Best way to build time?

[Jump Pilot]

"I probably wouldn't hire a banner tower, skydiver flyer, or anyone else who performed the same repetitive task for thousands of hrs. "

Hmmm. Don't airline pilots perform the same repetitive tasks for thousands of hours? Don't CFI's perform repetitive tasks with students? Doesn't repetition lead to skill?

In terms of flying skydivers, how about this for repetition: 30 flights 5/4-5/5, weathered out 5/11-5/12, 20 flights 5/18-5/19. I look at each load as building a little more experience. Weights are different, CG shifts, winds aloft change, aircraft performance changes, etc.

Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane? You haven't seen our airplane!

 

[seattle]

I just completed my first Angel Flight this past Friday. For what ever that's worth.

Put my name down for flight instructing. I'm not a CFI yet but that's the direction I'm headed. I would also think that variety is important. You might find that you realy love ag flying, or some other strange way of making money on the wing. It's the spice of life from what I hear. Best of luck.

Seattle

 

[avbug]

There are no perfectly good airplanes. Jump them all.

 

[Jump Pilot]

Good point, Avbug. These folks want to jump out of anything and everything. There was a 340 on the ramp next to the DZ yesterday. The skydivers were actually wanting to know if it was possible to jump from it.

You obviously know what the most useless thing to a skydiver is once he leaves the plane.

 

[GoingHot]

These folks want to jump out of anything and everything. There was a 340 on the ramp next to the DZ yesterday. The skydivers were actually wanting to know if it was possible to jump from it.

Last weekend a Cobra (Attack Helicopter) landed at our dropzone. The skydivers went over and tried to get the pilot to let them stand on the skids and he take them up for a jump.

 

[avbug]

There's no reason why a 340 wouldn't work. I've jumped a Cessna 411, but never a 340.

I think the Cobra would be a neat jump.

One thing I've tried for before, but can never be in the same place at the same time, is a hot air balloon for jumps. I had half a dozen of them lined up for the DZ one weekend, and they welched out for a group fly-over of the highest peak in the area.

A balloon would be a lot more interesting than a diving exit out the door of a kingair or caravan.