How crowded is the airspace near you local DZ

[Broke 0]

A discussion in the incidents forum made me think about this. I was at my local DZ the other day, and realized it is busy then again look at where I am and what is in close proximity.
We Have JFK, LGA, and ISP as the major airports nearby. As well as numerous smaller Airports. Off the top of my head there is Republic, Gabreski, Mattituck, Montauk, Spedarro, and I am sure there are a bunch more I just pulled those out of the top of my head.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[tombuch 0]

Check out http://www.passur.com/sites.htm. It's a cool site for a company that provides real time traffic maps of major airports. The maps can zoom from 10 miles to 80 miles, so if your drop zone is within 80 miles of a covered airport you can actually see the activity level overhead at any time. Covered airports include 3 in the LA area, San Jose, all the NY Port Authority airports, White Plains, Boston, Boca Ratan.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[popsjumper 2]

We're poor, old country folk...not a lot of traffic around except for the glider club on the airport.

They are quite enough traffic, thank you...especially when they fly in our airspace (it happens so often that you just have to think that they purposely fly upwind of the DZ where we have to set up our opening point) and when they come over and do 360s right in the middle of a group of canopies.
Dumbasses.

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

[mark 107]

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They are quite enough traffic, thank you...especially when they fly in our airspace (it happens so often that you just have to think that they purposely fly upwind of the DZ where we have to set up our opening point) and when they come over and do 360s right in the middle of a group of canopies.

It is not your airspace. It is airspace shared by all general aviation, of which skydiving is a part. Attempts to carve out a special airspace for each special interest is a losing proposition to all. The glider folks can reasonably argue that they need to be closer to the airport for safety, but skydivers can land elsewhere. Is that the solution you'd prefer?

As for gliders being upwind of the airport, they are upwind for the same reason skydivers are.

And as for gliders flying in the vicinity of canopies, that is an education thing. The problem can be reduced (though never completely eliminated) by conversation and cooperation with the glider folks. You don't want glider pilots flying near canopies, fine. They don't want skydivers landing on parked gliders. We can all get along.

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Dumbasses.

You're talking about me and my friends. Good thing you still have time to edit your post.

Mark
CFI-G

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Pacific Skydivers is located on the Pitt Meadows airport (CYPK). It has a class three ATC tower with a control zone up to 3000'. Above that is class 'C' space associated with the Vancouver International Airport Terminal Control Zone. Arriving traffic descend to 5000' as they cross the Pitt Meadows VOR beacon located about 2000' from the edge of the landing area (the jets go directly over the DZ at about 6000'). Pitt meadows has parallel runways and a cross. Runway 26 right (the shorter runway) is closed when canopies are in the air as we land about 100' from the end of the runway. The only exception is when it is too windy for the gliders to use the cross runway. Then ATC has to coordinate between glider landings and canopy windows.
There are five flight schools located on the airport.
So, is that what you would call busy?

[billvon 3,063]

>Republic, Gabreski, Mattituck, Montauk, Spedarro, and I am sure
>there are a bunch more I just pulled those out of the top of my head.

Let me guess - you're at Skydive Long Island? (BTW I think it's Spadaro's - which is where SLI was when I was jumping there.)

[Ugali 0]

did some jumps at wilson airport in nairobi, it was busy as hell, spinning props everwhere planes taking off and landing constantly, landing on the runway or taxi ways was a sure way to bugger yourself.

Tom, Tom Tom, Tommy, Tom Love

[Broke 0]

So I am a horrid speller, so sue me. I know there are a few more airports on Long Island I just can't think of them all. On a really nice day you can see a lot of a/c from the ground.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[popsjumper 2]

Whoa! Touched a button, eh?

Since you have no clue, I'll fill you in.
There is a standing verbal agreement, in place for years, between the two entities that they fly one place, we fly another...hence, the skydiver space and the glider space. The idea is for as much horizontal separation as possible. And it works well.

It is a winning proposition until some of the glider pilots choose to ignore that agreement. Discussions with those pilots has become tiresome because they use your logic, "It is not your airspace. It is airspace shared by all general aviation". While this is true in the general sense, standing on this proposition in total disregard for safety is something else....

We do our best to avoid those specific pilots by adjusting our opening points as much as possible away from where they are flying on a given day.

Gliders flying in close proximity to canopies is not a good idea. The problem remains because of the attitudes of certain glider pilots who know better.

Oh..and one other thing...at your club, do you glider pilots purposely park your trailers in the middle of a parachute landing zone? Do you do that even though you have acres of space surrounding your own cluhouse?

Yep...glider pilots who blatantly and wantonly disregard basic safety issues are not smart. You probably have a couple at your own club...judging by the post you made, maybe one of them is you, but i'm just guessing.

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