Pilot Legality

[kallend 2,146]

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As a licensed pilot and skydiver, I've thought about doing some sort of private jump. But the more I think about it, the less sense it makes all of the time.

Now it would be kind of neat if a skydiver was to do some sort of jump into a private event (a wedding, graduation party, etc, etc). But unless I'm mistaken, the skydiver still needs to have a demo endorsement to be legal. That eliminates myself at this current stage of my short skydiving career and I'm sure it would also eliminate many others (yourself included).

But from a financial feasibility point of view, jumping from a friend's airplane or letting a friend jump from my plane makes no sense. Not even factoring in the need to make sure the airplane is airworthy for this sort of operation, getting the necessary permission from the governing aviation body (the FAA as an example), paying for the flight and recovering the jumper from whatever location the land in seems like way more of a hassle then paying the $20 (or whatever it costs for us to jump) to go to my favorite dropzone(s) and jump out of one of their airplanes. It costs me at least $100/hour wet to rent an airplane powerful enough to get one or two skydivers to full jump altitude and the jumpers would be lucky to get one jump in for that hour. In the meantime I could do five jumps at a commercial dropzone for the same $100.

Just my two cents ...

I am a PP and skydiver and I own my own plane. I have never once (seriously) considered using it as a jump plane - too expensive, high potential for damage, and basically unsuitable.

Better to pay $15 to someone else for the wear and tear on their plane, and use of their gas.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[freefallin14 0]

First of all, where are you planning on jumping? If its not a huge farm field or something along those lines, with 50 jumps I would be very cautious about what I was doing. As far as actually doing it, I know this guy who has made a bunch of the jumps you are talking about. I, I mean, this guy, has jumped and flown jumpers out of a few different aircraft you mention with friends over various places (private grass strip, farm field, open park area, etc). The 172s we took the door off, the 182 was not modified at all. Was gonna try a 310, but after practicing on the ground it was not gonna be jumpable, the horizontal stab was way too close to the exit point. You can open the door easily in flight if the pilot is experienced enough to be flying at the slow airspeeds you need to do it. Moved the front right seat as far forward as it would go, and left from the back seat. Just watch your f*^%ing handles. As far as the pilot thing goes, I am not sure I would want a low time private flying a 182 right near clean stalling speed (the closer to it you can get and maintain the easier it is to get the door open) I am sure he could do it if he is a good stick, but he should be very profecient at slow flight. Do not use flaps. The notam stuff is very easy to file, just call 1800WXBRIEF and tell them you want to file a notam for jumping. Have a sectional with you so you can give them the location of the jumping off some radial of a VOR, (i.e. 15 miles off the 180 radial of the Boiler VOR with a radius of 2 miles.) Tell them its your first time doing such a thing and they will walk you through it.

[dzbum 0]

And on the lighter side of things:
Two words.
Bandit Jump.
Just make sure your friend holds the brake on the right side.
and oh yea- Pray-- cause you got a good chance of making this your last jump.
Pay your cash and jump the 182 at your DZ.
Take it from the "been there, did that" crowd, there is a reason we have rules and regs- to keep us alive.
Laters-
Chris

[narcimund 0]

I beg to differ. The reason we have rules and regs is there are people who get their kicks out of controlling others. The reason we allow them to control us is we think it will keep us alive. It's symbiotic, I suppose, but it's not benevolent.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[diverdriver 7]

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I beg to differ. The reason we have rules and regs is there are people who get their kicks out of controlling others. The reason we allow them to control us is we think it will keep us alive. It's symbiotic, I suppose, but it's not benevolent.

Actually, most of the FARs exist because someone has died before. They figured this rule would keep someone else from dieing in the future. Forced education without reason. But as we all know: "We don't make new mistakes in aviation. We just repeat the old ones."

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[kallend 2,146]

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I beg to differ. The reason we have rules and regs is there are people who get their kicks out of controlling others. The reason we allow them to control us is we think it will keep us alive. It's symbiotic, I suppose, but it's not benevolent.

Actually, most of the FARs exist because someone has died before. They figured this rule would keep someone else from dieing in the future. Forced education without reason. But as we all know: "We don't make new mistakes in aviation. We just repeat the old ones."

Most, but not all. There's a lot of doubt about the validity of many of the medical requirements, for example. I often wondered why the doc held my testicles and asked me to cough in the airman medical.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[diverdriver 7]

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Most, but not all. There's a lot of doubt about the validity of many of the medical requirements, for example. I often wondered why the doc held my testicles and asked me to cough in the airman medical.

Um, they aren't suppose to "cup" John. That's just between you and your Doc.

Actually I believe it is to check for a hernia. At least, that's my understanding. Having a hernia might prevent you from performing your pilot duties.

Chris

[NightJumper 0]

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Actually I believe it is to check for a hernia. At least, that's my understanding. Having a hernia might prevent you from performing your pilot duties.

Having someone holding my balls is more likely to prevent me from performing my pilot duties.

[narcimund 0]

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Having someone holding my balls is more likely to prevent me from performing my pilot duties.

If you do a search on "mile high club" you'll see all sorts of discussion about this.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[SkyMissy 0]

Atually, it IS AC/DC's belief that their balls should be held EVERY night. I don't know what the hell that was about. I'm not even drunk. See y'all.

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Mike