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Islander-O

Cherokee-6 tandem operation

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I am TM with operation that utilizes PA-32 Cherokee-6. I have seen this plane at one DZ in Bulgaria and jumped fun jumps from it. That DZ was pretty happy with operating Cherokee for tandems. Their TM totally relied on a pilot spotting They just slided on a floor toward the door, directed a passenger to put both feet out and just hang on TM, and TM just jumped. The problem is that my operation is located on the island and I cannot afford to jump without visual spotting. I would highly appreciate any tips and ideas.

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Hello to the Middle Earth,
I'm not staff TI of that Bulgarian DZ but I've done some tandems with that Piper Cherokee 6. Basically the pilot use GPS for spotting there.If you have any instructor on board, he can make a visual spotting through the door. As you said its easy to handle the passenger at the door during the exit!So you can use that plane for tandem operation!
Greetings from Bulgaria!
Rado

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dpreguy

Off subject but....I'd round off the corners of that step and smooth them down.
(OK, maybe I'm a busybody here.)



At least that plane has a step! We used to take the rear door off of my dad's Cherokee six for demos back in the day and had to fight our way over the sill and just sort of roll out.

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Thanks to everybody for suggestions.
I just answer on my own questions in case that someone would have the same issue. We inserted a platform that was in level with the door edge. It was laminated for better sliding. FAA did not approve our request for step. First passenger had to seat facing engine with feet under a pilot seat. First instructor seat at the door facing engine. For gear up, instructor moved close to passenger. After gear up, instructor and passenger slide backward till passenger reached forward door edge. Such position allows to spot looking under wing. With knowledge of surrounding DZ area it is doable. With 20 seconds call, pilot changed engine setting to a descend mode and put flaps in second position. It gave us 90-85 knots exit speed. With Let's Go call, instructor moved back and right to let passenger bring legs on the door edge. During this operation, instructor let passenger sit on the edge. Arms Cross, Head Back; after that TI continues to slide outside until passenger hangs on TI. After that just roll forward. Second pare just slides toward the door and everything the same.

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