BobMoore

I have to say Lost Prairie, Montana. It's been my home DZ (I live in New York) for nearly 20 years now. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

That's the only name calling I saw. The original poster sounds angry and wants to hear comments that agree with his. SIUCC EDIT : It looks like somebody did call him a young chump. How disrespectful. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

I hear you. Don't really agree with the Chuck Yeagers comment though. Next week I have the pleasure of sharing a ferry (if that's the right word) flight of a friend's 1940's era Stearman from Kentucky to Florida for the winter. It's full of the latest bells and whistles but I am a low time pilot and intend to have a sectional on my lap to compare with what I am seeing on the ground, just for practice. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Phil Goetsch (D-65) helped Don Yahrling teach an AFF jumpmaster certification course I attended back in the early 90's. Nice Guy. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Which would be?? Underqualified muppets with enough money to buy a false sense of security. It used to be V-tail Bonanzas (the Doctor killer) that took this kind of heat. Now it's the Cirrus. Don't you think it's a little ridiculous to paint such a broad generalization? I know several Cirrus owners who are competent and conservative and handle their plane quite well. If they walked down the flightline and climbed into a Mooney or Piper would they be any more capable? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

I'm thrilled to get to see a bunch of seamen. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Well, there you have it. An unequivocal authority. I'm sure glad there's a book that spells all these details out for us. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Well, yeah, commuting is something to be avoided but I didn't know I was a good little company man who worked with droids because I work at the office instead of working from home. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Wow, what venom. I didn't realize I turned into a good little company man and the people I work with are droids. If that was your experience don't assume everybody else is the same. I enjoy having to dress.... shit, shave & shower, but not in that order. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

You just had to reply. I guess you're not done fucking around with this. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Murder is punishable by .... murder? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

The socializing around the water fountain is kinda lame, isn't it? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

I hope no reputable college would do this. Would Harvard allow it? I don't think so. The university I attended allowed one freshman year physical education credit if you spent the semester bowling. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

So have the whackos. So have the naysayers. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Just for the sake of argument, what is the response required if a helicopter blade departed in flight? And it has happened. Some helicopter blades are composite design and delamination has sent at least one that I know of to the ground. That is no less catastrophic than the failure modes you can come up with for this guy and his invention. As far as metal propellers, there are tons of aircraft out there that are flying behind a wooden prop. And they are not falling to the earth with great regularity. We (skydivers) see metal propellers on our jump planes because the technology is available to machine complex airfoil shapes to them, but the biggest reason that our beloved Otters don't use wood propellers is because the Otters (and many other aircraft) use variable pitch propellers. It isn't easy to design a wooden propeller to work on a variable pitch mechanism. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Isn't there a guy who strapped a big fiberglas wing on his back with two jet engines and is flying it around, most recently in the Grand Canyon? You may think it is less safe for human flight, by your standards, but think of all the blue-haired grannies who think pond swooping is less safe for human flight. You have no idea what someone may come up with in 50 years, the genesis of which may be before us right now. For the guy who mentions how close those propellers are and what might happen when they break off, the next time you climb into a Twin Otter take a look at the plane of the propeller blades. There are several skydivers who will be missing body parts if that blade decided to come into the cabin. And don't think that wall you're leaning against will stop a projectile like that. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

I don't remember Eddie the Eagle at all, but I do remember that ski jumper from Slovenia (I think) who went down in history as "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat" guy. Am I old, or what? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Do you know how many times Igor Sikorsky crashed before he figured out how not only to build a helicopter but teach himself to fly it? Well, I don't either because the documentaries of him shown on the History Channel only showed successful test flights. But he is thought of as a really intelligent man who invented a safe and fun way of flying. Who's to say that the guy in this video won't be featured on a U.S. postage stamp when he is in his 70's? He's testing his idea. He built it and is trying to fly it. I don't think he is very interested in proving anything to anonymous internet surfers. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

This might have been his inspiration. http://www.mikrokopter.de/ucwiki/en/MikroKopter "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Maybe Pons and Fleischmann can verify the claim? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

Maybe they were just trying to have fun. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

I see what the problem is. For her to be seated properly he needs to be facing up. Am I the only one who can't get to sleep tonight? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

... that is capable of towing a really big boat. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

My first car was a '56 Chevy, and it had a giant steering wheel, too. The engine compartment was so devoid of extras that I could sit under the hood on the wheel well (not the fender) and remove the carburetor or heads. "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

What's a power door? "For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."