WATCH OUT FOR FALLING BODIES Harry Leicher, ATP, CFII USPA PRO Rated Skydiver 2004 Western Pacific CFI of the Year (310)

2 Places to Avoid

3 Localizers Departure Paths Published Aerobatic Areas DROP ZONES!!!

4 Nature of Skydiving Activities Exits from Planes 2,000 to 13,500 AGL Reported to ATC “MSL” Perris & Elsinore, 4,000 to 15,000 MSL

5 Nature of Skydiving Activities Parachutes open from exit altitude down to 2,000 AGL -- Perris & Elsinore 15,000 MSL to 3,500 MSL

6 Nature of Skydiving Activities Jump Aircraft want to get back down quickly to pick up the next load

7 Nature of Skydiving Activities Radio Communications with ATC and CTAF’s required by FAR’s Many operations have LOA’s including climb and descent corridors, call signs, transponder codes

8 Nature of Skydiving Activities 24 Hours a Day

9 Nature of Skydiving Activities Distance around DZ –Usually exit upwind of the target –Sometimes many groups on a pass, spread over a large line

10 Nature of Skydiving Large groups may spread out over a mile in diameter before opening parachutes

11 See and Be Seen Limitations Visibility and clearance from cloud requirements –Basically same as for aircraft under VFR 3-152’s 5 F-111’s Oblique view from above or below can be misleading

12 See and Be Seen Limitations Transient pilot limitations –Probably not looking up –Difficulty in seeing plane 2 miles above –Almost impossible to see jumpers in freefall

13 See and Be Seen Limitations –Drop Zone may not be on an airport

14 See and Be Seen Limitations –Drop Zones are often on small airports, difficult to see unless you are familiar with the area

15 See and Be Seen Limitations Jumper Limitations –Difficult to see under plane due to side door or tailgate

16 See and Be Seen Limitations –Delay between “climb out” and exit

17 See and Be Seen Limitations –Up to 70 seconds in free fall –Course changes by transient aircraft –Possible Emergency Exits

18 Possible Emergency Exits

19 Airport Operations Private Airports –Perris, –Elsinore, –Nichols Field Public Airports –Taft, –Lompoc, –Eloy, AZ –Jean

20 Airport Operations Normal Practices, Communications Location of Parachute Landing Area to Fixed Wing Traffic Pattern May also be gliders and ultralights at the field Helicopters are to “avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic”

21 Airport Operations

22 Locating Skydiving Activities Charted DZ’s (Parachute Symbol on Chart) –Symbol may not be over the exact parachute landing area –Difficult to see on cluttered chart –DZ’s may open between chart cycles AFD

23 Locating Skydiving Activities We Still Need Paper Charts

24 Locating Skydiving Activities Not included in most electronic Databases

25 Locating Skydiving Activities NOTAM’s -- Exhibition Jumps

26 Locating Skydiving Activities NOTAM’s –Temporary Drop Zones

27 Locating Skydiving Activities NOTAM’s !LAX 04/002 LAX PJE 3NMR LAX035013/DODGER STADIUM 2500/BLW WEF _ !POC 03/005 POM PJE 5NMR POM /BLW WEF !POC 03/005 POM PJE 5NMR POM /BLW WEF !RAL 03/048 PDZ PJE 5NMR PDZ /BLW WEF !RAL 03/048 PDZ PJE 5NMR PDZ /BLW WEF !RAL 08/001 ELB PJE 1NMR ELB /BLW WEF _ RAL 09/068 HDF PJE 2 NMR HDF220001/L /BLW DLY WEF

28 Locating Skydiving Activities TFR’s ******** FDC NOTAMs ******** ! FDC 2/2370 ZLA CA.. TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION, ANAHEIM,CA. DUE TO THE U.S. NAVY LEAP FROG PARACHUTE DEMONSTRATION EFFECTIVE UTC UNTIL UTC AND UTC UNTIL UTC. PURSUANT TO CFR , AIRCRAFT FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN A ONE NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF ANAHEIM STADIUM LOCATED AT N/ W, THE SEAL BEACH /SLI/ VORTAC 068 DEGREE RADIAL AT 8.5 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE SURFACE UP TO AND INCLUDING 6000 FT MSL. BM1 TED BAIR, PHONE 619_437_2820, IS THE POINT OF CONTACT. RIVERSIDE /RAL/ AFSS, PHONE 909_351_8419, IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY.

29 ATC and other Communications Regulated by FAR 105 –Center or Approach Control –Tower –Unicom or CTAF –DZ (Company Frequency) –“Air Boss” at Airshows

30 Collision Statistics (Good News, Not Many) (Bad News, Fatalities) Non-Skydivng Aircraft –C-130 Reported “Bird Strike” (CA, US ) –Jumper suffered broken ankle, Archer lost Vertical Stabilizer (MA, US) –Jumper Collided with Glider (UK)

31 Collision Statistics (Good News, Not Many) (Bad News, Fatalities) Skydiving Involved Aircraft –Christen Eagle at Air Show hit Opening Parachute –Two Airplane “Formation Load,” jumper from lead airplane collided with trail airplane

32 Stay Away Unless You Know What You’re Doing

33 Summary and Recommendations Plan Your Flight –Be aware of jump activities along your route –Determine ATC facility from which advisories may be received –Specifically ask “Are any jump planes in the air?” –Listen for “2 minutes to jump,” “Jumpers away and descending.”

34 Summary and Recommendations If unable to establish communication with ATC, at least monitor the frequency Try Unicom or CTAF for Airport with Skydiving Activities Avoid by 5 miles Don’t fly over the DZ trying to locate it

35 Summary and Recommendations If planning to land at an airport with skydiving activities, make a phone call to become aware of recommended arrival procedures

36 Last Words If you call sitting in an airplane “Flying,” do you call sitting in a boat “Swimming?” So, if you really want to “Fly,”

37 GET OUT OF THE PLANE!