HAHO (18K -24K) questions.

[377 21]

A friend and I want to make HAHO jumps from 18K to 24K, with alt depending on FAA issues. We will be using ham radio gear on our jumps and trying to make very long distance comms.

We have done some recent ham radio practice HAHOs from 14K, no problems at all, but higher will take oxygen gear, warmer suits and other safety preparations and precautions.

I have done two HALO jumps from 23K-24K with no oxygen (just breathed it in the plane). I have zero high altitude hop and pop experience.

What do we need to know, prepare and train for to make safe HAHOs from 18K to 24K?

I figure this is the right forum for asking these kinds of questions and would appreciate all suggestions and gudiance offered.

Any tips on the best way to mount the O2 tank and route the hose to the mask? We are going to use aircrew masks with built in demand regulators and internal mics for the radio comms. The tank mounted regulator is a medical type constant (adjustable) flow.

Don't flame me if I am asking dumb questions. I am just looking to do this thing safely and am starting with very little knowledge. If it can't be done safely we will stick to 14K HAHOs.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[dks13827 3]

that does sound like fun........ I would go upwind 10 miles and try to make it back in... but I am guessing. how far you think you can travel under canopy from that altitude ? with typical winds?

look at youtube civilian HALO jumps, study the gear.. then look at ParaGear catalog, for example.. at their O2 equipment, etc. Your planning will be interesting, depending on your terrain, alternate landing areas, etc. out here at Eloy, AZ, landing out is not a bad problem.. also, maybe put a reward sticker on your main riser just in case !!

[377 21]

I figure from 24K we could go about 13 miles in calm air... more with the typical winds of 10-15 knots in the afternoon if we ran downwind, maybe another 3 or 4 miles.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[dks13827 3]

again, depending on your terrain, if you calculate 18 miles to fly back, consider exiting 15 miles out. that gives you outs along the way, and use checkpoints to monitor your progress back to the DZ. that's how the shuttle returns to KSC, their aim point is many miles beyond the runway, they want to ( they must !! ) arrive over the airport fat, dumb, and happy !!where do you carry your transponder ?( be careful about the cold !!)

[LouDiamond 1]

Everything I said in THIS THREAD still applies,especially the prebreathing.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[377 21]

Thanks Lou. We actually have your prior posts printed and laminated in plastic as part of our mission planning bible. We are going to pre breathe oxygen.

Looking for any additional suggestions including how to mount the tank, route the hose, what is the best mount for or radio gear and battery (currently planning chest pack attached so it cannot cover pillow or reserve handle), etc.

I like to jump with my Cypres on. I have tested the radio gear by transmitting on the ground and it does not seem to affect the Cypres, but could altitude change this?

Would you exit far upwind or close to the DZ if winds are below forward speed of the canopies?

Thanks,
377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

Would you exit far upwind or close to the DZ if winds are below forward speed of the canopies?

Thanks,
377

There is a mathematical formula based on calculating winds at altitude that helps determine the off set from the target. The formula and explanation can all be found in the Word and Powerpoint documents I posted in a thread titled "do bad spots really exist?". Do a search for that thread with my username and the posts with the documents will come up.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[BrianM 1]

Ha! This would be the DSTAR contacts you were talking about on the DSTAR group! I'm the guy that suggested we should try a DSTAR parachute mobile to parachute mobile contact if I can borrow a DSTAR handheld.

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[377 21]

Hi Brian,

We cancelled Saturday's DSTAR HAHO, winds were 23 mph at 10 AM at Byron CA DZ and increasing. Will try next weekend.

In late October KF6WRW and AF6IM will operate HF radios on a higher altitude jump using oxygen and following the tips above from LouDiamond.

Want to join us on some radio HAHOs? It would be fun to talk to another jumper on DSTAR, even if one of us was on the ground. Coordinating simultaneous airborne comms with you in Canada would be tricky. I use my DSTAR handie talkie to chat with hams in Vancouver regularly from California. Are there DSTAR repeaters near your DZ?

Mark

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[BrianM 1]

Quote

Want to join us on some radio HAHOs? It would be fun to talk to another jumper on DSTAR, even if one of us was on the ground. Coordinating simultaneous airborne comms with you in Canada would be tricky. I use my DSTAR handie talkie to chat with hams in Vancouver regularly from California. Are there DSTAR repeaters near your DZ?

There is a DSTAR stack nearby, yes (VE7VIC, I'm on 2 m and 70 cm). I won't be in town next weekend, and I'm usually doing tandems all weekend most weekends. We are nearing the end of our season though, so we'll probably have some weathered out weekends coming up (like this weekend), and be shut down for the winter in a while, so there should be some opportunities. I'll let you know!

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[377 21]

Any tips on flow setting for the first stage regulator for a HAHO jump from 20,000 feet? It has rotary knob detent settings ranging between 1 and 15 L, which I assume mean liters per minute? The mask (aircrew type) has a demand regulator. Got my Kevlar O2 aviation tank hydro tested ($35 at the local fire extingusher service company) and will be getting it filled next week.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

Any tips on flow setting for the first stage regulator for a HAHO jump from 20,000 feet? It has rotary knob detent settings ranging between 1 and 15 L, which I assume mean liters per minute? The mask (aircrew type) has a demand regulator. Got my Kevlar O2 aviation tank hydro tested ($35 at the local fire extingusher service company) and will be getting it filled next week.

377

The flow numbers you should be concerned with if using the MBU12 with a civilian bottle set up. The unit should be capable of flowing 8.2 to 9.3 lpm of oxygen with a nominal input pressure of 50 psig(pounds per square inch guage) up to 35k feet.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[377 21]

Thanks Lou, appreciate your help with all these tech questions. Hope you don't mind a few more as the project progresses.

Mark

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.