theplummeter

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Posts posted by theplummeter

  8. I did this all backwards, my flying got me into skydiving. I've been doing air ambulance in the rockies and plains regions (South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado for the last 10 years. Enjoy private flying, doing it for a living can really make it stink. From time to time I get to fly a friend and former coworkers Dakota Cub. It has a 180hp engine and radically modified slotted wings with huge fowler flaps and a modified tail. Here is a video of the approach to his 350ft driveway/runway:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jfThl8_P68

  9. I fly for a living, and when I'm stuck sitting at a Fixed Base Operation waiting for people to show I'll pick up one of the various magazines that markets itself to the ultra rich decadent lifestyle (Jetset, Elite Traveler, etc). More often lately I'm seeing ads for things like this, adventure clubs designed to be exclusively available to the people of means with a sense of adventure. I can't remember if ISA is the one I saw last night.

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    Seriously.. its a valid question. You don't have to go very far above 14k before it gets hard to breathe. Have you ever been climbing above 10k?


    Otherwise would we be required to have on board oxygen above 15 k or if we're a half hour at 10k?



    You can be above 12500 but below 15000 for 30 minutes without oxygen, above 15000 requires immediate oxygen to satisfy FAA requirements. The actual time of useful consiousness is way above that, in the twenty minute range at 20000 for most people.

  11. I also believe that changes in scenery and/or equipment are helpful. At work we just changed planes after 9.5 years and all of the things I've gotten complacent about or taken for granted have changed, forcing me to pay attention and-god forbid-actually learn new things.

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    I'm in a precarious spot about commenting my opinions in full detail, but the short version is that the city has big dreams of a destination jet port (with Coulter's 4300ft runway).



    As someone who flies business jets, I can tell you that very few jet owner/operators will ever take their aircraft into a 4300 ft runway. Very few biz jets even have the performance numbers to operate in and out of that short of a runway. And if the aircraft is operated under FAR Part 135 the additional runway length requirements will almost certainly prevent them from going in and out of there. And that's even in clear, dry conditions! If it's wet and/or the visibility goes down you will never get in there.

    Sounds stupid to me. :S


    I'm trying to think of anything other than maybe a Phenom, Mustang, or a Citation I that could make balanced field length above ISA on that runway. Someone should let these local airport managers know. My dropzone moved under exactly these circumstances and the original airport has seen a marked decrease in traffic and now fuel sales.

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    By the way,UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.



    According to the Rainman Quantas never crashed.

    B|


    Southwest has never killed anyone inside one of their airplanes.

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    The container is an I-34



    According to their website, your container will hold up to a 170 sq ft main. A pilot 188 ZPX will pack like a 190, so I would say no, that wont fit.



    That's what I thought too, but velocity lists the container volume at 384 cubic inches, and if Aerodyne's website is correct a Pilot 188 ZPx should have a total packed volume of 365. (I derived that number by taking the volume of a Pilot 188 in ZP and subtracting 17%).

    I realize that in any case it would be a tight fit, I was just wondering if anyone had done it.

  22. I have an Infinity container that came with a Crossfire 149 and has been used with a Batwing 171 for some time now. I recently got to try out a Pilot 188 and absolutely loved the ride. I am wondering if the Pilot 188 in ZPx would fit in the Infinity container. I don't have the container here or I would post the specs.

  23. The Pilot would be just under 1/1. I've made some jumps on the Batwing and been lucky but have decided to upsize.

    I found a great deal on a Pilot 188 but would need to find a harness/container.

    Also while on the topic has anyone here jumped the Fusion? It seems like that would be a good canopy also, as long as it was loaded lightly.

    I just wanted to add that I'm thankful to everyone here for their experience and advice. The Batwing is a blast and the temptation to keep jumping it is there, but having studied past incidents and looking at real statistics the conclusion is obvious:
    I'm in over my head and won't really understand that until it hurts. I don't want to hurt.