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Jump Pilot Adventure......

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A1FlyBoy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Posts
682
Ok,

I'm locked in with an east coast outfit to fly a jump plane for them this spring/summer season. We've discussed the different aspect of what this type of flying entails, things to expect / to look out for, and training sessions will take place once I'm out there before the season begins.

For those of you who have done jump piloting before, is it realisitic to even think about getting 500 hours for the season? Weekends I hear are just crazy and 4 or 5 flights on weekdays are expected, weather permitting.

It seems like this will be a lot of fun and will be a learning experience.

I'm interested in hearing some of your stories, things you learned to do / NOT to do, what to look out for and be careful of, etc etc....
 
Just flying weekends from Oct.15th until now, I've logged over 100 hours flying jumpers. This is in northern Wisconsin...during the winter... With the warmer weather (temps above 30 Fahrenheit), I've been logging about 5 hours a day Saturday and Sunday. During the student season, it'll be closer to 8 hours a day. This is at a small dropzone with only 2 C182s and 3 other small dropzones within 1 hours drive. If I'm going to be flying over 35 hours a month during student season (I started jumping so I will be doing that instead of flying whenever I can), you can certainly log 500 hours in a season. If you are doing the typical schedule of 6 days a week, you should be logging over 100hrs a month easy. See if you can get a couple of jumps during "training". Say it's a safety issue just in case you ever need to leave the aircraft in flight;)

Jumpers will try to get you to do things that are illegal. They don't neccasarily know that it's illegal. If they cause a problem, the FAA goes after the pilot, NOT them. CYA. Go to the website www.DiverDriver.com
The moderator is an RJ captain and flies a Twin Otter out of Skydive Chicago (as well as having a ton of jumps). The site has great info. Most important of all....have FUN. Jumpers are the strangest passengers you will ever kick off your aircraft.
 
One more thing....always eat lots of beans and drink lots of cheap beer. You're gonna need some ammo to fight back with. Whoever said "like a fart in the wind" has never been in a jump aircraft. No matter how windy it gets in the plane...you just can't get some of those farts out of it...I've actually been dry heaving before on some of the really, really nasty ones. Some jumpers have puked after jumping out...yuck. Just don't puke in my plane!
 
I've always wondered, what do skydivers do to cut loose? I have five jumps and about 500 hours flying jumpers. Watch out for poor operators with questionable maintenence. Don't do anything that would get you in trouble. They will ask you to, and if they threaten to fire you, just walk away. It will be worth it, trust me. Once you have a hundred hours flying jumpers, other DZ's will want you too. Jumpers get priority, so if you learn to skydive, all the better, but you don't have to.

Always get to know the rigger on the field. His knowledge could save your life. Have him look at the emergency rig they give you to fly with. One I was using had a pin that was jammed, and would have never come out of the hole. In other words, it would have been what they call a "hard pull." I probably would have bent the D ring on the way to my death.

Other than that, have a good time and be safe. I think flying jumpers was one of the most fun jobs I have ever had. Good luck.
 
Dumb question...but how do DZ's handle insurance on the planes? Do they just buy cheap planes with cash and self insure? For example insurance for a low time pilot like myself would be no problem in something like a 182, but if they DZ is operating a Twin Bo, Otter, Caravan, or something in that class - any sane insurance company would demand a bunch of time in type, which of course the DZ isn't going to just give me. But at the same time I know of no place to rent a Twin Bo to get time in. So how do you get yourself into this class of plane?
 
Woo Hoo

I have about 500 hours of dropping jumpers in a C182. Skydivers are a crazy bunch. The big thing is to make sure the plane is airworthy. The skydive planes tend to be really old and the DZ owners usually don't put much money into the plane. remember you are the PIC, If it doesn't seem right to you DON'T DO IT.......!!
Goodluck and make sure you make a few jumps!
Where is the DZ?
 
Some great advice above. One thing to keep in mind is that the planes reach very high speeds and g's on the descents and they go through many cycles. One 205 I flew had a lot of cracks around the tail area so I recommend very thorough preflights, with a flashlight, and keep a close eye on anything that doesn't look right.
 
I'm confused...how high of speeds can you do and still maintain CHTs? I don't recall pulling much more than 1G in any of my descents and I come down at 1500 to 2000fpm in a C182 at 130KIAS. The CHTs never got below 280 degrees fahrenheit and this was temps ranging from 10 above on the surface to 25 below up top. Cracks in the tail.....yikes.
 
Most don't have insurance, not for the Cessna's, anyway. You're right, the cost would be prohibitive. It's a great way to log time, and even one guy I knew bought a King Air, and makes some money flying jumpers himself. Last I heard he had two of them going at one DZ. Good luck.
 
You shouldn't be pulling "high g's" or high speeds in descents, or rushing anything. You can do the job flying normally.

Cracked heads and vertical stab support brackets are the result of low power on descent and slipping the airplane at high speeds. Anyone who has done much maintenance on 200 series Cessna's knows about cracked vertical stab attach brackets; very common. If the pilots who fly these airplanes had ever done the maintenance, they wouldn't do what they do.

Cracked flap trailing edges and flap tracks are the result of those who foolishly drop flaps to descend.

The airplane may be flown normally with little difficulty, and within limitations, without pulling excessive anything.

Forget insurance. Fly safe, don't crash, watch reserve handles, and don't let anyone on your airplane without an in-date reserve. Watch for drinkers or pot smokers; you're responsible for jumper actions when you carry them aloft to put them out; negligent entrustment is a bitch.

Carry enough fuel; don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Get some skydives yourself. It's a good investment, and a lot of fun. Blue skies, black death, and good luck!
 

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