bfd 0 #1 January 11, 2011 I have been a member here on dropzone.com for a few years now and this is my first post ever. It is a request for help. I jump in Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada at Skydive Burnaby, and our dropzone is facing potential elimination due to a power utility that is planning to install wind turbines 1.7km(1mile) from the DZ on the predominant windline. http://www.skydiveburnaby.com/extras/stop-the-wind-turbines.html This site is not spam or a joke. As your fellow skydiver, i`m asking you to at least check out the site and if you feel like it, offer your support to keep our 55 year dropzone flyin under blue skies. Thanks Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,351 #2 January 11, 2011 http://www.skydiveburnaby.com/extras/stop-the-wind-turbines.html Clickified. Skydive Chicago went through a situation where a power company wanted to put high-voltage transmission lines right next to the airport. It was a long fight, but the power lines are going elsewhere. I don't know the rules in Canada, but there are requirments to put that kind of thing close to an existing airport here in the US. Good Luck."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #3 January 11, 2011 My understanding is that that wind turbines have to be extremely close to be a problem. Something like the turbulence extends only a few times the diameter of the blades in most wind conditions. In wind conditions for them to be a problem, it'd be so windy you weren't jumping anyways. In Illinois, they're very large, and about 2.0 miles from the Hinckley DZ. They're very far spaced out and you could even land between them if you had too. There's probably 20 in the neighborhood. I wouldn't have any problems jumping a mile from a turbine. If you're only talking two turbines, then it sounds like a pretty manageable obstacle no worse than the River at Skydive Chicago, or the Ocean at Sebastian. I know in Ontario there's a lot of popular support in opposing wind projects. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,061 #4 January 11, 2011 Hi bfd, First the disclaimer: I spent 30 yrs working in the high voltage electrical transmission business. I went to the site that you listed and simply do not see where there is a problem. Could you provide some specific details on just why these wind turbines will cause jumping to cease at that location? JerryBaumchen PS) I do support alternate forms of energy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bfd 0 #5 January 11, 2011 This isn`t about turbine opposition. We are in support of the turbines and other forms of green energy. We only want the utility to look at other placement options for the turbines, but we need lots of support to get them to listen. I would be very uncomfortable jumping over top of rotating turbines. Heaven help anyone who may have a low opening (reserve ride) for any reason over or in front of the blades.... 1 mile is not far from the DZ and off landings do occur. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bfd 0 #6 January 11, 2011 http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/publications/tp14371-aga-4-0-614.htm is a site from Transport Canada. As you can see by the diagram, the outer rim of the approach zone for landing is 4000m. As far as I`m aware, a skydiver under parachute is considered an aircraft, and is therefore subject to follow guidelines and regulations as set out by Transport Canada.... But i`m no expert. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #7 January 11, 2011 There's a lot of dropzones in the world where you exit over serious obstacles including water, railyards, Interstate highways, and even right beside the Mexico border. I just plotted a mile in google maps and I can honestly say that I have never landed anywhere remotely near that far away from a landing area. In 10 years of skydiving I have seen a student land that far away only once, and she flew into power lines. Like I said, I would not have any problem jumping, nor doing student jumps with a known obstacle 1 mile away. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrancoR 0 #8 January 11, 2011 I don't see the problem. Sykdive Colibris landing zone in Germany is located 2,2 km or less from wind turbines. Check out Google earth with the folowing coordinates: Turbine: 49° 4'8.89"N 11°10'2.20"E Landing Area: 49° 3'59.36"N 11°11'51.08"E I don't recall anybody ever having a problem of landing anywhere close to the turbines. The DZ even chose the new airport location because they had to move from Ampfing due to Airtraffic from the Munich Airport.If it does not cost anything you are the product. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #9 January 12, 2011 QuoteI have been a member here on dropzone.com for a few years now and this is my first post ever. Well, not really, you did post a few times back in '08: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results;search_forum=all;search_user_username=bfd;sb=post_time;mh=25 QuoteI jump in Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada at Skydive Burnaby, and our dropzone is facing potential elimination due to a power utility that is planning to install wind turbines 1.7km (1mile) from the DZ... Previous discussion: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3313559;#3311011 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bfd 0 #10 January 12, 2011 oooops.... sorry to everyone. I forgot that I had a post or 2 in 2008... so this isnt my first post ever, but my first in a long time... I have no idea about the second link you posted... no knowledge of it as it is not mine and its 2 years old. Please forgive me Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bodhisattva420 0 #11 January 12, 2011 I've landed next to wind turbines before, no biggie, just don't hit one! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #12 January 12, 2011 QuoteI have no idea about the second link you posted... no knowledge of it as it is not mine and its 2 years old. The idea is to use the "search" feature to find out about things that have been discussed in the past. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #13 January 12, 2011 QuoteI don't see the problem. Sykdive Colibris landing zone in Germany is located 2,2 km or less from wind turbines. Check out Google earth with the folowing coordinates: Turbine: 49° 4'8.89"N 11°10'2.20"E Landing Area: 49° 3'59.36"N 11°11'51.08"E I don't recall anybody ever having a problem of landing anywhere close to the turbines. The DZ even chose the new airport location because they had to move from Ampfing due to Airtraffic from the Munich Airport. __________________________________________________ and yet there actually was a fatality in Germany a few years back when a skydiver hit a wind turbine...If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #14 January 12, 2011 There's a lot of dropzones in the world where you exit over serious obstacles including water, railyards, Interstate highways, and even right beside the Mexico border. _______________________________________________ Those obstacles are all relatively flat -- these turbines (phase 1 was 4 or 5 turbines, depending on model picked) are approaching 500' high and are about 1 mile out upwind, under or behind the spot most days. Someone riding down to 700' before their cypres fires could end up opening right among them. Or someone opening low and getting a two-out situation which is hard to control could easily find himself in that area.... Seems these are no where near the same as getting out over freeways or water. How many of the dropzones located near to these windfarms have them situated under the spot directly upwind? Seems funny that with all the land in the province, one third of the dropzones in Ontario are now being threatened with these industrial wind turbines right next door. Very much because while in Europe the community will gain from erecting wind turbines, here it's the individual farmer hoping to land as many leases as he can on his property....If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrancoR 0 #15 January 13, 2011 Quote __________________________________________________ and yet there actually was a fatality in Germany a few years back when a skydiver hit a wind turbine... That is correct and of course if there is an obstacle there is a chance to hit it. In this case if i remember correctly it was a student and the instructor had to appear before court and was even sentenced because there was too much wind. This also happend on the Island of Fehmarn where there are lots and lots of wind turbines. A wind turbine is an obstacle very much like others.If it does not cost anything you are the product. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #16 January 13, 2011 DZs at Byron, California and California City have been plagued by wind turbines for decades. Every time the wind turbines started spinning at Tehachapi, Cal City had to groudn all their students!!! Fun jumpers still went up, while POPS sat on the balcony and sipped lemonade while watching young guys get dragged through cacti. Hah! Hah! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
