Perris jet

[bigbearfng 18]

Perris was test firing the engines on their jet this week!  Don't know when it's gonna fly but taking a wingsuit out of it is a must do!

[20kN 93]

they have been 'testing' the jet since before I can remember. dont get your hopes up.

Edited May 16, 2019 by 20kN

[kat00 11]

They have taxied it around the DZ before during the fall.  It's probably just one of those things where they need to fire it up every so often now.  Jump tickets are supposed to be 100+  bucks.  Plus, I have a feeling they won't allow us to wingsuit from it.   

[birdynamnam 28]

8 hours ago, kat00 said:

They have taxied it around the DZ before during the fall.  It's probably just one of those things where they need to fire it up every so often now.  Jump tickets are supposed to be 100+  bucks.  Plus, I have a feeling they won't allow us to wingsuit from it.   

We had WIngsuit boogies a few years back in Germany with a Moldavian AN72 cargo jet. Though flying fast horizontally the air was super clean during exit due to top mounted engines. It climbed to 15k feet in 5 mins with 80 people, sort of okay'ish  

[kat00 11]

On 5/18/2019 at 1:22 AM, birdynamnam said:

We had WIngsuit boogies a few years back in Germany with a Moldavian AN72 cargo jet. Though flying fast horizontally the air was super clean during exit due to top mounted engines. It climbed to 15k feet in 5 mins with 80 people, sort of okay'ish  

Perris has limited airspace and we can push its limits some days from 12.5.  I know last time we asked when they offered a halo jump and were denied.   Plus this is a DC-9 not a cargo/military jet.  You go down a stairs to jump.  As a frequent jumper there, I am just making an educated guess based on past experience.  They are now supposedly trying to fly it in october at the skydiving hall of fame/museum event so we shall see.

[kleggo 140]

That would be nice.

It's been > 15 years since I last jumped the jet and experienced the "safety briefing" by the flight attendants.

 

[LloydDobbler 2]

On 5/17/2019 at 5:38 PM, kat00 said:

They have taxied it around the DZ before during the fall.  It's probably just one of those things where they need to fire it up every so often now.  Jump tickets are supposed to be 100+  bucks. 

For years, they've demurred on the subject of the jet. However, over the past few months they've been teasing it a lot on social media - which to me is a good sign. Maybe they're planning something. (That being said, the jet is a red tape magnet. So who knows? Anything could happen, in spite of any plans.)

And IMO the $100+ price tag is certainly worth it, for a once in a lifetime-kinda jump. Plus you get a bag of peanuts on the way up (such a deal!).

Quote

Plus, I have a feeling they won't allow us to wingsuit from it.   

They used to. Talk to Scott Smith about it - he's made a few wingsuit jumps from that jet.

(I never did, as I wasn't yet into wingsuiting at the time. But would love to take a small wingsuit formation out of it - unlike a belly formation, a wingsuit group would have lots of extra working time to get back together after the wind blew us 50 yards apart).  

[billvon 2,592]

On 5/27/2019 at 6:16 PM, kleggo said:

That would be nice.

It's been > 15 years since I last jumped the jet and experienced the "safety briefing" by the flight attendants.

 

One of the more memorable flights of my life was taking the jet to Rantoul.  On the way back we stopped in Provo, Utah because it had the cheapest fuel prices in the country at that point.  

Landing at Perris with an almost full load of fuel during thunderstorm season was a once in a lifetime experience.  "Wow, we touched down right past the ditch.  There goes the memorial!  There goes manifest.  There goes the parking lot.  Hmm, we are still going _really_ fast . . . "  Fortunately there was plenty of beer.

[rmarshall234 13]

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 8:14 PM, billvon said:

One of the more memorable flights of my life was taking the jet to Rantoul.  On the way back we stopped in Provo, Utah because it had the cheapest fuel prices in the country at that point.  

Landing at Perris with an almost full load of fuel during thunderstorm season was a once in a lifetime experience.  "Wow, we touched down right past the ditch.  There goes the memorial!  There goes manifest.  There goes the parking lot.  Hmm, we are still going _really_ fast . . . "  Fortunately there was plenty of beer.

When I was working at Perris years ago I had a few opportunities to jump the jet - one of them paid for by a buddy - and I kept saying no.  And interestingly, I have no regrets now.  It always seemed just a little too sketchy for me...neither the airplane nor the pilots got exercised much, the runway was incredibly narrow for the gear and wingspan, the Take Off over town looked really low and fast, etc.  "Just get me high enough to jump" wasn't working for me.  I'm sure I would have been fine if I had made the flight - one almost always is - but I've always listened to my gut on these kinds of things.  Even against peer pressure.  Kind of like the time at Eloy when I was the only person (one of 44 people) who got off the DC3 prior to TO because the left engine wasn't making full power on the 1st TO attempt.  Turns out that was a revenue-producing maintenance flight.  Everything turned out fine on that one as well, but I was the only person who made the right decision that day.

[normiss 700]

On 5/19/2019 at 5:05 PM, kat00 said:

Perris has limited airspace and we can push its limits some days from 12.5.  I know last time we asked when they offered a halo jump and were denied.   Plus this is a DC-9 not a cargo/military jet.  You go down a stairs to jump.  As a frequent jumper there, I am just making an educated guess based on past experience.  They are now supposedly trying to fly it in october at the skydiving hall of fame/museum event so we shall see.

No stairs. Tube. All smooth Gill Liner covered surfaces.

I'd advise those daring souls winging out the tail to NOT attempt a linked exit. Ow. That hurt.

WFFC 06. 5 jet jumps, all wingies.

Blue skies Scotty and Jeff. Miss you assholes.

[bigbearfng 18]

No problems with wingsuiting out of it. And yup, no stairs just a smooth ramp to run down. Just make sure to take a slight pause before exit to make sure you're facing the front. The guy that exited it before me was still sideways on exit and spun like a top! Make sure to wear a cam too-you really do end up looking down at the tail. Pretty cool and worth the extra $ for the jump ticket to me!

[20kN 93]

again none of this matters, the jet is not in operation and likely never will be. i've been asking about the jet for years and I havent seen a single serious attempt to getting it up in the air.

[cdcollura 4]

On 8/14/2019 at 2:59 AM, 20kN said:

again none of this matters, the jet is not in operation and likely never will be. i've been asking about the jet for years and I havent seen a single serious attempt to getting it up in the air.

I was told they have to extend the runway at Perris when I was last there in April 2019 before the jet can fly again.

[bigbearfng 18]

On 10/27/2019 at 7:33 PM, cdcollura said:

I was told they have to extend the runway at Perris when I was last there in April 2019 before the jet can fly again.

Runway has been paved/extended!

[cdcollura 4]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:55 PM, bigbearfng said:

Runway has been paved/extended!

Now the jet won't fly jumpers because the flight school is closed (to train the pilots for it). Thank you Covid

[bigbearfng 18]

Hot dam! The jet is manifesting tomorrow morning!!!!! I'll be on it!!

[bigbearfng 18]

3 loads flown, I got to manifest and junp on jet 2 and jet 3. Awesome!

[gowlerk 2,013]

They have announced more loads for Friday and Saturday.

https://www.facebook.com/skydiveperris1

[cdcollura 4]

I am really happy they got this bird back in the air for jumps after so long. Not cheap but worth it. I'll be out there for their Halloween Boogie in Oct 2024.

[Rustbucket350 40]

I jumped it 7/7.  It was absolutely awesome.  Surprised how easy it was to exit head down and turn 180 to watch people pouring out.  I really thought it would have been a lot faster but I didn't even start to lose altitude for almost a quarter mile flying backwards watching the plane.  It was fast enough.

Edited July 19 by Rustbucket350

[kleggo 140]

I posted this on FB a few weeks ago.

 

I had a very special day on Saturday July 6^th. I spent the day at Skydive Perris with friends.

We were there to JUMP THE JET!!

Perris has had a McDonnel Douglas DC9 since about 2006. I last made a jump from it in 2007. It was a very good experience and I cried that it sat at Perris mostly unused and un-jumped since then.

FYI, info in the 3 paragraphs below have not been fact-checked, they are just my understanding of the situation.

Over the past several years the owners of the DZ, Ben, Diane, Melanie and Pat Conatser spent nearly a million dollars (or more) to; extend the runway, update the avionics and sort other details.

The biggest sticking point in flying the plane and jumpers was finding pilots that are both rated in type and current (there are not many DC9s still flying). Perris was able to find a qualified crew based in Miami who fly for a South American airline.

Bottom line, the Conatsers spent vast amounts of money and sweat equity to bring the DC9 back on-line for jumping, very likely with no chance of ever getting full payback for their efforts. This may not technically meet the definition of altruism, but it’s close enough for me and I am very grateful for their efforts.

 

 

Blah Blah Blah, on to the jump.

A typical ride to altitude in a skydiving plane is a cramped, sweaty affair. About 20 of us are either packed in a$$hole to belly button or side to side on unpadded benches. Climbing to 13000 feet AGL takes 18 – 20 minutes as we spiral up while listening to the turbine powered propellers claw us to altitude. Its quite nice when the door finally opens and we exit the plane into the 100 MPH propblast from the side of the fuselage.

The jet? So much different.

Seventy of us sit in nicely padded airline seats that are far superior to current airline seating with the evil minimum pitch that packs people into “economy plus”. Even with a backpack on there is plenty of leg room as we sit belted in place.

The energy / fear / excitement in the jet is palpable. Nearly everyone is making their first jet jump and even those with thousands of jumps are back to the excitement of student status jumps.

Takeoff and climb to altitude are quiet. Just like you experience when you fly on Southwest.

The air conditioning works and the ride up is comfy.

But, it is a VERY SHORT ride to altitude. From takeoff roll to jump run takes 6 -7 minutes!

The greenlight goes on and we start down the aisle to the “door”. Remember, this is a DC9, very similar to a Boeing 727 (the airplane that DB Cooper chose to hijack since it has a ramp under the tail and facilitated his jump with hundreds of thousand of $$). We get to the ramp (no steps) and launch into the sky ocean. I back looped out and had a great view of the jet flying away and other jumpers flying out.

At that point it was just another skydive, though one where due to the exit speed and dawdling jumpers ahead of me in line,  I opened a long way from the DZ, but that’s another story.

 

What else stands out?

The “flight attendants” giving the safety briefing (FDA mandated).

The flight crew who gave up their holiday with family and friends to come to Perris.

All the work that the Perris staff did to make the jumps and Boogie a success.

Talking to Ben and Diane Conatser and just seeing / feeling their joy at making this happen.

 

Yes, I’m looking forward to doing this again without waiting another 17 years.

BSBD

[Rustbucket350 40]

On 7/23/2024 at 7:35 PM, kleggo said:

I posted this on FB a few weeks ago.

 

I had a very special day on Saturday July 6^th. I spent the day at Skydive Perris with friends.

We were there to JUMP THE JET!!

Perris has had a McDonnel Douglas DC9 since about 2006. I last made a jump from it in 2007. It was a very good experience and I cried that it sat at Perris mostly unused and un-jumped since then.

FYI, info in the 3 paragraphs below have not been fact-checked, they are just my understanding of the situation.

Over the past several years the owners of the DZ, Ben, Diane, Melanie and Pat Conatser spent nearly a million dollars (or more) to; extend the runway, update the avionics and sort other details.

The biggest sticking point in flying the plane and jumpers was finding pilots that are both rated in type and current (there are not many DC9s still flying). Perris was able to find a qualified crew based in Miami who fly for a South American airline.

Bottom line, the Conatsers spent vast amounts of money and sweat equity to bring the DC9 back on-line for jumping, very likely with no chance of ever getting full payback for their efforts. This may not technically meet the definition of altruism, but it’s close enough for me and I am very grateful for their efforts.

 

 

Blah Blah Blah, on to the jump.

A typical ride to altitude in a skydiving plane is a cramped, sweaty affair. About 20 of us are either packed in a$$hole to belly button or side to side on unpadded benches. Climbing to 13000 feet AGL takes 18 – 20 minutes as we spiral up while listening to the turbine powered propellers claw us to altitude. Its quite nice when the door finally opens and we exit the plane into the 100 MPH propblast from the side of the fuselage.

The jet? So much different.

Seventy of us sit in nicely padded airline seats that are far superior to current airline seating with the evil minimum pitch that packs people into “economy plus”. Even with a backpack on there is plenty of leg room as we sit belted in place.

The energy / fear / excitement in the jet is palpable. Nearly everyone is making their first jet jump and even those with thousands of jumps are back to the excitement of student status jumps.

Takeoff and climb to altitude are quiet. Just like you experience when you fly on Southwest.

The air conditioning works and the ride up is comfy.

But, it is a VERY SHORT ride to altitude. From takeoff roll to jump run takes 6 -7 minutes!

The greenlight goes on and we start down the aisle to the “door”. Remember, this is a DC9, very similar to a Boeing 727 (the airplane that DB Cooper chose to hijack since it has a ramp under the tail and facilitated his jump with hundreds of thousand of $$). We get to the ramp (no steps) and launch into the sky ocean. I back looped out and had a great view of the jet flying away and other jumpers flying out.

At that point it was just another skydive, though one where due to the exit speed and dawdling jumpers ahead of me in line,  I opened a long way from the DZ, but that’s another story.

 

What else stands out?

The “flight attendants” giving the safety briefing (FDA mandated).

The flight crew who gave up their holiday with family and friends to come to Perris.

All the work that the Perris staff did to make the jumps and Boogie a success.

Talking to Ben and Diane Conatser and just seeing / feeling their joy at making this happen.

 

Yes, I’m looking forward to doing this again without waiting another 17 years.

BSBD

I was there 7/6.  We probably met.  I was just jumping the skyvan that day.