Jump Pilot Adventure......

[AWACoff]

Avbug,
The rigger was referring to the opening shock of the round pilot chute. Apparently they give a bit more of a tug than the current canopies. I stand corrected on the mention of the rig for the open door. That is a dropzone policy were I fly...not FAR 105.

 

[flyr4hire]

My .02 worth (1500+/- hrs with jumpers including a stint with the GKs, USPA A license w/74 jumps). Get ready to have what can be one of the greatest times of your life (or one of the worst). Will be completely up to you starting from the first instant you step onto the DZ. Best advice is to ensure everyone knows that your standards are not negotiable, most will respect that. Jumpers are some of the most diverse and coolest people you will ever meet. During the long summer days, potential for a huge number of flight hours if you are at a good DZ... don't forget to figure in taxi time. Since this is a pilot forum, the dozen thoughts below are from my pilot's perspective and are not meant to dis' skydivers or the sport:
1. Sky divers + pilots = egos galore!!!
2. The image of a bunch of tie-dyed, dope smoking, adrenaline junkie dare devil jumpers is about dead but they are still out there... especially out west.
3. The image of the tie-dyed, dope smoking, jump pilot that drinks way too much and probably can't find work anywhere else anyway is about dead too, but they are still out there.
4. Most folks that are serious about the sport are firm believers in safety and standards for the JUMPERS. However, in order to get another load up, these same folks may push hard for you to do something they KNOW to be breaking a reg.
5. At some of the larger DZs, pilots may get into some kind of a macho/popularity contest. Do not get caught up in it... just because the other guys do wing overs and give the jumpers extra altitude would be a poor excuse for being violated or losing your life.
6. Sky divers know more about flying and regs than one would think, you will meet a surprising number of commercial/airline pilots that are jumpers.
7. The owner of the A/C may not care if anything but the motor works. Jumpers = money and that may be more important to the owner than the fuel reserve, CG limits, 1st or 2nd segment climb rates, etc. (c'mon boy, you're right over an airport, what could happen and besides, aint never been ramp checked here yet.)
8. When you have time between lifts, brush up on the AIM and the regs, it is easy to forget all about all the other stuff when the flying consists of 15-20 minute jump runs in VFR.
9. Ditto on the comment about having a check list. If you are in a ME/TP, would also suggest spending a night in the performance tables and weight and balance section coming up with some quick "tabular" data so you know when (what temp) you need to either take less fuel or less jumpers etc.
10. Jump. At a minimum have a jumpmaster take you up and explain spotting. Listen to some classes and join the U.S. Parachute Assn (USPA), the monthly magazine has some good articles on a full range of subjects to include jump plane operations and emergency actions/accident recaps.
11. For new jumpers and old jumpers alike, the ride in the aircraft may be the source of more stress and apprehension than the jump. Be kind on the control inputs and if ever landing with jumpers, know that they will be EXTREMELY uptight.
12. Take a close look at yourself if jumpers begin calling you a "good pilot"... sometimes they think a good pilot is they guy who busts altitudes and cloud clearances so they can get jumps in and does cool fly-bys and gives them good thrill rides.
Good luck, safe flight, and blue skies!

 

[flint4xx]

I thought it sounded fun too and I worked a deal at a local jumpschool to fly their 182. On my checkout the owner wouldn't let me use full power for takeoff because then engine was 400 hours past TBO. You never feel like you have enough fuel either. I had seen others deadstick it in successfully. The last flight of the day was a formation with two other planes. I found out later the owner was flying one of the other planes, and I had seen him with a beer in his hand a few hours before. I never went back. It was fun for the one day and eight hours I got. Watch yourself.

 

[FracPilot]

So far I have not yet seen the correct reason for needing an emergency pilot rig in a Cessna. The reason is that the jump door STC in many, if not all, Cessnas require it. If it is stated that it is required in the STC, it is a FAR. Most DZ's require pilots to wear rigs in the smaller Cessnas, but not in Caravans, Twin Otters, CASA, Skyvan, etc. The chance of somebody taking the tail off of a Cessna 182 or 206 is very real - the chance of the same happening with a Caravan or Twin Otter is extremely remote, and the chance of it happening with a tailgate aircraft is nonexistant. Take a look at the STC paperwork for the jump door if in doubt. With that said, I never flew a jump plane without wearing a rig. I have almost 1000 hours flying jumpers back in the late '80s/early '90s, and I now have a little over 3500 jumps, a D license, PRO rating, and Static Line, AFF, and Tandem Instructor ratings. I was a jumper long before I was a pilot, thanks to Uncle Sam.

Skydivers are a unique group. Most are very safety conscious. When the last load takes off and the beer light comes on, things tend to get a little crazy - but I think you'll enjoy your time there. Definitely get out and jump a few times - you will learn a lot. If the airplane you fly has an O2 mask up front, keep it handy - skydivers eat and drink some weird stuff and always leave a nasty, stinky present for you before they leave. Yes, I'm guilty of doing it myself.

Somebody said that their rigger told them that if they have to use the emergency rig to clear and pull immediately. That is not due to the opening shock - it is because they don't want you to spend the rest of your life trying to get stable for deployment. Reserves are designed to open in nasty, unstable conditions. On a perfectly stable reserve deployment, there can be some pilot chute hesitation which you may not have time for. Terminal reserve deployments can hurt(I have had 3, one at tandem terminal), but it's much better than the alternative.

Have an instructor or rigger teach you how to do a good gear check on your emergency rig, and sport rigs - and find out where the reserve pack data card is kept. Check it religiously, especially if you use more than one rig. If in doubt about the airworthiness of the rig, get another or get it fixed before you fly.