Ron 7 #51 January 26, 2004 QuoteIt was not a"SPOT" at all. It was improper radar identification by Cleveland Center. There was no such thing as GPS, no transponder on the aircraft and you can't spot on top of a complete overcast. Spot as in determining the exit point. The military uses HARP to determine a "SPOT" for HALO.....You don't look out, you just go when the green light goes on. Overcast at night...You just go. Thats what these guys did. Center told the pilot they were good, and they went. HARP has screwed me once...so bad that the Aircrew almost lost its certification. It seems the Center screwed them."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davidlayne 5 #52 February 15, 2004 It was not a"SPOT" at all. It was improper radar identification by Cleveland Center. There was no such thing as GPS, no transponder on the aircraft and you can't spot on top of a complete overcast. The pilot requested his position from ATC and he was told he was over Ortner Field! They exited. Wrong airplane, the rest is history sorry to say. Ironically I had just met 10 of them the week before in Wooster Ohio doing competition water jumps in a "Hit and Swim" meet. I remember that meet too. You myself and Jack Tiffany went in Jack's Vet. The meet was into a quarry surrounded by boulders etc. people were bashing themselves up jumping rags etc. As I recall I won the meet and you George came second. I was jumping a 7TU. Makes me shake my head just to think about it.I don't care how many skydives you've got, until you stepped into complete darkness at 800' wearing 95 lbs of equipment and 42 lbs of parachute, son you are still a leg! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver51 0 #53 February 15, 2004 I'm with you Chris on this. The jumpers make up their own mind whether to jump or not and should check the spot before doing so. The pilot just gets us there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #54 February 15, 2004 QuoteThe military uses HARP to determine a "SPOT" for HALO.....You don't look out, you just go when the green light goes on. Not entirely correct. There is a HALO jumpmaster who calculates the HARP(High Altitude Realease point) and has a second Jumpmaster check his calculations before the aircrew brief. The Jumpmaster is responsible for his stick of people and is ultimately the person to identify the HARP and issue the command to exit the aircraft. Jumpers DO NOT simply leave an aircraft when they see a green light, they leave on the jumpmasters command. This holds true even on blind drops where the Jumpmaster requirements are the same as outlined for AWADS(Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System) airborne operations."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
