Please don't hit skydivers

[Ron Lee]

So the jumpers have to know that an RV is outside a circle of 12 mile radius? That is unrealistic and won't happen. Better that pilots stay away from drop zones, use ATC flight following, etc.

[Dmadd]

Bob,
Point taken and your probably right.
I'm not even a skydiver though... it's just the post I quoted seemed beyond ridiculous... unsubstantiated blanket statements there...
Those guys have as much right to be there as I do...
My apologies.

DM

Originally Posted by Bob Axsom

Come on! If you want any support for your activity this is not the right way to go about it.

Bob Axsom

[Danger Will Robinson]

Think of all Class E airspace as a big public park that all aviation users are allowed to play in.

You have every legal right to use every square inch of that park.

Now think of the DZ as a ball field on a small area of that park.

The parachute symbol on the chart or NOTAM basically means; "caution ball game may be in progress".

Think of ATC as the umpire.

If you are jogging around the park and don't see or heed the sign and don't ask the umpire if it's clear and you run right onto the field during a big play. Several things may happen:

You may get clocked by a fastball or run into a base runner.

Hopefully the umpire, pitcher or a player sees you in time and is able to stop play while you make your way through the ball field, hopefully you don't stop in the middle of the field and do calisthenics [aerobatics or turns around a point].

Everyone waits for you to clear the field [while rolling their eyes] so play can resume. If you are an A*#hole, you point out that you have every right to use the ball field portion of the park during the game, which is true.

Now consider those pilots who fly through a DZ as those park users who jog through the ball field either knowingly or unknowingly during a game.

They have every right to be on that ball field but courtesy and prudence would suggest they go around or ask the umpire if it's safe to cut through.

Their is probably always going to be somebody who runs onto the field during a game. Don't be that guy.

[bryan12]

I think we can all admit this topic needs to be discussed much further in flight training materials. I just got my ticket about 16 months ago and the only thing that was ever discussed was "be careful in there there could be skydivers." having read this post and really thought about the possibilities of seeing a skydiver or being tuned into a local CTAF if im flying over at 5 k feet is slim. being careful "in there" is useless, more like dont go there unless,,,
At a minimum I would have like to have been taught what heights they drop from? Can I always ask control for a guarantee that they are or aren't jumping?

I am from more a rural area where skydiving in those marked spots was very rare. So I guess in our area it wasnt a huge issue that instructors worried about.
For the safety of both sports, I am disapointed in the lack of advice that i didnt receive in Jeppesen, and king materials.

I would like to thank everyone for their input I really feel better off for reading this thread.

[jetjok]

Originally Posted by Dmadd

Bob,
Point taken and your probably right.
I'm not even a skydiver though... it's just the post I quoted seemed beyond ridiculous... unsubstantiated blanket statements there...
Those guys have as much right to be there as I do...
My apologies.

DM

Well, Mr. DM...Whatever your real name may be, I suppose that you are referring to me in your above posting. I can answer all your questions if you wish to continue this debate on this forum. However, why don't you PM me with your actual name and a phone number and I will be willing to hash this out in private.

I might suggest that you do some homework so as to be prepared prior to our conversation as it will go much better. You can see from my signature where I reside, and you can spend some time doing research on Skydiving operations that are within a 35 mi radius.

BTW, I have done one tandem jump at a fairly local operation a few years ago. Totally safe and professional operation, and I would do it again or fly jump planes for them if the opportunity presented itself.

The incident with the 182 took place in 1979. I was on my student XC, and my route took me fairly close to an airport where skydiving operations were ongoing. I was in contact with the jump plane, and they were fully aware that I was in the area as they had me in sight, and that I was a student pilot. BTW..I was outside of the jump zone, but I guess due to strong winds aloft (6-9K) they wanted to be more up wind for their operations...Who really knows?
Descending in the jump zone?? OK...You tell me. What is the pitch attitude of a normal descent in a 182? I can tell you that there was a large differential between the cruise pitch attitude of my 150 and the "descending" pitch attitude of the 182 when he came from above and behind, through my altitude. My adjective for that pilot was accurate then, and is still accurate 31 years and 20K+ hours later!
Anyway, as I have attempted to make clear to you. It is not my intent to impugn skydiving operations as a whole, but as with all aspects of aviation, there are some bad apples. God knows, as I was an active pilot of hot air balloons for about 10 years, and I saw some stuff that really made me shake my head.
I look forward to hearing from you.

[Dmadd]

PM and phone number sent.
33 years and 20K+ hours as well.
Relax, we will play nice... ;-)

[jetjok]

Originally Posted by Dmadd

PM and phone number sent.
33 years and 20K+ hours as well.
Relax, we will play nice... ;-)

Dmadd and I have PM'ed, and I look forward to speaking to a fellow RVer and aviator.
It appears that my original message may have had a connotation that my position is that ALL skydiving operations are less than professional and safe. Far from it! As I said in my second post, I have a grand total of one jump and I would have not done it if I did not feel that the operation was safe! The finger nail scratches on the door frame may indicate otherwise!
Now back to wishing that the volcano in Iceland would have waited another week until I was home!

[steveflys]

I think this pretty much summes it up.
But having flown for skydive opperations and flown around and through many other drop zones I would not bet my life that they follow the rules.

105.5 General.
No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a parachute operation to be conducted from an aircraft, if that operation creates a hazard to air traffic or to persons or property on the surface.

[Danger Will Robinson]

Originally Posted by jetjok

The incident with the 182 took place in 1979.

That's quite a long time ago for you to be basing your opinion of many skydiving operations and jump pilots on.

The skydiving community has cleaned up its' act substantially since then.

[mototopo]

Here in Italy I fly from Salerno airport where there is an active skidivers school and they use the airport as landing surface. Everytime the skidivers lunch, the ATZ is closed to other traffic from 1 minute before the launch to the moment the last skydiver touch the ground and all aircraft have to wait outside the ATZ for the needed 12-15 minutes, aircarfts on the ground cannot start their engines for the same period. It's absolutely annoing, but I think everyone has the right to use the airspace in total security.

I remember once a little accident: I still was a student pilot and was practicing landing with my instructor; there was a misunderstood between the control tower and the skidiver plane pilot and they launched while I was performing touch'n'go on the runway... while i was adding power for take off after a touch and go, I saw a lot of skidivers comin down on the side of the runway.. my instructor immediatelly shutted off the engine to stop the prop and aborted the take off. I can't imagine what could happen if someone came too close to us...