The DZ that has been my home for the last couple of years is a large, turbine DZ. The pilots use GPS and start a conventional jump run on one side of the DZ. As the plane reaches the far, upwind side of the jump run, the pilot turns the plane creating a long jump run that continues on the other side of the DZ. This usually provides the fastest drop for a full load and reduces the need for a second pass.
This technique is usually effective and the jumpers are safely spread out by the long turn. The plane does not turn completely 180 deg, but the last part of the jump run is usually somewhat downwind. The rate of the turn is usually slow and the bank relatively shallow.
There are pilots who have flown at the DZ that have this technique down to a science. We have been
able to rely on their expertise and judgement for spotting the large number of jumpers and groups
in the aircraft.
Unfortunately, there is still a potential for jumpers in the middle of the load to be at the far end of the spot or sometimes well beyond an appropriate distance from the DZ. It also makes exiting more difficult for some groups who have to setup in the door while the plane is banking.
I have been in the door as the plane was turning and have realized that the spot was 'long'. The times that I have waited, I have been criticized by different people -- pilots, instructors, tandem masters -- but not because I affected their spot. They simply responded to the fact that someone was waiting in the door while the 'light was still on'.
These same individuals WILL wait in the door if they happen to be affected by the turn. I have
witnessed this many times and I have seen their reactions to other jumpers when they were told to
continue jumping during the turn.
This situation is very frustrating. Most of the time, the instructors and tandem masters who were sitting near the front of the airplane were not in a position to properly assess the current location of the plane.
The irony is that when I have landed off because of a bad spot at this DZ, the response from the pilots and DZ staff has been that I should have 'checked the spot'.
I will admit that I do not have the skills to properly spot a large turbine aircraft with a large number of jumpers and groups, but I CAN recognize when we are in the wrong place.
Recently, a friend and I were waiting for our first load of the day and we watched a canopy landing 'way out' and told the load organizer. He contacted the manifest office via radio to let them know of the wayward canopy pilot and we had a chuckle about their 'choice' to land so far away.
As we prepared to exit, we were once again 'in the turn' and we simply trusted the spot. We ended up
opening too far out to safely return to the DZ. We safely landed in an alternate area and made a short walk to the nearby road. A DZ staffer was nice enough to pick us up, but his comment to us was typical ... 'Thanks for landing near the road'.
The troubling issue is that my friend and I realized that we have been conditioned to NOT complain
because ...
1. we would be told that it was our fault for not checking the spot
2. we do not see positive responses to issues and concerns that are raised by experienced jumpers
3. we have witnessed the 'backlash' against other people who were labelsed as 'trouble-makers' after
they voiced their concerns about other issues
The DZ is an incredible place and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to jump there on a regular
basis. Unfortunately, I believe that there may be too many 'experts' that do not communicate well with
each other. This is why DZ rules and expectations are not clearly defined, communicated and enforced on a consistent basis.
Because of my experiences and what I have heard from others, I do not believe that it would be of any
value to express my concerns to the staff at the DZ. I do not believe that anyone who would listen could
affect a positive change.
