Chasing planes

[VectorBoy 0]

Ok we've all seen our heroes fly from plane to plane and never have to deploy. The other day I was thinking, sober even, about chasing down a skyvan or casa via the tailgate while wearing a wingsuit. Not me mind you, but one of our high wingsuit jump number heroes or maybe some new capable heroes. Or maybe I just started this to detract those that are seriously thinking of landing a wingsuit. This would be good practice. And the target aircraft wouldn't need complicated rigging of drouges. Some padding yes. Maybe, just maybe a real good wingsuit jumper could just sneak back in there without the skipper know'n. I know my DZO is going to have me banned for even thinking this up. Glen

[PhreeZone 15]

I thought Patrick did something like this into a Porter years ago...

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

I thought Patrick did something like this into a Porter years ago...

Yes, I believe you are correct. I seem to remember a story about him flying back into the plane.

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

[kevin922 0]

Quote

I thought Patrick did something like this into a Porter years ago...

Yes I have video of it somewhere.. but the plane was in a good dive.. though that is a logical way of practicing landing a wingsuit. (into a tailgate.)

Humm.. yeah I think that would be not to hard to do (the tailgate that is) the side doors .. that is a different story.

Kevin

[deaffreeflyer 0]

I thought carefully and tried to picture it. I'll do my best to explain it in my not so good English. It would be too risk to land in a wingsuit into Skyvan & Casa's tailgate because there might be no air stream flowing from between tailgate or It might be too burdle to try, or there might be no wind at all. - I can imagine someone hitting their head on either the tail or edge of tailgate..... Do i need to go on?! Hope you all understand what I am trying to say?

[kevin922 0]

Quote

I thought carefully and tried to picture it. I'll do my best to explain it in my not so good English. It would be too risk to land in a wingsuit into Skyvan & Casa's tailgate because there might be no air stream flowing from between tailgate or It might be too burdle to try, or there might be no wind at all. - I can imagine someone hitting their head on either the tail or edge of tailgate..... Do i need to go on?! Hope you all understand what I am trying to say?

Not sure I follow you - if you approach from under the tail there will be no burble created from the tail. The plane would definately have to be in a desent, not sure what angle. You of course would hit dead air as soon as you enter into the tail of the plane, this is true on the porter entry that was done by Patrik. (Thus you need plenty of padding in the plane)

[deaffreeflyer 0]

Yep that is excalty what I thought. Thanks for clear it up.
Do you think you will have enough speed to get across dead air from tail of the plane into tailgate safety?

[kevin922 0]

Quote

Yep that is excalty what I thought. Thanks for clear it up.
Do you think you will have enough speed to get across dead air from tail of the plane into tailgate safety?

Well again the approach is crucial, if you get behind and above the tail you will probably hit dead air, i don't think you run a risk of hitting the plane because the dead air will just drop you behind the plane. Getting above the tail is another issue.. that would probably not be good, however I still think that your forward speed would have to be high when you come over the top of the tail in order to hit the plane. i.e. the plane is flying forward if your approach speed is only 70 or so by the time you hit the dead air and start falling the plane has already moved forward. I'm not expert in any of this so i'm just talking off the top of my head...

The way I envision it is doing a fast approach to a descending plane and once you make it on top of the tail gate you get dropped. I think the biggest risk is hitting the tailgate head on if you don't line up correctly. I think a tailgate aircraft would by far be the "safest" plane to attempt this in.. i can't believe patrik pulled it off in a porter but i guess if that's all you have to work with you make due :)

I think it would be fun, would love to try it.

Kevin

[joboulay 0]

The use of a PC3 porter by Patrick DeGayardon is easily explained by the fact that there would be a slight turbulence while getting close to come into the fuselage but there would still be an airflow. The latest being necessary to sustain a minimum of control on the wingsuit. The lack of airflow on the back of a tailgate would make it almost impossible to make a clean entry at a reasonable speed into the fuselage. The only way i see would be by having a very high approach speed and then no mistake is permitted.....

I jump, I live, I love. Ourson #1 Ordre des Ours Polaires Volants

[kevin922 0]

Quote

The use of a PC3 porter by Patrick DeGayardon is easily explained by the fact that there would be a slight turbulence while getting close to come into the fuselage but there would still be an airflow. The latest being necessary to sustain a minimum of control on the wingsuit. The lack of airflow on the back of a tailgate would make it almost impossible to make a clean entry at a reasonable speed into the fuselage. The only way i see would be by having a very high approach speed and then no mistake is permitted.....

perhaps i'm just not understanding. You're approaching the tailgate, and until you get over the tailgate there is still air there, right? now yes if you're over the TAIL of the plane that is a different story.. again i may be totally off here

[joboulay 0]

Fact is there is always a big zone of turbulence behind a tailgate and i think that it would be almost impossible to have a controled flight when approaching the target. i may be wrong thought

I jump, I live, I love. Ourson #1 Ordre des Ours Polaires Volants

turbulence.xls

[kimgriffin 0]

Not to mention that the SkyVan is not the most manueverable aircraft out there. From what I have heard, the Porter is the ideal aircraft for radical stuff like this (plus, a top-notch and very ballsy pilot).

Also, Patrick may have made many things look easy but he put many training jumps in to his stunts. I saw the video of him getting back in to the porter years ago and it's gnarly. It also shows him missing it a bunch of times.

Trying to get back in to an aircraft in freefall while both WS flyer and aircraft are traveling at high speeds (and one has a rotating propeller)... What could possibly go wrong?

But, with the right WS jumper, right plane, right pilot and money to afford the training flights it's definitely possible to do again.

Maybe in 10 years it's what we'll all be doing at the DZ on any given Saturday afternoon.

-Kimberly Griffin

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

Also, Patrick may have made many things look easy but he put many training jumps in to his stunts. I saw the video of him getting back in to the porter years ago and it's gnarly. It also shows him missing it a bunch of times.

IIRC he also ended up with a couple of broken/brused ribs?

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

[leroydb 0]

I was expecting something else from the title...

I remember one time the pilot of a certain twin otter flew slower than a normal skydiver exit and I and the pilot went into a slow lefthand turn/dive. We were about 200+ft apart and were relative to each other. This lasted about 15 sec until he had to go land or something like that, lol.... maybe when I am a tad better I will video the good stunts and dock on the wingtip.
hehe
(((EVIL GRIN)))

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...