RMURRAY 1 #51 September 27, 2007 Quote Quote I'd pay NOT to have to jump from a Porter. YOU just haven't jumped from enough narrow body 182s lately, that's your problem. agree 100%. I jump from a 206 with 6 jumpers every weekend - we look forward to having a 182 (hopefully widebody) someday to improve the wait between jumps. A porter would but out of this world...some of these spoiled turbine snobs are making me feel sick rm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #52 September 27, 2007 >A porter would but out of this world...some of these spoiled turbine snobs >are making me feel sick. Funny how that goes. I started at a 182 drop zone. We had two 182's, then one crashed and we were back to one. I was lucky to get one jump a weekend. From 7500. Then I moved to San Diego and started jumping at Brown. They had 206's! Two of em! It was great. For about six months. One was always having problems, and the other (a cargo door 206) was not that great for putting out SL students. Finally we got a King Air. It was a turbine! It held twelve people! It was sorta fast! Wahoo! No door or floater bar, but you can't have everything. I got my AFF rating and started doing AFF's out of it. That was a fun plane - until the bizarre exit we had to do resulted in a reserve over the tail. That wasn't so fun. Then we got a Porter. My tentative liking of the porter lasted exactly two jumps, when I was doing a tandem out of it with a total of ten people in the plane. It was so tight that I wasn't 100% sure that I had hooked up my student to my harness and not the TM next to me. Had a scary few minutes until people started getting out and we had a little more room to check for sure. Then we got a Beech 99. This ended up being a pretty nice airplane overall. Held more than a King Air, had nice windows and a (relatively) big door. Finally we got an Otter, and were like all the other big DZ's. When I go back to small DZ's I actually have fun jumping the 182's. They're like jungle gyms - you can climb all over them, launch imaginative 4-way exits, have SL students climb out on their own. Amy likes to kiss the pilots on the way out. I wouldn't want to train 4-way from them, but for SL students and weekend 4-ways they're great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #53 September 28, 2007 Quote That being said, I'm sure there will be some more porter popping up here and there in the US in the next couple of months. Perhaps. Most likely. However, there is only one Dan B.C. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #54 September 28, 2007 Quote I seem to recall Aggiedave talking about doing tandems out of one; now that's crowded. Anywhere AggieDave is is crowded.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #55 September 28, 2007 Quote Quote I'd pay NOT to have to jump from a Porter. Why? You can fit two 4-way teams (including video) into a Porter. There are various ways of cramming the 10 jumpers in the aircraft. The best solution I have seen is in the D-FROH (Breitscheid Porter). It climbs to 13,000 ft in about 14 mins. It has a nice big door that it unfortunatley on the right of the aircraft. This could make it tricky for Teams that have only trained out of a left side door. It needs a runway that is about 16 inches long Ugh Poter, actually a very nice plane. I once did 46 4way jumps from a porter in DeLand in one day, with two teams on the plane. We were jumping from 6000 ft, and it made me sick to see the plane at the boarding area as I was setting up for my landing. The pilot would land almost right next to the turn off from the runway to the landing area and just bang a right and be there to load. The exits took some getting used to, there was almost no air to fly with on exit. The DeLand Porter "had" doors on both sides, it was weird, on the right side it was a very easy ride on the camera step, but on the left door it sucked, the prop blast was very strong. Even worse was how hard it was to see the team from the step, unless you were very short you just got a great view of the top of the wing. When I was doing test jumps on the skyhook we were trying to get as slow as possible reserve deployments for the pc to test the breaking strength of the seal thread on the hook design, to see if it would cause any hesitation in the event of a total. I had the pilot flying with just me and a cameraman, full flaps as slow as he possibly could fly. I have a good video of me being stupid and firing too soon, and the pc bouncing off the tail. One scond earlier and it could have been bad, I remember the pilot telling me he could land the porter inside a hanger if he tried, I watched him dive almost straight down, pull up, touch down and stop. The take offs were a little longer but not much. The DeLand Porter "had" a -34 on it, I dont know if it made that much of a difference but it seemed like it. Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #56 September 28, 2007 Quote A porter would but out of this world...some of these spoiled turbine snobs are making me feel sick rm Poor thing - wait a sec. while I find a Kleenex to dry my eyes.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #57 September 28, 2007 Quote Quote Anyway, I'm just saying I've "seen" 206's with 6 jumpers and a pilot in it... not that I'm ever going to "see" one that up close again... rather, I'll be "someone else" waving it goodbye as it taxis out... ya know, that ol' saying about there are old skydivers and there are bold skydivers... you know the rest... and I'm getting old..er... I have never seen a skydiving 206 that didn't have 6 jumpers as its normal load. i have no idea why you think it would be "bold" to get in one with six jumpers. Like I said... I'll happily wave at any 206 taxiing out with 6 jumpers + 1 pilot on board... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sagan 0 #58 September 28, 2007 Yea! At least now on slow Sundays we can actually make it to sunset load -Patrick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnskydiver688 0 #59 September 28, 2007 Then factor in an IO 550 300 hp engine, wingtip extensions, and you have one kick ass C182. We are spoiled up here in Fargo.Sky Canyon Wingsuiters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #60 September 28, 2007 Quote Quote Quote Anyway, I'm just saying I've "seen" 206's with 6 jumpers and a pilot in it... not that I'm ever going to "see" one that up close again... rather, I'll be "someone else" waving it goodbye as it taxis out... ya know, that ol' saying about there are old skydivers and there are bold skydivers... you know the rest... and I'm getting old..er... I have never seen a skydiving 206 that didn't have 6 jumpers as its normal load. i have no idea why you think it would be "bold" to get in one with six jumpers. Like I said... I'll happily wave at any 206 taxiing out with 6 jumpers + 1 pilot on board... Ahem...if you want to wave at us, just make sure you're waving to all 8 of us...7 + pilot.It is a turbo and we still get 800/min. 5 or less plus pilot seems almost...turbine-ish in that turbo 206. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #61 September 28, 2007 Oh, and I'm 160 OTD and there is are a couple of female camera gals that could be close to Japanese Freestyle Females in weight as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #62 September 28, 2007 Quote One thing about the Porter is the step. Or should I say, the porch. It's huge. no step on the french Porters scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #63 September 28, 2007 Quote I seem to recall Aggiedave talking about doing tandems out of one; now that's crowded. Anywhere AggieDave is is crowded Yup, I'm what people call a "big boy." Or fat, or tall or big boned...eitherway I take up a lot of room in a 182. I have done quite a few tandems out of a 182. In fact I've done more jumps out of a 182 then anything else. Enough to know that I prefer jumping narrow body 182s because they climb faster and I like pre-1957 182s because they have taller gears and give you more room on the step. Personally I like them, even though they're slower then an Otter and only hold 4 (or a midget 8-way speed star team). Hell, unlike a lot of other jumpers, I actually know how to determine a spot via the winds aloft forcast (I was taught how to drop streamers too) and I can actually spot a load. That appears to be a lost art among many skydivers.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #64 September 28, 2007 Quote ***Hell, unlike a lot of other jumpers, I actually know how to determine a spot via the winds aloft forcast (I was taught how to drop streamers too) and I can actually spot a load. That appears to be a lost art among many skydivers. It really is. Having grown up on a C182 DZ and done many jumps (not a majority though) from them, I can be trusted to spot dead on. It's a must-have skill to use on the demo jumps too. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peggs82 0 #65 September 28, 2007 I started jumping out of a porter...and I am absolutely baffled at how you can squeeze 10 people in there + the pilot???? Not saying I don't believe you but damn I need to see pictures of that!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
funjumper101 15 #66 September 28, 2007 QuoteAnyone remember the Helio Stallion they use to fly back in the 80's? Here's some history on that plane, Helio AU-24A “21320” 004 9 Nov. 72 ex 72-1320 and N9553A Previous history: Helio Aircraft to USAF on 24 February 72 (72056); evaluated at Eglin AFB, Florida, for use by the South Vietnamese Air Force; operational test and evaluation began on 17 March 72 and ended on 22 May 72; as a result, no AU-24A was delivered to the South Vietnamese Air Force, and starting on 28 June 72, all AU-24As were flown to Davis Monthan AFB for storage (Helio AU-24A “Stallion” at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/attack/a6/a6-42.htm); this particular AU-24A was flown to Davis Monthan AFB on 29 June 72 (72181). Service history: Davis-Monthan AFB to TL MAP on 9 November 72 (72314), that is to the Khmer Air Force; the tail gear broke during a landing at Battambang in June 73; ferried to Pochentong and repaired (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for June 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1); parts served to make “72-1329” operational in July 73 (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for July 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1); repairs of “72-1320” were finished on 2 July 73 (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for July 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1); in September 73, the Tacan was inoperative, but repaired (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for September 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1); received bullet damage at the center wing bottom skin in November 73; repaired (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for November 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1); 2 ribs in each wing were re-enforced at Pochentong in December 73 (Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for December 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1). Fate: escaped to Thailand in 1975; salvaged at Bangkok; transported back to the United States in July 76 (Smith, Helio Stallion: Warhorse); sold to Michael J. Schachle, Anchorage, AK, as N9991F in 1976; sold to James D. Perry, Kent, WA, on ?; leased to Perris Valley Skydiving Inc., Perris, CA, on ?; crashed into the ground during skydiving operation at Perris, CA, on 30 June 88, killing the pilot; the registration was cancelled on 26 August 1988. Pilot's was named Jim Love if I recall http://www.utdallas.edu/library/collections/speccoll/Leeker/kau24.pdf Jim Perry had that airplane at Skydance in Davis, CA for a while. Awesome ride. It was at WFFC in '93 as well. I jumped it at both places. I am one of the people in the plane when it pops up on the '93 WFFC video for a few seconds. He also had a Helio Courier with an Allison 420 on it. I saw him do a "helicopter" takeoff into a 10kt wind. The gound roll was about 15', then the plane levitated, hanging on the prop. At about 15' or so, he pushed the nose over to get a bit more airspeed (or flew out of ground effect), the climb rate went up in a big hurry, and away he went. One of the best STOL takeoffs I have ever witnessed. WAY COOL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #67 September 28, 2007 Quote (or a midget 8-way speed star team). You sure have interesting events in Texas.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #68 September 28, 2007 Quote Quote (or a midget 8-way speed star team). You sure have interesting events in Texas. Compared to AD, just about everyone can compete for that team.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zing 2 #69 September 28, 2007 There wasn't much freestyle going on yet when a large number of Japanese jumpers came to Ghoulidge for three months in the mid-eighties. Pre seatbelts requirements then, when the skydivers were considered cargo instead of passengers. One DC-3 load had 16 gaijins and 45 Nippons on board ... and the load was lighter than the usual loads carrying 40-45 US, Canadian and European jumpers. Personally, I really enjoyed flying Pilatus Porters, but I ALWAYS had the emergency rig on and strapped down tight. I figured it was only a matter of time before a skydiver took the tail plane off the plane. There isn't much holding it on the airplane to begin with. Jay Stokes used Porters on his last two 24-hour jump marathons. I'd bet money that a Porter with a strong dash 27 or dash 34 PT6 on it would have matched and possibly beat the turn times of the PAC 750s used the last time. Compared with other Porters I've flown, the WonderBread Porter was a tired old airplane, seriously in need of some rigging work on the engine, prop and controls. It was still fun to fly, though ... there are few airplanes that compare.Zing Lurks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VectorBoy 0 #70 September 29, 2007 Are porters typicaly as crowded as Pacs? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #71 September 29, 2007 I probably have 500+ jumps out of that Porter (I recogize the DZ in the photo). Its a sweet plane. Yes, its cramped with 9 or 10 in it but beats the hell out of 4 jumpers in a 182. No, it won't climb like Mullin's King Air but the HUGE door beats a King Air's door anyday (plus the step is gigantic). And if you're in the mood, you can open both doors and exit from both sides (but there's no step on the left side). We had the only turbine in the state for many years because of that Porter. I'd miss it except we now have a very sweet Caravan! Enjoy it! We certainly did! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #72 September 29, 2007 Quote Enjoy it! We certainly did! Thanks! Plan to. That is if us non-world-competitors will be able to squeeze in between those team's back-to-back loads! As to another poster's question of why it's white. The answer may be two fold. 1) Not exactly sure if this picture they sent along in the e-mail is the same plane we're getting. I'll have to ask this weekend. 2) Perris always keeps one of their planes white for movie purposes. For example, one Otter is plain white. The SkyVan too. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #73 September 29, 2007 It was white when it left the midwest, last I saw.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erayk1 0 #74 September 30, 2007 That one in the picture used to be our jump plane at Paradise Skydives in Vinton, IA. We really miss that plane, but I guess our Grand Caravan's arrival helps us get over our sadness... PS: Just so everyone knows, that porter has two working doors with huge windows on both sides. Hope you guys enjoy it like we did!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peej 0 #75 October 1, 2007 Quote I started jumping out of a porter...and I am absolutely baffled at how you can squeeze 10 people in there + the pilot???? Not saying I don't believe you but damn I need to see pictures of that!! We put five people on the bench behind the pilot, two on the bench next to the pilot, two on the floor and one on the little seat at the back of the plane. Sometimes it can be pretty tight but it works pretty well : ) Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
