Skydive Pilots Now Lining Up!!!!

[FN FAL]

I think the one in the pic is a -20 series. It is a -10 with a -30 wing and bigger JT8's. So I'm guessing it may have lower speeds than the -10's...

I know Amerijet took the airstairs out of one of thier 727's for a skydiving convention....

I've got several jumps out of Ameriflight's 727 and video to prove it.

They land at the convention, back a stake bed truck up to the plane and remove the airstair door from the plane. They do 200 knot passes, so maneuvering speed and all that is not an issue. When you jump, you go out in an orderly fashion by sticks. You walk towards the exit, and step out...that's it. I think on the 727, there are three steps down and out you go.

727 Ameriflight Skydiving Photos....

Above is a link to someones photo album of the 727 Amerflight brought into UIN for the World Freefall Convention. If you scroll down to the last picture, you'll see the removing the airstair door. It's all good, the feds ride the plane for the whole day it's there. They made the call the last time I jumped it, to let the jumpers out over a BKN ceiling of 2,500 feet. I think the rationale was that the airspace at UIN was controlled during the event and you needed PPR to enter it.

 

[bafanguy]

I think the one in the pic is a -20 series. It is a -10 with a -30 wing and bigger JT8's. So I'm guessing it may have lower speeds than the -10's...

I know Amerijet took the airstairs out of one of thier 727's for a skydiving convention....

T,

You are 100% correct. I can't tell from looking at the picture, but checked the FAA acft registry by the N-number, and it's a DC-9-21. You've got one heck of an eye.

It would have lower speeds. In the -30, if you couldn't get the slats out, you added 25kts to the Vref and landed...no fuss/no muss. I don't know if this applies to the -20, but the principle has to be pretty close.

Very few of the -20's were made. I THINK SwissAir launched it for high-altitude airfields. ValueJet had a couple, but I never talked to anyone who flew it. I'd love to get a shot at it.

Good call !!

 

[T-Gates]

T,

You are 100% correct. I can't tell from looking at the picture, but checked the FAA acft registry by the N-number, and it's a DC-9-21. You've got one heck of an eye.

It would have lower speeds. In the -30, if you couldn't get the slats out, you added 25kts to the Vref and landed...no fuss/no muss. I don't know if this applies to the -20, but the principle has to be pretty close.

Very few of the -20's were made. I THINK SwissAir launched it for high-altitude airfields. ValueJet had a couple, but I never talked to anyone who flew it. I'd love to get a shot at it.

Good call !!

Yeah the thing that caught my eye was the lack of the potato-chip on the leading edge. Also that I am a huge dork! Other than that, I think it would be impossible to tell. I hear it's a real rocketship with the better wing and engines.

I could be wrong, but I think SAS was the launch customer....Or Swissair....Something that begins with an S....

 

[bafanguy]

I could be wrong, but I think SAS was the launch customer....Or Swissair....Something that begins with an S....

T,

Ya, it was something with an "S" of the Scandinavian persuasion. Very cool airplane, though.