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Skydivers/Jump Pilot Question

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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.
 
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.
 
Jump Pilot said:
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
 
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
 
puddlejumper said:
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 said:
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....
 
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.
 

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