Jun 13, 2011, 8:52 PM
Post #4 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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The policy at the DZ I'm at is 8500', just to be consistent, even though it is somewhat arbitrary.
But the point is to inform the student and let them choose whether to go for it or come back another day. Once (before the policy) I did go from 6700' on a day that was so hazy it was turning IFR.
Jun 14, 2011, 12:53 AM
Post #5 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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FL 120 is the "lowest" at our DZ. Standard is FL 140.
There are folks with an AN-2 next to our DZ who do tandems from 2500 m (~8000 ft). That would be my hard deck or lowest tandem exit altitude as well but I would do it only if absolutely necessary - less freefall time, less fun
The lowest exit altitude by law is 2000 m (~6500 ft) but I doubt anyone does tandems from that altitude on a regular basis
The official hard deck for releasing is 1400 m (~4500 ft) in Germany btw.
Jun 14, 2011, 5:59 AM
Post #6 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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worked at a DZ that offered 6,000 tandems
not sure if they still do.
Got out after a take off emergency once the pilot had things under some form of control at 5,000 happily too. None of us wanted to land in the plane or spend longer in it than needed on that flight.... bloody door stuck on the cresco that jump too
Jun 14, 2011, 9:07 AM
Post #7 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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6000 Ft. I have done so with an informed student rather than land. 7500ft is the lowest intended altitude I will board the plane for.
slotperfect (D 13014)
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Jun 14, 2011, 9:35 AM
Post #8 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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The lowest ceiling we will intentionally board a plane to jump beneath is 8000 FT AGL.
My personal minimum intentional exit with a first time student is 6000 FT.
If we run into prohibitive cloud layers on a load otherwise intended to go to altitude, I will poll the TMs as to their personal minimums and we will use the highest one as the minimum or the group. That is usually about 7000 FT AGL. We basically team up with the least experienced TI to make a group decision.
Jun 14, 2011, 10:20 AM
Post #9 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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I've gotten out at 6,000 and have boarded with no expectation of anything above 7,000. If the plan is full altitude, I give my student a choice on anything between 7 and 9 (e.g. "we can ride the plane down for a full refund or we can skydive from 8,000 with a shorter freefall, your choice"). That said, I won't get out below the comfort level of any other TI on the plane, so if one guy chickens out at 8k, we all ride it down. It just feels like it would be unprofessional and potentially actionable if anything went wrong.
Jun 14, 2011, 1:46 PM
Post #10 of 12
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Re: [ShotterMG] What is your hard deck for exiting with a tandem? (non emergency)
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My personal minimum used to be 7,000 feet AGL, but since the tandem manufacturers now recommend 7,500 feet minimum, I just raised my standards.
Back - when I was young and beautiful - I did a few tandems form 6,000 feet and one from 5,000 feet. I did not enjoy those low exits, and the students never "woke up" in freefall.
IOW you need a minimum of 8,000 feet for students to recover from sensory overload, open their eyes and enjoy the view.
