bigbearfng 18 #1 October 26, 2004 Today on our last load-first out a 3way, then me and a partner on a 2way, then FF's. Yes really looked out the door-no other air traffic visible. Everyone exited. My partner and I tracked off, pulled at 3000ft. After opening there's a small plane-Cessna (est. by my partner-I saw it later) about 100ft. passing under him. Our pilot and other folk on the ground saw him flying near open canopies too. Yup, yelled at, new pilot, all shook up then and blew his approach.... I'm just looking/hoping for ideas to use to help spot these things...short of assigning someone on the jump to look out for aircraft approaching while in freefall. I've read the statements about seeing an airplane while spotting on jumprun; however those statements seem to apply to a nice clear day; which it wasn't today-Scattered clouds at about 6000ft, and the plane was just toolin' along below them.... Thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 October 26, 2004 Assume your average speed in freefall is about 120 mph. Assume that even a slow airplane can travel at roughly 120 mph. This means that everywhere inside a cone out to at least 45 degrees from straight down has the possibility of having an aircraft in it pointed at where you're about to jump. Consider how most people spot -- looking straight down. Straight down probably isn't where your traffic is.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #3 October 26, 2004 Don't forget to look back under the plane too as an aircraft could be coming from that direction too. -- Hot Mama At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #4 October 26, 2004 Check out Article #1 (Looking For Traffic) at: http://ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htmTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wuffo 1 #5 October 28, 2004 It's called the "big sky theory". What that means is, because it's such a "big sky", that you "probably" will never run into an airplane while skydiving. VFR pilots who operate on low visibility days operate by the same theory. Look before you leap; you'll "probably" be OK. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
