Demo Questions?

[steve1 5]

I'm planning on making a jump into the school I work at. You see, almost noone here knows what I'm really like, and yes they even let me work with kids.

It would be during red-ribbon week which is a week long campaign against drugs and alcohol. So my plan is to jump in with a long red ribbon dangling behind, and then give a little speech on the evils of drugs and alcohol. I thought I'd throw in a few stories for good luck. (Maybe the ones about Lost Prairie, last summer, may not be appropriate.)

At any rate, who do I call to file the proper papers on this. Jees, things are so complicated these days. When we wanted to do a demo in the old days, we just did it. In fact my last demo into this same football field may have been a bandit jump.

So I got to thinking....Maybe it wouldn't look too good if the FAA packed me off in handcuffs in front of the children....So I want to do things right this time. After all, I'm trying to go straight, and I may even be born again, (if I can just pull off this one demo without a hitch).

The last several demos, I've been on, were organized by someone else, and about all I know for sure is that papers need to be filed in advance. I work in a very small town in Eastern Montana, so maybe I don't need to worry about all this.

Oh, and did I mention that the last time I jumped into this place I almost died....Yes it's true...I was setting up to land when suddenly my canopy collapsed. It reinflated and then I went in for a nice landing. (Yes, I did have to change my underware.)

The field sits down in a bowl with a wall of Cottonwood trees on one side. I should have been able to read that with the wind, this could be a bad place. At any rate, that was many jumps ago, and now that I'm an 800 jump wonder I know better. I plan to jump in the morning when the wind is calm. But the wind almost never quits in Eastern Montana. I can postpone things if it doesn't look right.

I've also been telling my fellow employees that I may jump in with nothing on....all wrapped up in a red ribbon. But then again maybe I've just spent too much time up at Lost Prairie.

Can anyone give me any advice on this? Thanks in advance.....Steve1

[airtwardo 7]

Can anyone give me any advice on this?

***

http://www.uspa.org/publications/SIM/2006SIM/section7.htm


On 2nd thought...do a bandit jump, we need a new scary story!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Sockpuppet 0]

Quote

So my plan is to jump in with a long red ribbon dangling behind, and then give a little speech on the evils of drugs and alcohol.

Alcohol is not evil

I can see it now "oh, and its customary for firsts in the skydiving world to be celebrated with a case of beer. This is the first time you have all seen me do a demo jump. Cough up"

------
Two of the three voices in my head agree with you. It might actually be unanimous but voice three only speaks Welsh.

[leapdog 0]

You need to be familiar with FAR part 105. I found this out the hard way trying to find out how to file a NOTAM for a jump. Those instructions are not in the SIM. www.FAA.gov look up FARs and read 105 it explains how to file a notam. By the way, the 7711-2 in the sim gets filed with local FSDO office at least 30 days prior and the NOTAM is at least 48 hours in advance to the nearest flight service, which are two different places. the 7711-2 gets filed first then once approved you file the NOTAM.

The SIM also doesn't tell you that you can use google earth for an aerial view of the landing area and that you will need to learn how to read an air sectional map to give VOR and nautical mile radiuses of the DZ for clearance and Nautical mile distance to the nearest tower.

It also doesn't explain the proceedure for comm with the tower on take off, 2 min prior to jumping and after the jumper is out. If you are using a pilot that isn't a jump pilot you have to brief your pilot on this.

For some reason all this stuff is a big secret and I had to really dig and search to get most of this info the hard way. I was fortunate enough to have one or two people give me some good info. I believe in sharing. PM if you have any other questions.

Gunnery Sergeant of Marines
"I would like it if I were challenged mentally at my job and not feel like I'm mentally challenged." - Co-worker

[tdog 0]

Quote

For some reason all this stuff is a big secret and I had to really dig and search to get most of this info the hard way. I was fortunate enough to have one or two people give me some good info. I believe in sharing. PM if you have any other questions.

Maybe the demo guys want to keep how to do demos secret in the same way BASE guys keep their exit points secret so they don't get burned down by idiots?

But, maybe you demo guys could put together a demo manual... Perhaps the USPA could publish it?

[airtwardo 7]

For some reason all this stuff is a big secret and I had to really dig and search to get most of this info the hard way.

***

There is no "Big Secret"

It's just that every place is a little different.
Yes the 7711 'should' be filed 30 days in advance, but I've 'walked' them through with as little a 3 days notice...and depending on the area and the local FSDO office, many times a NOTAM isn't required, number of passes and exit altitude being factors.

And again, depending on the area and the FSDO...sometimes a google earth map isn't acceptable...they want a topographical map from the USGS with all the obstacles drawn on it and labeled.

Which is why I suggested Steve contact the local FSDO office and ASK what THEY require for this particular demo...

I'm glad you had someone help walk you through the procedures, but with the inter-net and a telephone...it's not really 'all that' much of a challenge.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riggerrob 643]

But, maybe you demo guys could put together a demo manual... Perhaps the USPA could publish it?

[airtwardo 7]

But, maybe you demo guys could put together a demo manual... Perhaps the USPA could publish it?

***

Again, it's no big secret, the information is all readily available with very little looking...

...and to be honest, your sig line states it best!

.:. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Confucius .:.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[steve1 5]

Quote

Can anyone give me any advice on this?

***

http://www.uspa.org/publications/SIM/2006SIM/section7.htm


On 2nd thought...do a bandit jump, we need a new scary story!

Hey that's a good point. It's been almost a year since my last near death experience!.....Steve1

[airtwardo 7]

Hey that's a good point. It's been almost a year since my last near death experience!.....Steve1


***

I got some GREAT bandit jump ideas....!


Entertaining for the kids AND you!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...I got some GREAT bandit jump ideas....!
Entertaining for the kids AND you!

Uh oh....

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[steve1 5]

Just thought I'd tell you, that we pulled off our demo yesterday. Our spot was a little long, and I probably should have opened higher. We had some long red streamers that we tied onto our harnesses after opening. The first thing I did was take my brakes off, which wasn't smart. It's a habit that I realized after doing it. My canopy turned while I was in the process of messing with this damn streamer, and I had a hard time looking down with my full face helmet to see where to tie this damn thing. By the time I got it fastened I had travelled down wind quite a ways with the brakes off. Does this sound like amateurs or what! But at any rate, we made it in and we were heroes for all the kids.

The only scary part of the demo was having to get on the micro-phone and talk in front of that many people. All in all it was a good experience, and maybe we'll do it again next year....Steve1

[SpectreDriver 0]

Don't know if anyone is watching this old thread anymore, but my local FAA "FSDO" is making some very firm judgements on the subject of Beach Landings in Texas.... and I'm trying to decide between fight or flight!

According to the AC-105, it is the "parachutists" responsibility to land in an "open area" that's "clear of spectators" which is the responsibility of the "ground crew". Easy!

But... they have decided (after only ONE visit, during SPRING BREAK mind you!) the beaches of Mustang Island aren't considered an "open area" anytime of year!

How do I fight this? I'm starting a DZ here and am being told I need the FAAs permission to land on the beach.

I feel like a Louisiana Fisherman: I wanna clean up some oil to save my business. I get told I need permission from the Feds to clean up the oil in the method I've chosen.

Ok, I'll ask permission. Permission denied. Have a nice day.... And my business dies.