Potentially dangerous situation in thick cloud - any advice?

[sducoach 0]

No. That's not possible. The human sensory system simply isn't up to the task.

This is among the reasons why non-IFR rated pilots die.***


Okay, do non-rated IFR pilots die when they fly into/through a cloud and become disorientated?

Quade, all pilots die sooner or later, IFR rated or not. The point is Why are they in the clouds in the first place? Poor Judgment. Why would a jump plane fly into/through clouds on jump run? Poor judgment. Why would a skydiver exit an aircraft in the clouds? Poor judgment.

Common Sense.

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[quade 4]

I think you're getting off track about the comment I was responding to. Go back and take a gander at it.

You are a CFII. You tell me -- could a person rely on his normal senses to determine direction (north, south, east and west) while freefalling (or spotting) through a cloud? We have to assume the freefalling (or spotting) skydiver really is in hard IMC and can't see the ground nor the sun poking through.

The answer, of course, is no. He can't.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jsaxton 0]

Well, meby inertial is not the correct phrase, but I generally know what my heading is on a skydive relative to jump run, that is I know if we held heading on exit, what direction and how much I turned. Remember, you only need to keep track of it for about 60 seconds. I also have relative pitch as long as I can remember the last note I heard. Think of it like that.

[quade 4]

Two problems the first is inside the airplane.

Would you believe it if I told you that I could take you up in an airplane with you blindfolded (to simulate you being in a cloud) and that I could easily turn the plane 180 degrees in 60 seconds without you knowing it? It's true. I used to do it all the time to my flying students. As a matter of fact, it's sort of a required demonstration.

Further, under the same blindfolded conditions I can fly the airplane so that it is upside down and until you take off the blindfold at worst you'll only think we're in a slight bank. I might even be able to fool you completely into thinking we're still flying straight and level.

The second problem is once you exit the plane for your skydive while in a cloud.

Once you do that, you'll have absolutely no chance of knowing which way is north, south, east or west.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jsaxton 0]

Agreed. However, I'd like that inverted flight when you get the time

• Quote

[freakydiver 0]

Dont jump if you cant see the ground?

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[sducoach 0]

No Quade they cannot rely completely on the inner ear. However, your statement is way to general.

Again, that is not why non-rated IFR pilots die. It may be/is part of a chain of events that could happen. If your intent was to state that it was one of the reasons some IFR pilots depart controlled flight in IMC then I agree. You cannot say that any or all non-rated IFR pilots will die if and when they fly into/through a cloud or become disorientated while doing so. IFR rated pilots know "needle, ball, airspeed" and are better suited for IMC flight however. On jump run at altitude, in the clouds, I dare to say that most non-rated IFR pilots can/will recover from spaital disorientation and will probably not die.

But, why in the world are they there in the first place? That is the question we should address.

It is like the farmer who has a horse with a broken leg. Farmer shoots the horse on friday, returns on saturday and says "Darned horse just isn't any better if it doesn't get better by tomorrow I'd better shoot it again".

We must address the real problem. Why were they there in the first place.


Blues my Brother,

J.E.

James 4:8