Air Planes and Jumpers

[valcore 0]

So just another question for everyone out there in Dz.com land.

Had a jump today went well opened up found my dropzone. Winds were a little high but a good spot so I could hold and make it with no problems. But after looking around to find other jumpers/hazards I noticed a small plane holding in a pattern just above the trees very close to our DZ and in some parts of its patterns it actually did fly over the DZ.

So I kept my eye on during my approach/landing pattern just to make sure that it stayed the hell away from me. I landed fine (plane was on the far end of its holding pattern away from the DZ).

Though this aircraft did come very close maybe 100 meter to a couple of other jumpers which scared the shit out of them and me. Seems some people did not see the plane until they landed or were almost down (scary thought).

Anyway a friend and I were trying to get a tail number and once we got a close look, we much to our surprise realized that it was our DZ's cessna.

WTF

I can't really talk about the others on the Dropzone but this scared the shit out of me. After reading some of the incident threads about collisions with aircraft and jumpers, this was the only thing going through my mind as I was landing.

So basically I just want peoples opinions (great place for it) You know the typical what do you think, would you have said anything, what would you have done differently.

Just so you know landing off was not my main choice since we were doing a special jump. High winds up top making it much more difficult to pick a good allternet in the area it would have blown us.... Plus the plane was there as well.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[PhreeZone 15]

Some dropzones drop jumpers with other planes taking off and landing. At large events like WFFC and Perris this is normal activity and it just takes extra awareness from the jumpers and the pilot to avoid issues.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[valcore 0]

Sorry forgot to mention that it was one of our pilots looking for a Tandem main that was chopped a few hours before that. And the pilot was just over the trees by maybe 100 feet or so.


This was not a take off or landing and is definetly NOT SOP at our dropzone and nobody was informed of this either.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[DougH 270]

That would have freaked me out a little too.

I think up under canopy he just has to stay 500 or more feet from you per the FAA, but being that close to jumpers that low to the ground doesn't sound like the best idea. Please correct me if I am wrong since this is second hand info!!

Did you mention it to your pilot?

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[SWATcop 0]

It doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. Some of the DZs I jump at have Cessnas and especially ultra lights are taking off, landing and flying around the field sometimes actually on the parachute landing area. You just have to keep your head on a swivel.

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467

[riggerrob 563]

Yesterday, we had two jump planes, gliders, banner towing planes, float planes, several helicopters, student pilots and a bunch of Sunday fliers all Pitt Meadows Airport.
ATC kept us all carefully spaced and there was never any danger of collision.
Half the solution was everyone flying predictable landing patterns and keeping their eyes outside the cockpit.

[Snowwhite 0]

[
ATC kept us all carefully spaced and there was never any danger of collision.
Half the solution was everyone flying predictable landing patterns and keeping their eyes outside the cockpit.

[tombuch 0]

Quote

Sorry forgot to mention that it was one of our pilots looking for a Tandem main that was chopped a few hours before that. And the pilot was just over the trees by maybe 100 feet or so.


This was not a take off or landing and is definetly NOT SOP at our dropzone and nobody was informed of this either.

That may not be an unusual situation, or a problem. He was probably aware of the canopies in the air and not a threat at all. Your best bet would have been to find a quiet moment later in the day and ask the pilot if he was aware of the jumpers, and perhaps suggest that his proximity made you uncomfortable, even he he did know what was up.
.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[firstime 0]

That may not be an unusual situation, or a problem. He was probably aware of the canopies in the air and not a threat at all. Your best bet would have been to find a quiet moment later in the day and ask the pilot if he was aware of the jumpers, and perhaps suggest that his proximity made you uncomfortable, even he he did know what was up.

Ditto Tom,
Most pilots are pretty much on the ball, but still a question would be in order.
.

______________________________________
Tom Buchanan
Inst (AFF, SL, IAD, Tandem)

[valcore 0]

Hmm that would be a great thing to do if the pilot was just some random joe. But it was the DZO and he can be a total jerk, so definetly not approachable.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[billvon 2,476]

>I think up under canopy he just has to stay 500 or more feet from you per the FAA . . .

Nope, no such rule. He could fly in formation with you if he wanted. Indeed, jump ships at Perris will sometimes fly close to jumpers if:

-a paraglider gets too close to the DZ airspace
-there's a high opening on a bigway (say, 18,000 MSL) and the otter circles them for a while to make sure they're OK
-there's a lost jumper (or sometimes canopy)
-there's some sort of stunt going on and they need a platform for a camera

Keep in mind that you are more responsible for avoiding other aircraft than vice versa; a wayward pilot might just as easily land and call the FAA and complain about you! We're a VFR sport and have to share the airspace; aircraft are under no obligation to avoid drop zones when flying VFR (although it's certainly a good idea.)

[DougH 270]

Thanks for the info. And I agree 100% about sharing the air.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P