Originally Posted by
Neptunus Rex
Too many parachutists are wayward, ill-disciplined yahoos. Add to that the nervous bravado displayed by many, in order to appear macho before a jump (especially if there are girls around) and you have a recipe for disaster. I can just imagine them larking around in the back of the aircraft; the unfortunate pilot had no control over them and he will be castigated at the enquiry. They should all be strapped in, like any other passengers, until they are at a safe altitude.
One of my mates (JB) was dropping parachutists from a C182. The PJI was the last one out, and, for a joke, leaned over, withdrew the ignition key and took it with him. JB was now faced with a real forced landing, which he carried out immaculately.
JB beat the PJI to the ground, secured the aircraft and then beat the PJI to the ground!
tandem jumpers tend to be pretty serious guys - they have a lot of responsibility.
and to take the keys out of a 182 you have to lean over past the pilot, turn the mags off and pull the keys out - sounds like your mate wasn't paying attention. i've had the owner of a 172 ask how my forced landings were before pulling the mixture and jumping out. i thought if he wants me to descend with the engine shock cooling from 6000', then it's his plane not mine, so i left the mixture out and landed. as a CPL flying jumpers, a glide approach from high overhead the aerodrome is hardly pushing the limits of ability, and is hardly worthy of a 'beat to the ground'