What is this plane? #29

[howardwhite 6]

O.K.,so it's easy. How many football fusilages are there?
But I'm curious about this one's use in U.S. skydiving; I (think I) know of two U.S. drop zones that used one.
If you jumped it and have stories, share.
(I have several more picture of this one.)

HW

[piisfish 140]

C119 Flying Boxcar

edit.. : WRONG.. my 1st impression was correct.. ARAVA

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[darkwing 5]

Israel IAI-101B Arava


(But I'm ashamed to say I cheated. Let this be a warning to those of you who leave the N-number exposed.)

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[SkydiveJack 1]

I know exactly where this is because I'm the one with the rust colored rig, head down, under the left tail boom.

It was at Don Mummas DZ at lake Otay, near San Diego in the early 1980's. We did an AFF Certification Course out of these. Really nice aircraft! I'm surprised they didn't catch on. But being fairly new and expensive, I guess I'm really not that surprised. The funny thing with it is that you don't push everyone forward for take off. The pilots wanted the weight in the middle of the football for CG considerations.

[jimp 1]

As I remember the entire rear of the aircraft was on hinges to open clam-shell fashion, but unfortunately not certified to remove them for flight. Too bad, it would have made for great tailgate exits. (Dec '82)

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

Really nice aircraft! I'm surprised they didn't catch on. But being fairly new and expensive, I guess I'm really not that surprised.

I think Skydive Chicagoland in Hinkley was trying to get one certified a few years ago....

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[SkydiveJack 1]

Quote

As I remember the entire rear of the aircraft was on hinges to open clam-shell fashion, but unfortunately not certified to remove them for flight. Too bad, it would have made for great tailgate exits. (Dec '82)

The tail cone on there didn't open in a clam shell fashion. The entire cone was hinged on one side and swung out for large cargo loading.

I remember the pilots telling me that there was a different tail cone with an opening for droping jumpers and cargo. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the aircraft was certified for flight with the tail cone section removed.

[howardwhite 6]

Quote

Israel IAI-101B Arava
(But I'm ashamed to say I cheated. Let this be a warning to those of you who leave the N-number exposed.)

I figured it was so obvious that it wasn't worth disguising the N-number (though the number has been reassigned to an American Eagle plane.)

HW

[howardwhite 6]

Yup. Here are the rest of the pictures; you'll probably be able to identify the people.
And Hinckley was the other DZ I had in mind; if memory serves, a South African guy named Andre owned the one there.

HW

[jbrasher 1]

Yes, Jack I went thru the course with you.
I remember the first time we all packed in and got as far forward as we could and the co-pilot came back and said spread out; we felt uncomfortable.

As I remember it the company which insured the plane had a fit when they found out it was being used for skydiving and that was that.

Nice plane though.

Thanks for the rating I used it well.

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[howardwhite 6]

This particular plane seems now to be flying for the Mexican Air Force.
See http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1216805&size=L
There's one registered in FL and several in Alaska.
Airspur was (is?) a San Diego-based commuter carrier.
Looks like IAI made fewer than 100 of them.

HW