Skydivers/Jump Pilot Question

[HMR]

Apologies if this has already been posted...

Watch the first 30 seconds or so of this video.
How do guys pull out of these dives without overstressing the plane?

The first one looks like it has a chute attached to the tail.

But the Pilatus (I think that's what it is) looks like it's just motoring straight to the ground.

 

[VNugget]

Reverse?

 

[HMR]

Reverse?

Maybe, but I thought Wayne Handley was the only one who could pull that off.

Judging from the speed of the free-falling skydivers, it looks pretty fast.

I wonder what Vmo is on those planes?

 

[USMCmech]

The first one looks like it has a chute attached to the tail.

But the Pilatus (I think that's what it is) looks like it's just motoring straight to the ground.

Deffinately a drag chute on the tail.

I used to fly jumpers, and onec on of them bet me I couldn't beat him to the ground. After giving the engine 5 minutes to cool down and let the jumpers get out of the way, I spun the plane from 10.5 to touchdown in 136 sec.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

they are flying with a Drouge. I have the full DVD its amazing. The first time the porter tries to do it the drouge breaks off and you can just see the skydivers disappear. Alot of people in that movie are no longer with us. Too bad. Rob and Patrick where some good jumpers.

 

[doug_or]

Mark! hows it going!

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

im doing good...who is this???

 

[blimpguy]

On a similar note, is anyone here familiar enough with the propeller governors on the turboprops used in skydiving to tell me what mechanism keeps the propellers from overspeeding? I am familiar with tha Hamilton Standards used on the PW-100 series engines and would not want to trust the Beta microswitch with my life. Are the Caravan's, Pilatus', Otter's, etc set up better for this type of dive?

I see Caravans do this all the time and it makes me shudder. What makes it safe (I sure that it must be)? Very curious.

 

[doug_or]

Whhhhoooops....

Its Doug from American.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

Hey doug.....what you doing these days....heard you got on with some dash 8 outfit.....or did they do a backround check? Im good. Bidding on Ohare this week. Hopefully get me out of this tower. Its driving me crazy

 

[anon]

The Pilatus is certificated to use beta in the descent. In beta, an 80 degree nose down attitude will result in appx. 120 KIAS.

The Twin Otter is not certificated for a similar setup. Using 140-155 KIAS and flight idle in the descent will get you down from 14000 in 3 minutes.

A King Air B90 uses 180 KIAS and flight idle and also will descend from 14K in about 3.5 minutes.

You will sometimes see guys roll twin otters and king airs to show off, but they are not certificated for that and it doesn't get you gown that much faster - besides being stupid and illegal.

It's funny to see guys bust their b$lls trying to see how fast they come down, only to have to wait for a few minutes with the engines running for the jumpers to board.

 

[HMR]

Good info guys.

Interesting specs on the Pilatus!

 

[Jump Pilot]

I used to haul butt down in my younger days. That was until I figured out it was much cooler up high than sitting down on the taxiway waiting for them to finish dirt diving.

We are evaluating a King Air now. No banking greater than 15 degrees and no speed greater than 70% of max cruise per the door mod in the AFM.

 

[puddlejumper]

We are evaluating a King Air now. No banking greater than 15 degrees and no speed greater than 70% of max cruise per the door mod in the AFM.

Dang, I don't remember reading anything like that in our STC. Not to say it wasn't there, just don't remember!

-PJ

 

[blimpguy]

Thanks Anon, that's what I was wondering. A little math shows that that's 12,000fpm! I'm not sure that my valsalva skills are up to that. In the Ham Standard I worked with the props were prevented from overspeeding by cycling in and out of the beta range controlled by a microswitch. Certainly this should work in the situations for which a transport category airplane could be expected to encounter. I'm curious what mechanism allows this to be safe in the Pilatus. Do not read that as me doubting you. I'm simply curious about the design. Is anyone familiar with the Caravan prop? Thanks

 

[V-STALL]

Dang, I don't remember reading anything like that in our STC. Not to say it wasn't there, just don't remember!

-PJ

PJ- sweet avatar! I'm gonna have to find a picture I have that is similar to that, only an AFF in the backround.

 

[awacs941]

That video is crazy... I can't beleive that guy took is chute off!

 

[jknight8907]

That video is crazy... I can't beleive that guy took is chute off!

Yeah...until then I was thinking "cool, I gotta try this", but that kinda put my heart and stomach up around my cranial areas....

 

[Jump Pilot]

Dang, I don't remember reading anything like that in our STC. Not to say it wasn't there, just don't remember!

I found it in the STC while doing a debrief after a familiarization flight. So much for the steep turns.

They also claim to fly it with 13 jumpers onboard. Problem is, the W & B gross weight doesn't go that high.