Spotting

[GrumpySmurf 0]

I was jumping with a bud at SDC last weekend, and we passed over the old airport to which I pointed out the defunct runways with the 'XX' on them. He mentioned a story about how new pilots would confuse the spot to the point of putting out the jumpers over the old (and now defunct) airfield (which is a good 15 to 20 minute drive away) - thinking Ottawa only has one airfield and that would be the one SDC owns :)
I took it as urban legend, but rather funny none-the-less.

[johnny1488 1]

I feel very competant in spotting from our otters. Ive only been out a casa once and the first thing I looked at was the ground. I am kinda surprised at the lack of spotting by many other jumpers. I see people getting out way to long when there are still plenty of people in the plane. People getting out on the go around. People just not knowing the winds or even looking at other canopies in the sky before they go. Also many people dont give enough thought to horizontal separation. I see some jumpers just count to 5 and jump out right over the last group. Scary stuff. Spotting is very important as long as you know what to look for and try not to hose the load.
Johnny

[lazerq3 0]

Jump # 48 was my very first true spot. What made it really tricky was the fact we were landing in a park off airport do to Class B restrictions. We climbed out of a cessna doing a 4way. We were flying a southwest jump run and because of this we flew a little west of the LZ so you couldnt just look out the window and see it. The pilot just told me as he pointed through the floor panel of the plane "it will be right there". Opened the door looked around, saw it called the spot and out we went. Luck must of been on my side cause we all opened right over the top. (uppers were very light and nothing on the ground). Even got a "nice spot" by the other jumpers when we got to the ground!! It always feels good when you do somthing right for a change
jason

[FallinWoman 1]

I, too, had to spot the C-182 during my static line progression, and feel that I can do it pretty well.
I have never spotted the King Air by myself.
An interesting note: at my DZ, the jumpers call the cut. I know that most places the pilot cuts when the GPS says it is time. We tell the pilot where we want to cut, and he gives us "priors", then one of us sticks their head out and calls the cut.

[Aviatrr 0]

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But to say that just going on the green light is wrong is.....well....wrong.

I don't agree.. If I'm toward the back of a large group - such as a late diver - I will make sure SOMEBODY I trust is spotting.. Otherwise, I will ALWAYS check the spot before exit.. How hard is it to look down during climbout, while you have a few seconds anyways to allow for separation?
You state that just going on the green light is ok....but, then you go on to say..

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When I fly the Twin Otter I expect people to be ready and paying attention to the Door and Exit lights. When the Door light comes on it will give approximately 20 seconds for someone to poke their head out and confirm the area they are over, look out for other traffic, and determine if they should start climbing out when the green light comes on.

So, in other words, you expect them to check the spot - even though you have over 2,000 hours flying jumpers, over 600 jumps, and you are a JM?? I think that just goes to prove my point..
Don't get me wrong - I trust most of the pilots implicitly....otherwise I wouldn't get in an airplane with 'em.. I have well over 5,000 hours of flight time, and fly for a living - I know what can go wrong with an airplane, AND that often times crashes are due to inappropriate reactions.. I think the fact that I will get in the airplane with a pilot says a lot about how much I trust their abilities.. But does that mean I have to have BLIND faith? Nope.. At the DZ's I frequent, I know the pilots qualifications.. More than once I have left a DZ because of what I felt was an unsafe situation..

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I have over 2,000 hours flying jumpers, over 600 jumps, I am a IAD JM, and have done the Tandem Master training course but because I'm the pilot using a GPS you should ignore my spotting ability? I don't think that's right.

Well, since I don't know you personally, I can't comment.. How many pilots are there out there that just turn on the green light when they get to that specific point according to the GPS? Quite a few in my experience.. Most of the pilots that I know are not jumpers..
Mike

[cameramonkey 0]

Generally speaking, trust the pilot when he gives the green (if you dont thoroughly trust your pilot, why get in his airplane?) UNLESS you are a Freeflier that insists on getting out first on Mullins' king air.... I still love that story....
As I remeber it, One day Mike had one guy (maybe more) that was freeflying and INSISTED on getting out FIRST. Mike agreed, and told the load to give a 15 sec delay. he got to altitide and called his signature "14,000 exit, exit, exit". the FF dude left(blindly), and after about 5 seconds, Mike came back on his PA and said "OK, close the door, we're going back to the airport now". I hear he dropped the guy about 5 miles off for his stubborn insistence. Not sure if its a true story or not, but sounds like something Mullins would do :).

[PhreeZone 20]

I've heard the same story so I'm thinking its probally true. I heard it happened at Quincy a few years ago.....
A rainy day at the DZ is better then a Sunny day at work

[skymedic 0]

Urban legend....
Marc
Because I fly, I envy no man on earth

[AggieDave 6]

Personally, I love spotting. I "grew up" at a Cessna (read: no GPS) DZ and starting at about my 5th jump or so, I started to learn how to spot. A lot of the loads I've been on since being licensed, I've spotted, being that I'm usually one of the *smaller* people in the plane for the load so I'm stuck in the student position (back against the panel next to the door).
AggieDave '02
-------------
Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

[harro 0]

Regulations in Oz state that you have to learn how to spot to get your 'B' licence.
Freemind, freesky, freebeer, freefly, freesex

[skreamer 1]

Same in South Africa and also here in the UK. In the UK, you get briefed on the ground and then have to spot under supervision (its a requirement for your B license as well). Also, you spot at different altitudes (easy if there is a consol jumper getting out at say '6 000). I must say though that spotting a Cessna 206 at '3 000 and a turbine at '12 000 are not exactly the same thing.
/s

[RemiAndKaren 0]

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I must say though that spotting a Cessna 206 at '3 000 and a turbine at '12 000 are not exactly the same thing.

Of course its the same thing... its just damm harder! lol
Remi
Muff 914

[diverdriver 6]

You got that right.
Chris Schindler
http://www.diverdriver.com

[Meatbomber 0]

Well one thing i notice in this discussion is that a LOT of people seem to have learned spotting from Cessnas.
In my Opinion spotting on a Cessna is ok as the most you got 5 Skydivers out there, the jumprun therfor is relatively short and the margin for error thus greater.
But as a few have already said, in the big planes like a Skyvan or a Casa a lot of folks spotting forget that there's up to 30 people behind them and if they are SPOT-on the rest of the load is most certainly off.
Now when you do feel you can spot correctly and you have to spot for yourselfe in one of the big planes PLEASE TELL the pilot that you're going to spot !
I had numerous occasions where i was giving the green light and assumed jumpers were exiting (can't see if the whole load is standing up) and the first group was spotting and delaying the exit -> so the last few were deep.. i then adjusted my exit point and the next group went straight at the green and then was short of the DZ.
COMUNICATE if you want to do your own spotting ! -> it's most certainly the pilot who's going to get the blame for people landing out.
MB
-> Skyvan driver

[freeflir29 0]

"it's most certainly the pilot who's going to get the blame for people landing out"
Of course! It's always the pilots fault!
"Shut up Dummy!"- Fred G Sanford

[fonz 0]

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Who was never taught?

This is the way I've been taught spotting: look out the door for the DZ and have the green light or an experienced jumper tell you whether it's "safe" to go.
Alphons
http://www.liacs.nl/~avwerven