Aircraft Exit Procedures/Responsibility

[bigdad510 1]

I've read all 6 pages from this post (http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2415956;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25) and I thought it would be a good idea to post different exit procedures at different drop zones from different aircraft. Why? Because I didn't realize how different they are from DZ to DZ. And aircraft to aircraft Maybe we can learn and pass on different ideas to pilots and skydivers. I'll start.

At my DZ in MS, we jump an Otter. Red light means open the door. It is the jumper's responsibility to start looking at the spot and to look for clear airspace.

On green light the pilot is giving the go ahead to leave, but you are still responsible for your exit and spot. The Pilot is basically letting us know that with the information he has, the airspace is clear.

On Red, if there are aircraft approaching, our pilot will "wave the plane” left to right a couple of times to let the jumpers know to keep there eyes open for planes or whatever and it is not clear to exit. We do not go out on red to set up for big ways (and never for the skydive itself) on Red unless the pilot knows.

So basically we just have two lights, Red and Green. The spotter (first jumper) is spotting for everyone to be able to make it back to the drop zone. Or pilot as a courtesy tries to communicate with us, any changes in the plan that may effect the skydivers and we do the same for the pilot

Be Safe and Blue Skies

Brad

[Squeak 17]

We jump a Caravan, and we have 3 lights Red Yellow Green,
Red light is 1 mile
Yellow light is Half mile Open door
Green light is go when ready.

Our pilot spots the plane, but it's up to us to ensure it's safe to exit.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[rasmack 0]

We jump a C-206 and we spot the damn plane ourselves.

We still need to ask permission from the pilot to jump, though. He might have info that we don't.

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[riggerrob 643]

We have a green light and a red light in our King Air.
We keep the door closed until the pilot lowers the flaps, then wait for the green light.
The green light means that air traffic control has given our pilot permission to drop. Canadian ATC are much better at separating air traffic than their Southern Californian colleagues.
We rarely use the red light, because it means STOP DROP.

[freakbrother 0]

Exit safety is not all about lights and spotting. There's separation too.

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www.freak-brother.com

[Yossarian 0]

we jump a pac with 3 lights, red means on jump run, yellow is open the door and start spotting, green comes on when the gps puts us in the right place and the airfield has transmitted clear drop

[bigdad510 1]

What about door procedures?

For us, we have to have seat belts on and door closed for takeoff. When we reach 1000ft we can take seatbelts off and open the door until we hit 6000, then we close it again. We don't open it again until altitude. If it's really hot past 6000, we may crack the door about 6 inches.

Brad

[bob.dino 1]

Three lights:

Red: Three minutes.
Orange: One minute (in Skyvan, open door). Start checking the spot.
Green: Geronimo!

And yes, we do occasionally wait before going. Pilots have been known to misread the GPS.

[Dolph 0]

Same thing for us. The pilot has a GPS of course but it has been made very clear to everyone on the load that the *jumpers spot*, but only after given permission by the pilot to open the door.

Three of the great benefits of jumping on small Cessna DZs is 1) learning how to spot properly (including watching for traffic), 2) lots of hop 'n pops for the swoopers. 3) Better contol of exit separation (and possibility for more of it due to fewer groups)

Then when one travels to a Turbine DZ, the rules change somewhat. I still take time to do a visual scan before exiting but due to the time limit involved it's not as comprehensive as what can be done from a Cessna - unless I'm in the first group to go. Which as a freeflyer isn't very often.

[riggerrob 643]

In terms of looking for other air traffic, I tell students to keep their eyes outside the airplane for the last two minutes before exit.

[fcajump 164]

In the twin Otter... pretty much the same...

At my "other home DZ", over the airport means climb-out and look over the leading edge of the (lower) wing... From there I can check the spot, look for traffic and check to see if the ground is signalling for the jumper. GPS/lights... heck, the pilot doesn't even have a radio!! (http://www.flyingcircusairshow.com)
BTW - exit count for a 2 or 3 way means arm motion high enough that the other jumpers can see it from thier respective planes!!

JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[Scrumpot 1]

#1. Creating a descriptively labeled "clicky" can help some of us decide whether we need to (copy, shell out to open new window, paste, then go to) read the thread you are referring to. Example:

Recent Multiple AAD fire thread in Incidents

#2.

Quote

I thought it would be a good idea to post different exit procedures at different drop zones from different aircraft. Why? Because I didn't realize how different they are from DZ to DZ. And aircraft to aircraft Maybe we can learn and pass on different ideas to pilots and skydivers.

Pretty good idea!
Carry on.

Blues,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone