Landing a plane vs landing a parachute

[gofast_ER 0]

Anyone else skydive first then get into flying? I remember the first time I landed a plane it was almost like the yoke turned into risers. Only major difference is that I couldn't see the gear about to touch down like I could see my feet. Other than that it felt very similar.

I may not agree with what you have to say but i'll defend to the death your right to say it.

[timbre 0]

Funny you should ask, I did my first hour of flight training last week. So far I haven't felt like there was much crossover -- in fact I think my time under canopy has really warped my sense of glideslope: when I think we're 'level' we're actually climbing, and when we're in a normal descent it feels to me like an incredibly steep dive. I'm sure I'll figure it all out with time but that's my very initial reaction...

[gofast_ER 0]

well I should specifiy ONLY the flair. But during the flair it felt a lot like flairng a parachute. Obviously with the approach you have to manage power and airspeed as well.
And yeah. Who woulda thought just flying straight and level is difficult? That was a big suprise to me. Good luck with your flight training.
Got my private certificate last month and am going to start working on my multi ticket next month

I may not agree with what you have to say but i'll defend to the death your right to say it.

[format 0]

So, you are an experienced skydiver and
a fresh airplane pilot.

If you're to find yourself in an Engine Out situation
would you try to land the plane or
would you jump?

You pick the circumstances

What goes around, comes later.

[bfilarsky 0]

I did it the other way around. Pilot first, skydiving second. A parachute is no more or less a wing than the metal things sticking out the sides of an airplane. So yes, the dynamics are all in the same ballpark.

[safire190 0]

I skydived for 10 years and then started flying. FAA requires 10hrs before a student pilot can solo...I soloed on my 10th hour, at night! So ya, flying was very easy thanks to all my years of skydiving:) I also passed my check-ride on the first try.

[Fast 0]

I did an introductory flight cause I would like to actually learn how to fly at some point here. The instructor who was up with me was shocked I could even point out the airport. I was able to fly around and locate landmarks, do turns on heading, maintain airspeed and look around for other people. Take-off was a bitch, got t be more things than i could think about at once. I was able to fly to the intended points and line up an on center landing, basically first try. He took over at actual touchdown, but I flew the plane basically down to the runway.

I think there is some awareness crossover and just being comfortable up in the air.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[gofast_ER 0]

Quote

So, you are an experienced skydiver and
a fresh airplane pilot.

If you're to find yourself in an Engine Out situation
would you try to land the plane or
would you jump?

You pick the circumstances

As long as the plane is not on fire I'm landing it for sure. Engine out landings are something you do many MANY times before you ever get to your check ride. On my check ride the examiner pulled the engine on me in the downwind leg of the landing pattern and it was kept off all the way down. I slightly over shot the base leg but was able to keep my glide speed, make the correction and touched down just past the numbers.

I may not agree with what you have to say but i'll defend to the death your right to say it.

[kkeenan 13]

Your feet don't make the same "chirp" sound that airplane tires make.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[billvon 2,380]

>Your feet don't make the same "chirp" sound that airplane tires make.

Maybe yours don't.

[Douggarr 6]

The aviation theory is the same. I started flying after I had a lot of jumps. Landing a parachute is a dead stick landing, basically. I took the stick of a friend's Beech Baron last month -- the first time I flew in many, many years -- and it was like riding a bike. Coordinated turns, holding a heading and altitude, scanning the instruments (a whole lot cooler, let me tell you), looking out for traffic, etc.

SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

[jrh 0]

I had a fair amount of experience as a pilot before I started jumping. Like 5 years and a couple thousand hours as a pilot.

Flying and landing a canopy seemed very intuitive and easy, except for days with strong winds aloft. In a plane, you basically *always* have at least *some* forward drive, no matter how light the plane and how strong the winds.

With canopy flight, it seemed strange to turn into the wind and come straight down. Thankfully I haven't landed off yet!

[DanG 1]

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So, you are an experienced skydiver and
a fresh airplane pilot.

If you're to find yourself in an Engine Out situation
would you try to land the plane or
would you jump?

I've got 1899 jumps and only about 40 hours flying. I'd stay in the plane and land it every time.

Of course, the fact that I don't wear a parachute when I fly makes that decision pretty easy.

- Dan G

[3mpire 0]

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Of course, the fact that I don't wear a parachute when I fly makes that decision pretty easy.

Just out of idle curiosity, how many pilots who are also skydivers wear a parachute when they fly?

I know that FARs require the pilot in command of an aircraft used for skydiving have to wear a rig, but if you're just a private pilot tooling around on your own does anyone wear a rig just for fun/just in case?

[DanG 1]

From my very limited experience, only acrobatic and jump pilots generally wear parachutes when they fly.

Skydiving rigs are very uncomfortable in the pilot's seat, and most pilot's don't own pilot rigs unless they are requierd to have them.

Of course, more and more light sport planes are coming equiped with airframe parachutes, so that might change the dynamic on when people chose to dead stick a landing, and when they just pop the chute. My flight instructor was giving a VFR checkride recently to a doctor who owned a Cirrus with an airframe chute. My instructor noted that the doctor's landing patterns were very wide. He suggested that the doctor tighten up the pattern so he could still make the field if his engine went out. "Oh, if that happens I'll just pull the chute." Scary.

- Dan G

[freeflyer58D 1]

i've been flying for ten years, helicopters, airplanes, some gliders, and ultralights as well. all the time in the air made learning to skydive very very intuitive. i dont want to say it made it easy, but it made the transition easier. i feel much more confident in any combination of winds or weather under canopy, and just flying your body in freefall has alot of the same principles. approaching a formation and flaring your body and getting big to shut down your energy feels just like descending and stopping in a helicopter in my head. i would say that their is a strong crossover between any "flying". and the more experience your have flying different wings, the more you will be able to sort out those differences so that you can apply the most of your knowledge. and one last thing... air sense/situational awareness!!! the more time in the air you have, the more SA you have and that only makes you safer in the skies! as for wearing a parachute, i fly helicopters most, so i dont have room for a rig between myself and the controls. plus, bailing out is for fighter jets, we take the chopper to the ground!

[dks13827 2]

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"Oh, if that happens I'll just pull the chute." Scary.

Boy do I agree with 'scary ' !!! ( seems like some folks also say,, 'well I have an AAD !!'.

As far as an emergency bailout;
1. an engine failure at night might be a good reason.
2. a failure over absolutely horrible terrain ( forests )
I only recall seeing that on a flight from Las Vegas to Reno, I definately was thinking... dont want an engine failure right now !!! ha !!!
Of course, I've never worn a parachute while flying a light plane.

[EvilEagle 0]

Agree, I've been flying since I was 15 and started skydiving at the age of 30. Landing got much easier when I started flying a more loaded canopy. 1.6 loading looks pretty close to landing at 160 knots.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Anyone else skydive first then get into flying?

I flew about 30 hours until my instructor (who owned the plane he rented to me for $58/hour and charged just $20/hour for his time circa 2002) moved.

Landing seemed about the same except with cross-winds.

[safire190 0]

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Of course, the fact that I don't wear a parachute when I fly makes that decision pretty easy.

Just out of idle curiosity, how many pilots who are also skydivers wear a parachute when they fly?

I know that FARs require the pilot in command of an aircraft used for skydiving have to wear a rig, but if you're just a private pilot tooling around on your own does anyone wear a rig just for fun/just in case?

When I'm flying my own airplane, I dont wear a chute.

[timmyfitz 0]

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I know that FARs require the pilot in command of an aircraft used for skydiving have to wear a rig,

There is not an FAR that requires a pilot of a skydiving plane to wear a parachute. That is a requirement of the STC.

There is an FAR that requires all occupants to wear a parachute if the plane is banked more than 60 degrees or exceeds a pitch angle greater than 30 degrees.

[Calvin19 0]

1250 parachute jumps, 250 winsuit, 300 hours PG flight time, 500+ speed glider flights on foot and skis, and 600 logged PIC hours in anything from a quicksilver to a kingair. everything helps.

-SPACE-