Wearing parachutes

[Guest Redair]

Greetings each, another odd question for you all to ponder. I have found no evidence of the requirement for wearing a parachute in an ultralight, but is there anyone out there that does? And if not, what does everyone think about the idea of wearing one? That is to say, is it worth it? Would there be time to use one, or are ultralights just far safer than gliders, with their parachute requirements?!! Your thoughts please.

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I do wear a chute at times. usually when i go on a dedicated thermaling flight. it is just a old jump rig with a lightweight round canopy. i'll get a proper slimpack type container one day. but i see it as cheap insurance. it's getting pretty crowded above the Hunter lately. don't really care about requirerments or such. i have it, so makes sense to wear it when i'm above try hight.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Hi Redair, That's a question all pilots ponder from time to time.

 

From over 20 years of flying Ultralights, Spam cans and a little Helicopter cattle mustering, I've come to the conclussion that personal backpack parachutes are of little use to me in the types of flying I do, and the types of aircraft I use.

 

The main problem I see with personal parachutes are they need time/altitude and/or a relativly controlable aircraft, plus an aircraft that you can get out of - either an open cockpit or an inflight emergency removable canapy or door.

 

As far as I am aware, no Ultralight aircraft are designed with in flight pilot departure in mind. You will have to fly a Drifter if you want to bail out - and you will need to fly it at a safe jump hight.

 

HPD

 

 

[Yenn]

If there was a catastrophic failure of the airframe, a chute would be a wonderful option, but in my plane there is not enough space. I believe most aircraft would be OK to get out of, given the urgency of the situation.

 

Personally I am happy to run the risk as most aircraft stay in one piece unless they have been abused.

 

One thing to consider is when was the chute packed. They need to be popped every so often and re packed and hopefully you can do that yourself.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I've done a few jumps from the Glassshouse and early Gemini. except for haveing to step around the rear wire, no one had a problem. a few jumps were done back then by different people except for the time when a experiment with varible aft cg conditions went a bit iffy for a little while. leave that for another day.

 

greatest waste is going in with a packed parachute,

 

and never ever ever EVER give up!

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

"Aft C of G" - I'd heard storys of a Drifter pilot who took his "Falling Fool" mate for a jump. Apparently his mate jumped from the front seat and the Drifter pilot encountering unexpected problems, had to (in flight) climb around to the front seat to regain control. I put this down to a fancifull story - though now I wonder if it was true. :big_grin:

 

 

[Guest mudjeep]

I don't want to take the thread off topic, but are there any rules against passengers jumping out with a parachute? I'm talking non commercial of course. It's just that I have a friend who is highly experienced and has said that she would love to jump out of my plane when I get it. And she hasn't even seen me fly yet! ;)

 

Jason

 

 

[Admin]

There is possibly some rule that prevents you as the pilot from jumping out of your plane ;)

 

 

[storchy neil]

first make sure the remote is woking neil

 

 

[rick-p]

There is possibly some rule that prevents you as the pilot from jumping out of your plane ;)

Yes, there is, Ian it's called commonsense, despite popular belief it's not quite dead yet.:;)3:

 

It behoves me as to why anybody would jump out of a perfectly good aircraft.

 

I liken it to the same thing as swimming with sharks or restling crocodiles not much mileage in it.;)

 

Rick-p

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

unless there is something specific in the raaus regs. the requierments for paraops are pretty straightforward. 100hrs total time for the pilot. the APF jump pilot course' and door off approval for the aircraft. if it has one. plus a 2 minute call before drop and carry a knife and applicable plackards for the cockpit. wear a rig and know how to use it.

 

most jump aircraft are not 'perfectly good aircraft' (ditto pilots) i have no hesitation 'going for help'.

 

if i had a dollar for every wise ass remark from a 'wuffo', i'd own a twin otter by now.

 

wish they would come up with something better than the usual lines.

 

becoming a jump pilot you will learn how to fly very precisley, maintain good managment skills for the aircraft. poor takeoffs, slow rate of climbs and decents, cracking cyl heads, running out of fuel and scareing the crap out of jumpers will not get you any beers at the bar. you will learn about gross weight takeoffs on hot summer days, aft cg in thin air just above stall, decents near vne and how to do really good landings and do it three times an hour. some peoples madness = some peoples gains.

 

"opening shock" what you feel when you crack a VB at 4am

 

recommended reading

 

Into the Silk

 

story of the Irvin Parachute Company and entries from their famous Cattapillar Club

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Hello Ozzie, The wise ass remarks are probably to cover our fear of attempting it. :ah_oh:

 

I've got the book on order.

 

Can you expand on the comment ..."and know how to use it". I assume that succesful deployement is the final in a sequence of events. HPD.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Skyhog would be more qualified to comment on this as he is /was an instructor. but i'll offer some basics.

 

if you have an emergency type of parachute it does make some sort of sense to know some basics like how the components work. how to protect the pins so to avoid any form of premature deployment. location of the ripcord. is it difficult to locate. will the harness move when you pull it. if you have to use it how do you remove your safety belt and make your escape. if you could not have your hand on the handle on exit can you find it in freefall. where are the steering toggles located, how do you land one? If you happen to have to go thru the stressful decision of bailing out you can bet their will be a lot of activity and some need for real quick decision making IE Realise, Analize, and use your emergency training to take the apropriate action. and you have to do it fast. doing a first jump course will help you develope these skills. These and sensory overload are addressed during your first jump. IE how to keep your brain opperating under periods of intense stress.

 

after all that no matter what your training or equipment a high speed life threating situation is usually a suck it and see process. following procedures is usually a good start tho.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Yenn]

No it is not like swimming with sharks or wrestling crockodiles. That is more like bungy jumping.

 

When you jump from am aeroplane you are making the decisions and your skill will be the telling factor. Not just Luck.

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Thanks for the replies. I do hope that I have not sarted a small war between those that do, those that don't and those who think that jumping from a serviceable aircraft is just stupid! My question was to see if wearing a parachute, (in an ultralight) for emergency situations was a good idea, or worthwhile. I do not intend to start skydiving from an ultralight. I am however, guilty of jumping from other serviceable aircraft in the past, so have a fair idea about how to use them.

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Hello Redair, You should have said you were a "Falling Fool" in the first place. It would have given us a better idea of where you taking the thread.

 

Will this be tying into the "Ballistic parachute" and "Whats going wrong in Rec Av lately" threads ? Perhaps a direct comparision of the two systems may be the way to go.

 

 

[Skyhog]

Firstly,don't knock it unless you've tried it!!

 

People that don't like the idea of skydiving are the same as people that don't like taildraggers(they just look and say it's too hard/scary or have tried it and weren't any good at it so they bag it).

 

People say that you have a death wish,If that is so,why did I choose to live 2800+ times including reacting to 5 main parachute malfunctions resulting in reserve rides(1 with a tandem passenger on the front of me)?

 

I have not jumped out of a plane for over 5 years but not because I don't like it,but for financial reasons(buying farms,drought,thruster,kids).

 

I have always said that everybody should do it once and hopefully one day I will again.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

skyhog you own a thruster, have a pilot for a wife, and a rig under your bed. hmmmmm

 

 

[Skyhog]

Good point Ozzie but my skydiving licence has expired and the wife hasn't flown the thruster yet,but the thought of wrestling my way through a reserve repack is enough to stop it happening(for now anyway).

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Skyhog, you're a Farmer as well - now, that really is a foolish thing to do

 

I suffer from the same foolishness - Farming that is. HPD

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Hello Redair, You should have said you were a "Falling Fool" in the first place. Falling Fool? I've NEVER fallen from an aircraft... jumped, tumbled and even hopped, but never fallen!!! Jumping out of planes won't hurt you... but the sudden stop at the bottom might!!!!:big_grin:

 

Redair.

[Skyhog]

HPD,it seems as if farming is a foolish idea at the moment,as you earn less than a skydiving instructor(which is little),but instead of seeing very excited and happy people every day we have to deal with drought/debt.But I really wouldn't want my life any other way right now as we have 2 great kids that can step outside the house and ride motorbikes,learn to drive,come for a fly in our plane etc.It really is a great advantage to have 4000+ acres to ourselves.

 

Redair,good to see that you are one that has seen the light and given it a go(more than a couple of times by the sound of it),good onya mate!!

 

 

[facthunter]

Jumping out.

 

One thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet is that after an in-flight structural failure the aircraft is not flying normally. If you've done aerobatics you will experience the sort of dynamic loads which can prohibit you lifting your arm up, let alone unbuckling the seat belt and opening doors and lifting yourself out of the aeroplane with a chute on your back. Then you have to fall clear without hitting any solid part of the aircraft and wires, when the aircraft is possibly spiralling, spinning or tumbling,or in an overspeed dive. Not so easy. Aerobatic aircraft have jettisonable doors. (1) and recommend chutes.. N.....

 

 

[Guest Redair]

One thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet is that after an in-flight structural failure the aircraft is not flying normally. If you've done aerobatics you will experience the sort of dynamic loads which can prohibit you lifting your arm up, let alone unbuckling the seat belt and opening doors and lifting yourself out of the aeroplane with a chute on your back. Then you have to fall clear without hitting any solid part of the aircraft and wires, when the aircraft is possibly spiralling, spinning or tumbling,or in an overspeed dive. Not so easy. Aerobatic aircraft have jettisonable doors. (1) and recommend chutes.. N.....

But there would be no point trying to get out WITHOUT a chute on your back:laugh:

 

Redair.

 

PS, aerobatics... been there done that! The secret is, always know which way is up, and turn your head like a ballet dancer. Mind you, if I HAD needed to jump out, I would have got some odd looks floating down to earth in a Tu-tu!!!!!!

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Sounds like you were over dressed Redair. From stories I hear, there are some jumpers doing it nude - now that's brass monkey stuff. HPD