Exiting a CASA

[lespaul980 0]

I got cleared for making solo jumps last weekend and was planning on making my first solo this weekend. We usually jump from a Twin Otter but this weekend there's going to be a CASA at the DZ. Is there anything I need to know about jumping from a CASA or is it basically the same?

[NWFlyer 2]

Ultimately it's the same - present yourself to the relative wind and get stable, but it is a very different aircraft from a Twin Otter, and the way you accomplish that goal is different. Please ask your instructors to give you a briefing on how to exit a tailgate aircraft (like the Casa) before you go up.

All that said, tailgates are FUN and you can do all kinds of creative exits that you can't do out of other aircraft.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[billvon 2,989]

Talk to local instructors about the differences you will notice. Only exceptional thing I would add is to watch the edges of the door - CASA door frames are notorious for grabbing elbows/arms as you go by.

[fmmobley 0]

Consider yourself lucky. That is a fun aircraft to jump from. Last time out of a Casa a friend and I were last to exit, we ran the length of the plane and dove out. Great fun !

... Marion

[jimmytavino 16]

timing and foot placement are important, especially if you are Not ON the tailgate at exit.
misstep and it could negatively impact your exit, and the exit of those behind you.
I try to look down at the floor so that my last stride, is of the right length to put me right where I want to be, as I leave... But then get your head UP and anticipate a "dead spot of air" for a second or so, till the propwash grabs you and blasts you away from the plane...
Be there for the aircraft briefing, even if you aren't on the first load..
Smile and have fun....
Casas and Skyvans are great jump ships...

skydive softly, skydive often, skydive with friends

[bigdad510 1]

My 50th jumo was out of a Casa in NC. They are a lot of fun. We may or may not notice the "dedad air" when you leave. Get the briefing in the morning, and I agree with the above, it's a lot of fun to run the lenght of the aircraft and dive out. It's nice not being restricted like a side exit on most aircraft. Have fun and let us know how it went.

Brad

[pkasdorf 0]

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....But then get your head UP and anticipate a "dead spot of air" for a second or so, till the propwash grabs you and blasts you away from the plane....

GREAT FUN, ENJOY!!!!

HISPA # 18 POPS # 8757

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

... what folks up-post have said, and my 2 cents, a couple of things...

1) Being a tailgate aircraft... ask to be briefed on the Line of Death.

2) Your first CASA jump = BEER!!!!

[DougH 270]

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... what folks up-post have said, and my 2 cents, a couple of things...

1) Being a tailgate aircraft... ask to be briefed on the Line of Death.

2) Your first CASA jump = BEER!!!!

Zig, can you please elaborate on the ***Line of death***

Thanks.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[KNewman 0]

I love tailgating from a CASA, just talk it out with your instructor and attend the safety brief. Most of all have fun!!!!

Kevin

Blue Skies and Stand-up Landings!!!!!!

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Quote

... what folks up-post have said, and my 2 cents, a couple of things...

1) Being a tailgate aircraft... ask to be briefed on the Line of Death.

2) Your first CASA jump = BEER!!!!

Zig, can you please elaborate on the ***Line of death***

Thanks.

When getting into tail-gate type aircraft... i.e. SkyVans & CASAs... it is not untypical to see a big red line painted on the floor, wall, ceiling, with some sort of placard saying something like "No more then X-Amount of people aft of this line!"

From Aft -> Fwd... Some will have multiple lines... one that indicates the max number of folks aft of such and such line on jump run... a little further forward, another line/placard saying no more then Y-amount of folks between these lines and then everyone else forward of this line on jump run... etc.

Same thing, different words, in such aircraft, if you get too many people on the ramp... i.e. aft of the line of death... on jump run... the aircraft will go into what's known as an "Uncontrolled Climb". The phenomena is easily identified as it will coincide with the aircrew yelling at your asses to "Get Out!" If such indications are ignored, said "uncontrolled cllimb" will be followed shortly there after with what is known in aviation as a "Stall"... then, potentially, "Departure From Controlled Flight"... and then a "Spin".

Maybe Zing or some other pilot will tune in that has flown SkyVan's and/or CASAs... but I'm not sure if a SkyVan is recoverable from a Spin... i.e. you can't get the tail flying again.

There's a video (probably more then one) floating around somewhere of a SkyVan with too many folks in the ass end on jumprun... it stalls... pretty ugly.

[billvon 2,989]

>can you please elaborate on the ***Line of death***

Both CASAs and Skyvans have markings on the floor that mean "no more than X people rear of this line." It's for weight and balance. Putting too many people aft of the line can (and has) caused stalls.

[riggerrob 643]

I was number 17 in the line up when the Pink Skyvan stalled and spun over Germany. It was partly my fault for crowding the ramp, but the most frustrating part was people ahead of me hesitating when they Skyvan started to stall.
The only way to recover was for 20 skydivers to exit, unloading the airplane and allowing the pilot to recover. Even so, the Skyvan spun 1.5 turns before he was able to recover.
The pilot was shaking and white as a ghost after landing!
Hint: his "day job" was flying fighters for the Austrian Air Force.

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

... Austria has an "Air Force"... or do you really mean "flying club?"

[lespaul980 0]

I appreciate all the input. At the suggestion of my instructors, I just stepped off the edge of the door and floated down. I was going to attempt a superman exit the second time around, but for some reason I got really nauseaus and light-headed on the way up to altitude and just ended up riding the plane down. Oh well, I'll just have to wait til next time.

[bigdad510 1]

At least you had the sense to ride the plane down. A lot of jumpers would have went anyway. Good job on a great judgment call.

The key is to always remember to make good judgment calls. Like in a lot of sports, this one for sure, the tendency is the more experience you have the more unnecessary risk you take. If you look at "extreme" sport fatalities, a lot of them are from experienced people.

Once again, good job!

Brad

[billvon 2,989]

>The only way to recover was for 20 skydivers to exit . . .

I would add, though, that 20 people rushing for the tailgate as soon as the pilot loses pitch authority is a sure way of turning an incipient stall into a very nasty loss-of-control incident. It's especially important to observe posted loading limits when things go awry (even if it's scary to do so.)

[BillyVance 34]

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There's a video (probably more then one) floating around somewhere of a SkyVan with too many folks in the ass end on jumprun... it stalls... pretty ugly.

Was that of the infamous stall at Lost Prairie? The skyvan was the lead aircraft of a 3 plane formation with two otters doing a 60 way. They overloaded the ramp on the skyvan. It stalls and the tail dips with skydivers spilling out of it, the plane eventually goes upside down and narrowly misses one of the Otters on its way down.

Both Otter loads decide to do their own 20 ways, but on breakoff, jumpers tracking away end up crossing paths with trackers from the other formation!

I think the only injury was a broken jaw when one jumper had to run on the wall, then the ceiling on his way out of the skyvan...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[riggerrob 643]

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>The only way to recover was for 20 skydivers to exit . . .

I would add, though, that 20 people rushing for the tailgate as soon as the pilot loses pitch authority is a sure way of turning an incipient stall into a very nasty loss-of-control incident. It's especially important to observe posted loading limits when things go awry (even if it's scary to do so.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

billvon,

I am going to respectfully disagree.

Since all 20 jumpers were already aft of the center of gravity, there were only two possible solutions.
The first solution involved most of the jumpers exiting, to unload the ramp.
The second solution would have been for half of the jumpers to run towards the front of the cabin, something far more difficult to organize in a loud airplane full of adrenaline-drenched skydivers.