At it again
Skydivers into D314 (Elwood/Moran Reserve) yesterday morning at about 09.20 local...
MB Metar - BKN032
EN Metar - BKN030
From my vantage point it was a solid, stable cloud mass with no variation in base.
When the 3 chutes emerged from the cloud (I didn't see if they were already open), the Williamstown float plane was just over the coast at Point Ormond - and directly in the same airspace at exactly the same time. My estimation of separation >0.5NM
So apart from the lunacy of having parachutes so close to busy traffic lanes and Class D reporting point, I thought:
1. they had to be under canopy by 3000' AGL; and
2. they have to be out of the cloud before the chutes open.
I can't see how they accomplished both of these...
Not to mention that from 3000' I can't image they have much ability to track for the DZ if the drop is slightly off target or the winds not as expected. Given they're aiming for a football oval with houses/roads/trees/powerlines one side and the ocean on the other, doesn't seem to be the wisest option.
I believe it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong with this operation....
UTR