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At 07:13 AM 18-07-01, you wrote: >----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any >advice in this forum.]---- > >When we got to altitude and the skydivers started to jump out, I was >impressed at how skillfully the pilot kept the plane stabilized. It can't >be all that easy with the weight and balance changing so rapidly. After >all the jumpers finally got out, the best part started. Down we went at >3000fpm. That's 3 times as fast as I have ever descended before and I was >loving it. :-) The poor jump instructor, however, kinda freaked. I guess >he wasn't expecting such a rapid descent. He was frantically hitting the >pilot on the shoulder. Evidently the parachute I was wearing is supposed >to automatically deploy when the descent rate exceeds a certain speed and >we were over that line. Nothing happened, but it would have been rather >ackward if it had opened in the cabin. The jump instructor was really >worried about me otherwise too and started tapping me again after he had >words with the pilot. Again, I was having a great time and wished he >wouldn't keep tapping me. The only problem I had with descending quickly >is that the ride was over too soon. We use Caravans a lot over here in Australia for parachuting and only a few months ago just near where I fly a Caravan full of jumpers moved to the door to prepare to jump and one of the chutes deployed in the cabin. The chute went straight out the door and tangled on the tail plane with the jumper dangling behind. This load ripped the tail completely of the aircraft and the Caravan went out of control heading for the ground. The pilot yelled at the remaining jumpers to clear the aircraft which they did post haste then the pilot had to struggle from his seat back to the rear door which by now had jammed closed. Through superhuman strength he got the door opened and bailed out impacting the ground with the chute 95% deployed. Suffered minor injuries and was lucky not to get impacted by the Caravan as it crashed. The original jumper was killed. The part that amazes me was how did the pilot get to the rear door with the Caravan tumbling like it would with no tail assembly. The things you do when your neck is on the line. Puts a new light on that automatic deployment device on your chute. Brian Garrett Viewbank Australia Sonerai II VH-JGB Ercoupe 415C ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiLm.aVzvvT Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
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