linebckr83

Members
  • Content

    595
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Everything posted by linebckr83

  1. Not weird at all to me. I love when students reach out after they jump with me, and I'm really good friends with a few previous students.
  2. The door is huge and sized to accommodate the typical FedEx shipping containers which will greatly reduce their turn-around time. Unfortunately the door is structural and cannot be opened or removed in flight; it would have to be permanently closed with a smaller door cut inside of it. First flight of the prototype is currently slated for march. We do actively brief and practice bailout procedures for emergencies, so who knows...
  3. That 520 really cut down on our time to climb. As quick as 13min in the cold weather and more like 17 in the summer. 95+% of our loads are 4 people with roughly half of those loads being 2 tandem pairs.
  4. We have a 182D with Texas Skyways O-520 and wing extensions. 1,300ft field elevation and also gets pretty hot here. I fill up to ~45 total 100LL. On average we burn ~6-7gal per load. Flying 4 loads leaves me with VFR fuel reserves while observing the maneuvering unusable fuel amounts.
  5. We do the same thing in the flight test world. the "Test Hazard Assessment" analyzes all the factors that could influence the flight's outcome, then builds a matrix of severity and probability... from 'negligible injury' to 'fatal', and 'remote' to 'high'. A situation that is 'remote' in probability but would lead to loss of life is considered medium risk at a minimum. A situation that would be considered 'occasional' probability and 'major injury' (full recovery not guaranteed) still falls in a high risk category and is treated as a serious activity that warrants multiple safety meetings, several briefs, parachutes/helmets/fire suppression systems/etc. Most possible incidents during skydiving would easily fall into the medium/high risk category in that model. Similar to flight test and other high risk activities, however, there are a lot of risk mitigation tools that can really limit negative outcomes. Learn and use them.
  6. The single-source input to a flight control system was my first thought about this situation. We're pretty new here (Cessna) to stick pusher design and implementation, but all of our systems have multiple AOA vanes with constant monitoring. A single vane measuring near the critical AOA can and will fire the stick shaker on that side only, but it takes both vanes meeting the pusher criteria to initiate a push. Any miscompare between the vanes flags a CAS message to the crew and the pusher system is disabled entirely. Also the typical AP disconnect button on both yokes will disable the pusher system. There are plenty of system safety design reviews and failure analysis reports done on these systems, and they are well within the regulated 10^-9 reliability requirements, but at the end of the day it's better to not have automatic flight control input than to have it fire at an inopportune time. I think that's where the fix would occur as well, but it's still no easy venture. The software implementation to incorporate a second source and associated logic is still quite a bit of work on smaller simpler jets. If they decide to add a new AOA vane, there's flight testing for AOA strapping and local-to-body AOA adjustments. And depending where it's added, there could be enough airflow distruption so that air data calibration and RVSM certification need redone as well.
  7. Didn't the board vote to change this at a recent meeting? There's a thread about it in the Instructor's forum. That's probably why the OP is asking the question.
  8. It's not exactly the same situation, but here in the flight test department at Textron Aviation (aka Cessna and Beechcraft) we created and implemented an in-house process to self-report a number of aviation incidents that aren't required to be reported to the FAA. Although it does include those as well (turbine engine failures, altitude deviations, etc.). The intent of the process is to figure out areas we as a flight test department could improve. The reports are anonymous, and we actually have an understanding with the FAA to help protect our pilots legally in return to passing on the data to them. Several hundred reports have been filed over the last few years, everything ranging from system failures to TA/RA to dialing the wrong frequency. The result has been pretty eye opening for the organization, and in turn has helped shape our monthly safety meetings and yearly safety stand-down topics and training. The data has helped our local ATC update their procedures and training as well. Nothing specific made this program become a reality. It didn't take an accident or realization of some new problem. Sometimes it's simply noticing that things can be improved. I have no doubt the USPA wants this info for very similar reasons that we do. Probably no conspiracy or witch hunt involved.
  9. Maybe because dishonestly doesent come off as natural to everyone? T From my perspective it is called being a professional. I will not let any video out that does not hit my quality standards period, I would rather refund the money than put out a product I wasn't proud of. I personally wonder if he just gave it to the student and went on about his day, rather than bring it to the attention of the DZO and then the S&TA or DZO take appropriate action on retraining the instructor I agree, there's more to it than being "honest". I'm guessing Westerly has zero experience as a TI or in that business in general. This guy obviously screwed the pooch pretty bad on this jump, but I would have refunded the video money also. This lady is soaking up the attention big time, and I wouldn't be surprised if some legal entity contacts her about seeking compensation for her "emotional trauma". If that happens, he's going to wish that video didn't exist. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  10. I couldn't disagree more with your last statement. Particularly when considering the first sentence. You are basically saying that a torn canopy is not a reason to cut away. What the hell? I understand that with a Zero loaded at 0.77 a rip on a cell is survivable. Now, imagine a novice jumper with a regular canopy reading this, being afraid of cutting away, and having a torn canopy. Does it sound like reasonable advice to you? I can't believe an instructor wrote that. ? It depends. I've torn 3 tandem canopies, landed all 3 of them. Maybe your DZ trains differently, but we train new jumpers to do a controllability check. If it's steerable and safely landable, why cut it away? A tear doesn't automatically mean a cutaway is required, but many times it is necessary. Depends on many factors. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  11. I wear a Viso 2+ on my lower forearm during tandems with handcam. I'll routinely stare at it during the end of the freefall portion just for the hell of it. Some jumps it seems to smoothly scroll altitude readings, while other jumps it will pause at certain altitudes, maybe even click up 100ft, then rapidly descend to catch up with actual altitude. As someone who works daily with very expensive airplane test equipment, I can tell you it takes a lot of money and high quality parts to get the accuracy you're expecting. These things are measuring extremely small changes in pressure which are changing at high rates and very susceptible to position and atmospheric properties, it's just the nature of it. I'm sure someone could make an altimeter for a few thousand dollars that would meet the accuracy you're expecting, but it wouldn't sell well. For a couple hundred dollars, it's going to be "good enough" for altitude awareness, but it's not going to give you good raw data for analysis. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  12. Billy are you gonna update that signature of yours? "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  13. linebckr83

    Emergency Pilot Rig

    Beechcraft-owned pilot rig. Olive green color, configured for static line with bailout oxygen tank. KAP-3P AAD. Also stolen: Serial 6244
  14. Folks mainly in the Midwest (but also those who browse sites like eBay), Friday while transporting 2 rigs from Textron Aviation to get repacked, my truck was broken into and they were stolen. If you guys could keep an eye out I'd appreciate it. They should stand out pretty well. Happened in downtown Wichita, KS. Butler HX500/24. Serial 6144 and 6244 Olive green color, configured for static line. Bailout oxygen tank and CRU-60 oxygen connector. KAP-3P inside. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  15. During her apology video, all I could think about was the blowjob instructor from the movie Old School. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  16. 1 cutaway in ~700 tandems. Broke both center A lines right below the cascade. Handcam pic attached. Also have landed 3 with a blown out end cell (flew and flared fine minus a built in turn) and 1 with a blown out center cell (got behind on that one, realized it at an altitude I was uncomfortable cutting away at. Hard landing but student was A-ok after landing on me.) "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  17. Yeah, although I knew I wasn't as quick as I was in my 40's, I had the experience in my 50's to see things before they happened. Lot to be said for experience. Side note: Hey John I just want to say thanks for all you guys do/did out there. I'm only a private pilot, but routinely fly on experimental jets with Cessna as a flight test engineer out of Wichita. Sometimes it can get pretty busy around here and I'm constantly amazed how well ATC handles the load. Not to mention how professional and helpful they are. We can be pretty annoying with our special requests as a test organization, and it seems to always go without a hitch. It never ceases to impress me. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  18. That right there will make your day! "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  19. On my one tandem cutaway that sort of just naturally happened. It worked out pretty well, not only for video, but GoPro stills too. It helped to analyze what happened once we got back down too. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  20. We've had this argument at my dz before. You've been presented all the written laws pertaining to alcohol and skydiving. Interpret it how you will, but keep in mind that your idea of "under the influence" might differ from an attorney's. Because of the level of interpretation involved, at our dz we have a no tolerance policy. Wanna drink? Have at it but no more jumping the rest of the day. I know that I would usually go get one beer when I showed up to a big boogie, and then a few hours later got on a load. I would argue that at 6'2" 230lbs, 4 hours after 1 beer I'm not "under the influence," but that differs person to person. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  21. I'm sure there are plenty younger than me, But I'm 26 and starting doing tandems at 23. Some 500 +/- in that time. The others at the dz are upper 40's and I'll tell ya what, I don't know where they get their energy. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  22. I've watched an M2 on student mode fire under a 260 sqft Navigator. It can happen under anything. Fly a nice conservative pattern under 1000ft and you'll be ok on pretty much any normal canopy. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  23. Just bought a used AAD from a guy in Canada. I believe Quebec. To Kansas was $25 for 4 day shipment. Small box yes but pretty reasonable I'd say. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52
  24. If you had zero ground speed, there's not a lot you can do once you are in that wind. The only thing I can think of is not getting there in the first place. What that means is adjusting your "playground" so that you don't get pushed past your landing area to a point where right turns are necessary. I.E. move it further away...on windy days you can be further away from your landing area because you will cover more ground on your downwind leg. When the winds change, like they do after a storm passes, it's important to reevaluate your pattern with an instructor. These are things that will come to you with a little more experience flying patterns. By the way, if you made a good landing, off-field, with little to no assistance, on one of your very first jumps, you've done far more than most people with significantly more experience than you. So keep your head up.
  25. Can't come soon enough! I haven't been on the boogie scene since college (3 yrs)... but I think I'm more of a party expert than ever before "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52