OK let's not get too carried away here. My orginal post questioned whether meatbombs dropping through a 900' ceiling over a GA aerodrome was "kosher". I did indeed suggest in a subsequent post that it "seems crazy" - whether legal or not.
I have not yet been convinced that I need to change my opinion.
FullySickBro - indeed canopies may be able to "decend in holes with a circumference far less than that required for an aircraft", but that does not get around the fact that dropping through a hole at 900' over an active airfield might present some safety issues.
ContactMeNow - I doubt the aircraft was on an IFR plan, but that is a different issue to meatbombs dropping through cloud (or holes) to a 900' ceiling.
Spinnerhead - 1) I am sure the aircraft had ATC approval to drop (I have heard their operations many times before., however, my understanding is that that clearance relates to the Class C airspace above 6500' and I suspect Center not having any SSR paints in the area of the airfield. They would not get primary returns from this location.
2) He would have got IFR traffic (including me)
3) I would be surprised if the aircraft did not have at least a hand held GPS
4) The aerodrome has an NDB
5) The canopies appearred maybe 10 minutes after I had landed
6) Did NOT have to tell my pax "how friggin good" I am - cause I was by myself and it only took a minute to tell "George" "how friggin good" he is. Enough detail for you?
wizard of oz - this aerodrome is used for GA, training, sports aircraft and ultralights
romeocharlie - you will figure from the above that it is YIFL I am talking about. As for "all parachute aircraft in the tropics are informed about all traffic", don't you mean all "known" traffic?
Lefthanded Rock Thrower - are you suggesting that it is OK for a Cresco to spiral down out of a hole into the circuit at 900'?
"an IFR arrival will definately be in radio contact with a parchuting aircraft" - True, and I was, and I assume that the meat bombs were held until I called on the ground to cancel my SARWATCH.
but I am not talking about me here!
So we have established that the meat bomber was aware of all known traffic, and the meat bombs descended, via a hole in the otherwise solid overcast that was large enough to spiral a Cresco (full reverse in flight!) through, into the clear at 900" above the aerodrome!
Thanks to all. I thought for a minute there might have been a safety issue here! Clearly I was coming from a position of ignorance! The aerodrome looked pretty glagged in when I arrived and almost as glagged in when I left 45 min later - but what would I know!
R