diverdriver

Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Any landing you can use the plane again is a great landing. But in this case...I'd have to say it was a great landing anyway. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Yes, I've done a double engine failure to touchdown training in the sim for the CRJ. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

A large problem with jump plane Mx is that there is little to no oversight. And that's where many problems (not all problems) develop. Since people know they won't be watched they might not follow the rules until they feel they need to. Which may not be the same as when the rules say they should. Will more rules make it safer? Depends on the problem and the rule. Someone who ignores the rules now will likely ignore new rules. So, that's where the oversight comes in (or doesn't come in). By educating jumpers year after year (as there is always a new generation) what to look for and what the history is they become the overseers like it or not. We just have to get them to pay attention. Peer pressure can be a beautiful thing. What can really burn me is to hear long time skydivers who've been in the sport since the early eighties claim that what they are doing is just fine since that's what they've always done. But that was when the 182s were maybe 20 years old. Now these same 182s are 50 years old and are still being flown hard and long like always. Fatiguing aircraft will become more of a danger in the coming decade I believe. You can only pencil whip or do bear minimum for so long before things begin to fail catastrophicaly. We need to get DZOs educated on how our fleet is aging and what can be done to counteract those hazards. It's about threat management. First part is to identify and be honest about the threat existing. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

If only Roger had been able to make that deal work for the one in Michigan. That would have been really fun to fly. And probably would have caused me to quit my airline job at the time. What a fantastic plane. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

1995: Takeoff in a 182. Jumper starts screaming bloody murder. I abort the takeoff. Everyone looks at me like "what?" They then say "oh she always does that." I say "She will not do that ever again when I'm flying." 1996: C-U206. Part of the seatbelt was still over student bridle (IAD) when he exited and JM was holding PC. Basicly directlined the main then cynched around the seatbelt and snapped. When the plane lurched I turned around to see the JM handing me the PC. I took it and banked the plane. Watched the students canopy dive then level then dive then level with no action by the student. A tree caught him and set him down like the hand of God scooped him. My girlfriend at the time was going through IAD. The JM hurried practice with a dummy handle for a PRCP. Doing so he wrapped the bridle around the harness. She went out at 3.5k with a PC in tow. I saw the JMs eyes go big when she left but I couldn't see what was going on. He was out on the step still. We circled and in a short time he came back in and said "reserve ride". That was all. I closed the door, banked the plane over and saw she was already on the ground. Her FXC 12000 had fired her reserve. She landed under reserve ok. Was on takeoff in a C-U206 when I blew two cylinders off the case. The sparkplug wires held them from falling completely off the engine. I kept the throttle in using four cylinders to get me around and landed on the pavement into the wind. Abandonned ship as soon as we got stopped. No fire fortunatley. 2 years later that 206 had an engine failure and oil fire that killed 5 of my friends. Was on takeoff in a C-182 and had a double magneto failure. Yah, I know. It's supposed to never happen. It did. I was at near 1,000 AGL and made a 180 back to the airport. Landed downwind and fortunately had two snow banks to stop me before running across a road. It was on a grass strip parallel to the paved runway. The paved runway at the time was a skating rink. Yah, I know I shouldn't have gone in the first place. 1997: Was on takeoff in a C-182 and the engine failed at about 400ft AGL. I made an immediate left bank and used the flap handle (parking brake style) to smoothly apply flaps. It ballooned me enough to get around and make a downwind landing in the jumpers' grass landing area. Lots of mud was tossed over the plane as we came to an abrupt stop. Carb ice we believe caused the failure which had built on the previous descent. An ice chunk let loose and choked the engine. It was the 3rd engine failure in 4 months for me at this DZ. Two weeks later I quit. One jumper gave me a donut the next morning saying "I've crashed from that altitude." Climbing out of 10K in Mr. D. I was flying from the right seat and the left engine blew a jug. Dave nonchelantely says "yep, we're losing one." He took the plane and secured the engine. He had me pass the word that we were turning for the airport on jumprun. Max's group were lined up ready to go. Max was spotting with his head out the door. He then leans in and looks up the aisle at me and gives the "cut" sign. I look at him and mouth the words "cut what!" (the left engine was dead). He just points out the door and mouths "we're getting out." I give him a big thumbs up. 1998:Climbing out of 6k the right engine on an otter came apart and seized the prop from turning quickly. It shook the plane so bad some jumpers thought we had had a midair collision. A TM turned to me as I was securing the engine and announced that we had an engine fire. The fire indicator was not illuminated but I was about to pull the handle when he announced "ok it's out.!" The fuel wasn't burning efficiently as the engine came apart so it was flaming outside of the exhaust ears. Not quit an engine fire but not a pretty sight either. Turned back for the airport and climbed a thousand feet before putting the jumpers out. Waited for everyone to land then came in. I see one guy standing right next to the runway as I'm about to touch down. Yep, one jumper is getting video. Figures. There's more but those are the highlights. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

So very true. Alas I believe only those in the "choir" will choose to read. It is a great reminder though. Thanks Windsor. I hadn't read anything from you in awhile. Good to hear from you. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

I think she lived long and prospered.

Usual stuff. If you know her have her contact me here via PM or email diverdriverAThotmailDOTcom. Thank you. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Ok no problem smokie.

I said I've seen it done on video. I didn't say it was smart. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

People are sheep, sheepdogs or wolves. 99% of people are sheep and go about their business. Half a percent are sheepdogs. They cannot sit by as they know the wolf is out their waiting. The sheep do not like the sheepdog as the sheepdog looks like a wolf with sharp teeth and claws. The sheep do not like the sheepdog as it also reminds them of the existence of the wolf. The other half percent are the wolves which prey on the sheep. Now in this instance the wolf is acutally coming from within the sheep. But the response to the sheepdog is the same. They don't want to hear about the existence of the wolf. They would rather just go "baa". But Dave, remember we chose to be sheepdogs. We should not be surprised by the sheeps response due to my above explanation. But we must care about them as that is what we've chosen to do in our own ways. You my friend have a front row seat on an ugly part of society that most of us just say "baa" about. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

While it may be fun to have the neet quip this is a topical forum and thus more serious in nature than Bonfire. No, it would not be real cool to put someone in freefall that was not expecting it just so we can have a "yahoo" moment. But yes a floating exit has been done. I've seen the video done in a Twin Otter. The jumper was on the floor near fetal position. Zero G (negative Gs put you on the roof) and then pushed left rudder which rotated the plane away from the jumper and the jumper "went" out the door. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Where are you planning to jump? In France or some place else? I would go to the DZ where you trained or if it's not in business anymore go to another one you think you'd like to be at. Talk to the instructors there. They will size you up for gear size with their current student equipment. I would give yourself some time to get back into the groove of things. Since 1990 gear has changed a bit with options (AADs, RSLs, Skyhook, etc...) and the canopies move faster than ever. Not that you will be jumping a fast canopy but someone around you might be. Get a feel for things and don't think that you are starting where you left off. Be a student again and soak up everything you can. Don't let the jumpers around you treat you like you are picking up where you left off. They shouldn't assume you know what they know now. Read a lot here. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

LOL nice poll

It's a Dornier 28 Dang beat me by 2 minutes. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

On the runway is a Dornier 328 turbo-prop. But I'm thinking you meant the plane in the foreground? Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

TK I think you would be ok to do it as long as you were leveled off to make sure the tail was higher. We used a U-206 with IAD with no troubles. They sat in the door then slid off facing the prop head high. Just told them to keep looking at the prop. Worked fine. But I have to ask why a caravan? Making 3 or four passes would seem to be expensive on fuel. Are you intending to dispatch more than one student per pass? I might not recommend that as it would require a lot of shuffling. We used to do static liners out of the Twin Otter because you could hook up more than on jumper at a time on the exit bar. Just my thoughts. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

are you asking if teh plane was still airworthy after a door collision with John's hand ? That wasn't clear? Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Simple math. Get the winds from your pilot. Figure your average freefall winds. If your freefall is one minute with an average wind of 60 mph then you will drift ONE MILE before opening. So if you want to open half a mile upwind of the DZ then you need to exit 1.5 miles past the landing area. 30 mph average = .5 miles of drift You get the idea. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

It's a contraction. They NEARly hit but MISSed. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Gloves would help, but I don't like to wear them because of the reduction in the sense of feel. This is one of the prices I pay for that choice. Damn that sucks Rich. Sorry to hear that happened and thanks for sharing. ...oh and ... DAMN! You are one tough son of gun. Went back up? Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001211X13693&key=1 That's the one you are refering to. Here's another jump plane to plane collision: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X28948&key=2 and another: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X16418&key=2 And a jumper into another jump plane: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20010601X01046&key=1 Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Thanks for the update. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

It definitely was a jump plane years ago. It was crashed about 10 years ago (1999). And Buckeye is a DZ soooo... just trying to see if anyone knows if it was still used as a jump plane there. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

You are mixing efficiency with safety and "purpose built" marketing. I'm not saying the PAC 750 is a bad plane. I do not like its marketing at all in that regard. That's my beef. The numbers prove it is an efficient aircraft and able to turn light loads. I once lusted over a turbine Cessna 206 (secretly still do). But there have been tail strikes on the 750 like Caravans and King Airs. You may have tried to jump up and touch the tail but I do not advise you attempt that again. Your pilot may have the right setup for dispatching jumpers. Why go and try to reduce the margins? (Boothe's law number one I guess.) The PAC 750 will have its market share and will be suited to a certain size DZ. It will not replace all jump planes nor do I think they expect to. As stated before it's for the DZ moving up from 182s and 206s with competition for Caravans. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125