Emergency Bailout Experiences

[billvon 2,379]

Never had to myself, but was in two 'bailout' situations.

One was at Rantoul; jumper's main went over the tail. I got everyone out of the plane, then looked back and realized it had mostly cleared. So I told the pilot what had happened, and he took it back around so I got a better spot for my exit. (Nice of him.)

Second was a helicopter autorotation from about 1000 feet. We could not see the pilot and so stayed put; we had not worked out an emergency exit signal. The situation was complicated by a jumper who had not finished packing. We landed hard and broke off the tailwheel but were otherwise OK.

[airtwardo 6]

So I told the pilot what had happened, and he took it back around so I got a better spot for my exit. (Nice of him.)

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Another skydiving term for that situation is....."Pimp Job"

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[slotperfect 7]

Here are some more thoughts on planning for emergency exits:

-Have your rig properly adjusted when you board the aircraft. If there is a structural failure at low altitude and you bail out with loose leg straps, your deployment handles are not going to be where you thought they would be.
-Tandems: have your student's harness adjusted properly (vs. leaving the MLW & diagonals slightly loose for "comfort.") I realize this is a point of contention among TIs & Examiners, but having had two tandem emergency bailouts with students wearing properly adjusted harnesses I can tell you this is a good habit to get into. I was hooked up with side attachments tightened down, and ready to leave in less than 30 seconds each time.
-Know how to open the door(s) on your aircraft through which you may have to make an emergency bailout. The staff member of "person who always does it" on your load may be incapacitated leaving it up to you.
-Stay alert. The most dangerous part of your airplane flight is the takeoff and climb to your minimum bailout altitude. If you are asleep, you will already be way behind the power curve if the 182 engine quits at 1200 feet.
-Know your "chain-of-command" in an emergency situation. The bottom line is that the pilot is in charge of the aircraft. If there is a designated organizer or jumpmaster on the plane, they should be the ones talking to the pilot if seating arrangements allow. Everyone else should stay quiet.
-When an emergency happens, prepare yourself for exit in place, but don't move. The pilot needs to trim the aircraft to level flight before the weight and balance changes. Once he gives you the go-ahead, you can bail.
-Choose your equipment carefully. I have seen people jump barefoot and wondered how they would fare landing crosswind in a concrete parking lot if they had to after a bailout.
-If you bailout and make an off-DZ landing, check in with the DZ staff as soon as you make your way back to the DZ. It would be a shame for the whole DZ to be lined up combing through the woods for you when you are in your tent drinking Mescal to calm your nerves.

Arrive Safely

John

[grimmie 173]

If you are jumping at a DZ that has some hills around it, check out of the window once in a while. Nothing like bailing out over a 2,000ft hill with the alti reading 3,000!

[airtwardo 6]

-Stay alert. The most dangerous part of your airplane flight is the takeoff and climb to your minimum bailout altitude. If you are asleep, you will already be way behind the power curve if the 182 engine quits at 1200 feet.

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Also to add...


If the aircraft has taken off and is in the initial climb you should still be paying attention 100% to what's going on, until you reach that minimum bailout altitude...which coincidentally is around the time the pilot will be making cruise / climb throttle adjustments.

A fair amount of engine failure scenarios get kicked off when a power setting is changed, it's a good idea to remain 'on guard' until a little bit after you hear the RPM change from WFO to a cruise-climb setting and the driver gets her trimmed up.

Also not a bad idea to be aware exactly where 'on the map' you are in case you need to jump & dump way down low.

Over mountains, water, woods, city...which way will you be facing to land...main or reserve...all that should be in the back of your mind so you aren't behind the power curve when a second or two may matter.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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[diablopilot 2]

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-Have your rig properly adjusted when you board the aircraft. If there is a structural failure at low altitude and you bail out with loose leg straps, your deployment handles are not going to be where you thought they would be.

This bears repeating! I see people get on the plane with leg straps loose as all get out, and when I say something, they look indignant.

Understand this: If anyone reading this is the type to get on with loose legstraps, and the pilot orders us out in a hurry in an emergency situation, I will NOT be waiting for ya to get things "adjusted". I WILL go through you if you are between me and the door when it's my turn to leave.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[chuckakers 369]

Had to bail from a Huey at Ft. Hood once. The master caution light came on and the pilot screamed "get out", so we did.

Hop n Pops from 9000 ft. Turned out the master caution light came on because the crypto gear lost its' code. It had nothing to do with the flying.

That was a long walk.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[flipper 0]

C206 - Engine stopped - out @ 9K with Tandem (DH -Set 400)- No probs

G92 - Engine stopped ( Twin ) - out @ 14K with tandem ( DH - Set 400)- No probs

C206 - Engine problems - Out @ 1.7K (Velo84) - no probs

Let410 - Engine Warning Lights on take off - All landed on board

C206 - Electrical problems - Out @ 2K ( Velo 96 )- No Probs

[LongWayToFall 0]

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Second was a helicopter autorotation from about 1000 feet. We could not see the pilot and so stayed put; we had not worked out an emergency exit signal. The situation was complicated by a jumper who had not finished packing. We landed hard and broke off the tailwheel but were otherwise OK.

What is the decent rate in a helicopter with no power? Is there ever a situation where upon exit you might go vertically into the blades? I would think that if altitude suffices, the pilot should do an autorotation at exit time to slow it down a bit.

[mark 102]

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What is the decent rate in a helicopter with no power? Is there ever a situation where upon exit you might go vertically into the blades? I would think that if altitude suffices, the pilot should do an autorotation at exit time to slow it down a bit.

A helicopter pilot should transition to auto-rotation as soon as possible after a power failure, whether there are skydivers on board or not. Otherwise, the blades stop turning and rock-fall ensues.

To keep the blades turning during auto-rotation, the ship must maintain some forward speed. The blades continue to produce lift, much more lift than I could produce myself even if I flapped my arms, and even though I've gotten more aerodynamic as I've grown older.

So, no, you don't have to worry about floating up into the rotor blades if you exit a helicopter in auto-rotation.

Mark

[INSANEDADDY 0]

When the engine quits.....Its time to get out. I am climbing over those who dont have their helmets on. Board the airplane to get out at a grand!-MJ

You dont't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when.......You can only decide how you're going to live........NOW.
-BASE 1605 Night BASE 227

[slotperfect 7]

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When the engine quits.....Its time to get out.

When the pilot says it's safe for you to get out . . . if you move to the door before he gets the aircraft trimmed to compensate for the loss of power you could cause the airplane to stall. This has killed entire plane loads of jumpers before.

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I am climbing over those who dont have their helmets on. Board the airplane to get out at a grand!.

This is one point I forgot to make earlier. Taking the time to put on a helmet, gloves, or whatever can cause significant problems for the last of the jumpers getting out behind you. Bottom line: the only thing you really need to bail out of a crippled plane is your properly adjusted rig. You don't need a helmet, altimeter, etc. Getting out and getting open once the pilot says go are the most important things.

Arrive Safely

John

[INSANEDADDY 0]

I guess I always assume everything you said. That was the first mistake I made posting on this forum. I am a pilot also. You can never assume anything in aviation. Shifting the CG aft would not be a good thing. Ignorance is not an excuse.........I retract my statement.

You dont't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when.......You can only decide how you're going to live........NOW.
-BASE 1605 Night BASE 227

[chuckakers 369]

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I’ve done a few. My most interesting was with an AFF level one from a Porter...

The engine suddenly lost all power.... It immediately freaked the heck out of my AFF partner...

Since my partner was freaked out, I had to devise a plan.

The fun jumpers were looking to me for a decision, as was my freaked out AFF partner.

...my partner finally spoke up, asking “Where is the DZ?” Not a great question considering she had been sitting on the bench seat with huge windows and easily visible landmarks...

Really, she was scared and clueless.

My partner was still super freaked out and insisted...

It wasn’t necessary for the student, but since my partner insisted and seemed to scared to discuss the options intelligently....


As I was walking back with my first time student, who was super relaxed throughout, he asked why the other instructor was so scared.

...and folks, if you're going to throw your partner under the bus, make it a big-ass bus and throw her straight under the front wheels!

[riggerrob 558]

-Stay alert. The most dangerous part of your airplane flight is the takeoff and climb to your minimum bailout altitude. If you are asleep, you will already be way behind the power curve if the 182 engine quits at 1200 feet.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Agreed!
... reminds me of the time we were climbing through 1200 feet.
I was lazing behind the pilot's seat - with a tandem student between my knees - when I glanced out under the right wing and saw a converging airplane.
I slapped the pilot on the shoulder, pointed and she instinctively pulled up, increasing our vertical separation to a couple of hundred feet!

It turns out that a Mooney had blundered into the control zone without bothering to talk with an air traffic controller (illegal in most jurisdictions).

[riggerrob 558]

Don't waste time removing headsets, because they will just fall off of their own accord.

This tidbit came from a competitive glider pilot who had survived a couple of emergency bail-outs, one after colliding with another glider in a thermal.

His current "ride" was a Yak fighter!

Oxygen masks might require a deliberate effort to remove.

[relyon 0]

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To keep the blades turning during auto-rotation, the ship must maintain some forward speed. ...

Not true at all. I've performed many autorotations at zero airspeed as well as forward, sideward, and backward autorotations with varying airspeeds. It's necessary to transition to forward flight prior to touchdown in order to arrest the vertical descent rate and then trade rotor energy (RPM) for smooth surface contact. A power off autorotation from 500 feet the surface to within 50 feet of a predetermined spot is required for the helicopter CFI practical test; I was long by 18 inches.

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So, no, you don't have to worry about floating up into the rotor blades if you exit a helicopter in auto-rotation.

Again, not true. The maximum glide ratio of helicopters varies from just over 1:1 to around 3:1 dependent on a variety of factors, and the autorotative descent rate is 1500 feet per minute minimum and often significantly more. IF the pilot gives the order to bailout, it's imperative to go into freefall and track away before pulling, preferably 90 degrees to the helicopter's flight path.

Keep in mind that if rotor system contact of any sort is made it will likely be castophic for everyone left aboad. An open container is likely to be disasterous for everyone except perhaps the individual with the open container. Helicopter rotor systems don't take to contacting anything other than air, rain, or small insects very well. The lack of understanding of this aspect of helicopter operations on the part of the average skydiver is why I'm not interested in being a helicopter jump pilot except in a few very specific types.

Bob
Commercial helicopter pilot and CFII

[Hooknswoop 19]

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Don't waste time removing headsets, because they will just fall off of their own accord.

Depends on the head set. I spoke with a pilot that attempted to bail out but his head set prevented him from leaving, by then he was low and stayed with the aircraft. He was seriously injured since he crashed without a harness on.

Derek

[mark 102]

Thanks, Bob. I stand corrected.

Mark

[labrys 0]

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Whoever took charge and made that option available to her used incredibly good judgment, and I compliment them!

Twas a TI at the door. FWIW, a female TI who's also an AFFI and a jump pilot. The tandems prepped and exited first. As she was getting ready to take her student out she "suggested" that we get out of the way and let the near panicking jumper follow her out. The plane was lightly loaded (2 tandems, 2 solos, and a 2-way)

Owned by Remi #?