no jumping for a while.

[Danhole 0]

Let me say I hope I'm wrong. But if the FAA doesn't lift flight restrictions in the next 48 hours I don't think we'll be up in air again for LONG time. Possibly months! It's just a feeling I have, I have no inside knowledge of this.
I fully understand and respect the need for increased security in our nation. But I hope we are allowed to express our freedom by enjoying our activity of choice.
On a different note, to those of you overseas -- the less said the better! Too many of you have embarrassed yourselves with childish and often painful comments.
Time to turn sand into glass…

[Aviatrr 0]

Unfortunately, I have a feeling you're right.. I wouldn't be suprised to see a week, maybe two, before VFR flight is allowed.. If they decide to re-structure VFR, it could be much longer.. If this occurs, we'll see some DZ's closing down due to no income.. Flight schools, cropdusters, offshore helicopter ops, etc., are all in the same boat....grounded indefinitely..
Mike

[wildblue 7]

I'll get over not being able to jump. I'm worried about many of my friends that make their living as instructors/vidiots/etc
Here's what the USP has to say about (yes, they're actually doing something. I might renew my membership after all)
-----------------
Airspace Update
Despite the FAA's indication last Friday that the restriction on Part 91 VFR operations would be lifted over the weekend, that did not happen. The most recent Notam continues to ban all Part 91 VFR operations until further notice. Some DZs accomplished a few jumps on IFR flight plans, but were soon shut down by a directive from FAA's Command Center. Skydiving is not the only segment affected, of course. Hundreds of thousands of pilots and aircraft owners are also grounded, with hundreds, if not thousands of general aviation pilots still stranded away from their home airports and unable to fly. Banner towers, balloon businesses, flight schools, ultralight schools, aerial photographers, and others are down. Agricultural operators (spray planes) were released on Saturday, but restricted again by Sunday.
It is apparent that our segment of aviation is bearing the brunt of this national emergency. Top federal officials have been quoted expressing concern with the "uncontrolled nature" of general aviation, which before last Tuesday allowed pilots virtually unlimited flight without a flight plan and without radio communication with air traffic control. USPA is working with AOPA and several other aviation organizations to address this concern in a way that will allow our operators to return to the skies.
USPA staff spoke this morning with Steve Brown, FAA's Associate Administrator for Air Traffic, who will be meeting with the National Security Council again today on the aviation situation. Brown, who had received a briefing paper about skydive operations last week from USPA, thanked us for the talking points that he said he would use in the upcoming meeting.
Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

[billvon 3,070]

>But if the FAA doesn't lift flight restrictions in the next 48 hours I don't think
>we'll be up in air again for LONG time.
Good thing I'm jumping in Mexico next week . . .
It will be interesting if our proximity to Tijuana becomes a good thing instead of a pain in the butt. After all, Mexico has no current airspace restrictions, and our old DZ is just a bad spot away.
-bill von

[skybytch 273]

I hope we get back up SOON - like this weekend. If we don't get up soon there's gonna be a lot of skydivers collecting unemployment... or worse yet, flipping burgers...
pull and flare,
lisa
---
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious

[flyinryan 0]

I am a stupidly optimistic person so I think we should all try to will the airspace to open with the power of positive thinking. If we cannot maybe it is time to trade in the skydiving rig for a BASE rig. I hope that all of the great people who make a living in skydiving can get back in the air.

[freeflyguy 0]

Don't worry too much. The FAA is letting it back, slowly. They just let the cropdusters go again this afternoon. So they are conscious of economic issues. But security issues first
Check out WWW.FAA.Gov. They update it all the time.

[LittleJumper 0]

I think we should all contact our local congress and express our concerns as well. At my DZ, we had some flights go up I think on Friday 8/14/01 and then by Saturday, FAA shut us down. If we voice our concerns to congress that this is not only a restriction on our freedom to pursue our choice of sporting activity, but a potential financial disaster for DZ owners, jump masters, and other employees. Hopefully they will allow us back in the air SOON!
Terri

[Viking 0]

Quote

and our old DZ is just a bad spot away

that would have to be the Helen Keller spotting award of the year!!! we are like six miles from the border
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[billvon 3,070]

>That would have to be the Helen Keller spotting award of the year!!!
> we are like six miles from the border
_Old_ dropzone, Viking. The old LZ was about 1/3 of a mile from the border. We had a few Tijuana landings every year.
-bill von

[TALONSKY 0]

I just received this from my dropzone
As of 9/17/01 at 11:45 EDT:
Part 91 VFR flights are still grounded.
USPA staff spoke this morning with Steve Brown, FAA's Associate
Administrator for Air Traffic, who will be meeting with the National
Security Council again today on the aviation situation. Brown, who had
received a briefing paper about skydive operations last week from USPA,
thanked us for the talking points that he said he will use in the upcoming
meeting. He indicated it may be another day or two before the NSC will
authorize VFR flight.
Despite the FAA's indication last Friday that the restriction on Part 91 VFR
operations would be lifted over the weekend, that did not happen. The most
recent Notam (below) continues to ban all Part 91 VFR operations until
further notice. Some DZs accomplished a few jumps on IFR flight plans, but
were soon shut down by a directive from FAA's Command Center. Skydiving is
not the only segment affected, of course. Hundreds of thousands of pilots
and aircraft owners are also grounded, with hundreds, if not thousands of
general aviation pilots still stranded away from their home airports and
unable to fly. Banner towers, balloon businesses, flight schools, ultralight
schools, aerial photographers, and others are down. Agricultural operators
(spray planes) were released on Saturday, but restricted again by Sunday.
It is clear that our segment of aviation is bearing the brunt of this
national emergency. Top federal officials have been quoted expressing
concern with the "uncontrolled nature" of general aviation, which before
last Tuesday allowed pilots virtually unlimited flight without a flight plan
and without radio communication with air traffic control. USPA continues to
work with AOPA and several other aviation organizations to address this
concern in a way that will allow our operators to return to the skies.

[JMC 0]

Got this from www.faa.gov:
As of 9/18/01 9:00 ESDFor general aviation operators and pilots, on September 14 the U.S. Department of Transportation approved resumption of general aviation Instrument Flight Rules, or IFR, flights. These pilots - operating under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations - must be instrument-rated, must file IFR flight plans, and must receive a clearance before departure. Please note that flights under visual flight rules (VFR) have not been authorized, with the exception of agricultural aviation flights (crop dusters).
JMC

[wildblue 7]

This was added this morning:
---
Airspace Update
As of Tuesday, September 18, there is no change to the restrictions on aviation, including skydiving flights. USPA continues to be in contact with the senior levels of the FAA and with the White House, ensuring that officials are aware of how jump planes operate, and why they are a low threat to national security. USPA is also working closely with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. There is another meeting at the White House today to try to resolve the issue.
------
You can keep an eye on our very own http://www.uspa.org or http://www.aopa.org
Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

[Slappie 9]

I think it's time to email our congressmen and women and let them know what they/FAA and everyone else involved is doing to the small business owners of DZ's the employees and the economy. We as skydivers pump about $200 to $300 a month each into the local economies. Now multiply that by the USPA members. I have found a site where if you do not know how to contact your Rep or don't know who it is it can tell you...
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
I for one believe it is time we stood up for ourselves and let our voice be known as one. Our friends who own and work at the DZ's we love to jump at our losing their ass and some will probably never recover. Just look at what this grounding did to the Airline industry. Airlines are cutting flights laying of tens of thousands of people. We can not let this ruin our country and the freedom we take for granted. This is basicly my opinion but that's what makes this country great. Yes it's going to make another piece of paper someone in the Congressmans office will have to look at. If it even gets to your reps hands. I beleive if enough are sent they will look and see. Remember when you were a whuffo, did you even realise how many people loved our sport? Probably not, because I know I didn't.... Now I know too well.... People let's make them know we are a large intelligent voting block in this country...
I believe the only reason the FAA has security risks attatched to the GA VFR is because some of the terrorists went to small flight schools and had access to small VFR planes.

Enough of my .02$
My New Website with 24hr Chat

[Monk 0]

Well here is the latest that I know of. I was flying 135 IFR today here in the southwest (AZ). And coming back to base airport the ATIS was saying that Part 135 VFR was ALLOWED with Flight Following. Hell...Eloy's Jump planes do that with ABQ Center every time anyhow. DZ's DO NOT operate Part 91 VFR. They are Part 135. And if they're not they are breaking regs. This was at 1300 hrs in Phoenix and is brand new. So I immediately called Eloy and told them what I knew and they will check up on it. Might be able to jump this weekend after all. Again Part 135 VFR is allowed with Flight Following.
Here's wishing everyone a speedy return to the blue ones.
Ciao
Monk

[Aviatrr 0]

Quote

DZ's DO NOT operate Part 91 VFR. They are Part 135. And if they're not they are breaking regs.

How do you figure? I know of NO DZ's that operate under 135.. If so, they'd have to do weight and balance on every load on multi engine planes.. They'd have flight and duty time limitations.. They would have Ops Specs.. Do any DZ's you jump at have these? Not any that I have been to.. Some DZ's have airplanes/pilots that are 135 certified, but they certainly do not fly jumpers under 135.. Maybe RIGHT NOW they will be - IF the aircraft and pilots are 135 qualified, but most are not..
Quote to me regs that specify that skydiving ops are Part 135..
Mike

[billvon 3,070]

>DZ's DO NOT operate Part 91 VFR.
Every drop zone I have ever been at operates under part 91. You don't really think DZ's operate under part 135, do you? Part 135 is intended for air taxi, and requires things like cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders, TCAS, and oxygen for _any_ unpressurized operation above 10,000 feet MSL - even for short times. Do you know of any DZ's that meet these equipment requirements?
-bill von