Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

[Randy]

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/24923080/2014/03/08/plane-collides-into-skydivers-parachute-mid-air

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

SFQ where I am based is a major Sky Diving airport and we ALWAYS watch for them. When a chute gets low to the ground it can be really hard to see against the background clutter and sometimes the jumpers like to open really close to the ground (the special forces guys jump there). When they are in free fall they are almost impossible to see, ESPECIALLY when they are using the military gear that is camo to make them even harder to see.
Hank

[Randy]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

I would not have believed it possible to cause the airplane to spin around like that. There must have been a radio call about Sky Divers in the air that was missed.

[gnflyn]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

N43752 was based at that strip a few years ago, that is a small skydiving operation there. Now I am at ZPH in Zephyhills Florida, home of Skydive City. Usually about 3-4 hundred jumps a weekend. Along with glider towing and landings, banner pickup and dropping, and lots of GA traffic. All this on one runway as main runway 4/22 is long term closed for reconstruction. It can get kinda scary.....

[flyguy]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

That is the fourth example I have seen of an airplane "cartwheeled" were the pilot/passengers were not seriously injured. The most aircraft damaging one was at our little field were a student froze with crossed-controls and cartwheeled a C-150. Went through a sign mounted on 4x4's, busted up wings, tail, and engine but the cockpit area was still in good condition. Very minor injuries to instructor and student.

If I ever have to go down in really rough terrain I am for sure going to put one wing down firmly and let it absorb the energy; not run into something head on and have the engine come back through the instrument panel. I think slipping it so you are holding hard against the rotation just before the wing hits would be a good idea too. Hope I can be that cool if that situation ever happens.

DC

[n6346m]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

First of all let's call it what it is. Skydiving is an oxymoron. There is no such thing. I've never seen anyone jump out of an airplane and head for the sky. It's DIRTDIVING, they all head for mother earth. Second, what kind of operation has the landing zone on or right next to a runway. It's bad enough to jump out of a flyable airplane but you'd think that one would be smart enough to not land on freeways or runways on a railroad track with an oncoming train etc...

[1938BF50]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

Bob,

61C in Ft Atkinson, WI., would be that kind of operation. PITA to have to bypass that airspace all summer and anytime I head east. Depending on the winds.....the drop can be miles upwind.

[Stumpy]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

S43 (Harvey Field) at Snohomish, WA operates one of the largest, busiest 'chute centers in the Pacific Northwest. They're about six miles west of us, but we're down there all the time, 'cause that's the nearest café and EAA chapter. When the weather is decent there's a constant flow of jumpers, almost non-stop. Ya get used to constantly looking for them. On the plus side their landing zone is a 100 yards from the hard surface and 150 yards from the grass strip. The accepted noise-abatement pattern is opposite the jump zone, so most local pilots don't have problems. Every now and then things get closer than one would like though. The new chutes are a lot more controllable then the old round canopies I jumped with years ago, and that helps. They run a pretty tight operation and that prevents potential problems too. Reckon we're lucky compared to what some folks have to endure.

[Bird]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

First of all let's call it what it is. Skydiving is an oxymoron. There is no such thing. I've never seen anyone jump out of an airplane and head for the sky. It's DIRTDIVING, they all head for mother earth. Second, what kind of operation has the landing zone on or right next to a runway. It's bad enough to jump out of a flyable airplane but you'd think that one would be smart enough to not land on freeways or runways on a railroad track with an oncoming train etc...

Not anyone of us calls it that and I take offense almost along with the peta prick that I don't like, Peta-people eat tasty animals= and the fact that you are in AK you must eat meat this is almost war. Damn near what Russia is doing= I place u beside Putin.
Just where did you think a skydiving group would be? 10 to 20 miles away from the airport, just how long have you been near a plane. It is time to put training wheels back under the bike you rode in on and send you off into the sunset

[Bird]

Re: Not Taylorcraft but could have been, WOW

me