachuting Championships. His work with SONY provided ground-to-air video coverage at the X World Parachuting Championships.

After accumulating 1350 jumps, he started sailplaning and hot air ballooning, then hang gliding. In hang gliding he helped pioneer the transition from gliding down sand dunes to launching from hills.

Gary earned a Master, Level 5 proficiency rating in hang gliding, the first Otto Lilienthal Diamond Badge awarded to a hang glider pilot and an instructor rating in 1979.

On July 7th, 1978, Gary soared to 19,200 feet MSL to set the world altitude gain in a hang glider of 10,640 feet. He carried an emergency parachute, oxygen, CB radio, cameras, barograph, survival equipment, compass, altimeter, rate of climb indicator, air speed indicator, turn and bank indicator and a stop watch. Many support personnel in the form of chase crew and officials to verify the flight were present.

Next Gary took up ultralights for two years. After a collision with power lines he assumed more conventional flying in regular powered aircraft for transportation and not competition, sport or excitement.

Gary worked as an Aerospace Engineer for Aerojet.

Related Articles:

• First Sky Surfing Jump
• First Air-to-Air Video Jumps