Parachuting at Elwood Park

[John Eacott]

Originally Posted by GTang

Busy airspace? What about the dropzone operation in amesterdam that operates out of their international airport?

This extract from AIC-B_EN 04/10 is interesting, especially the onus on the parachutist to give right of way to all other aircraft and to comply with VMC. Does a similar procedure exist here?

The parachutist is responsible for his own safety. However, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Defense formalized requirements for participation in the air with a parachute and also for the flight of the aircraft in which the parachutist is transported to the jumping area.
A parachute is a special aircraft according to Article 1a of the Air Traffic Order. It follows that the parachutist:

• shall meet the rules for the use of a parachute in the air;
• shall give right of way to all other aircraft, and
• will not endanger persons or property.

Parachuting is only allowed:

1. within a permanent or occasional parachute jumping area: a circular column with a radius of 3.7 km around the intended landing area;
2. after authorization by the pilot-in-command of the transporting aircraft;
3. within the daylight period (UDP) (AIP Netherlands GEN 2.7, www.ais-netherlands.nl). For a jump outside UDP a waiver can be obtained from the CAA-NL via the website www.ivw.nl; and
4. when the rules are met for flight visibility and minimum distance to clouds according to the minimum values for VFR operations in the respective class of airspace (AIP Netherlands ENR 1.2, www.ais-netherlands.nl).

The minimum VFR requirements for flight visibility and distance from clouds are also applicable to the parachutist. The parachutist must understand the rules for the airspace classes in which the jump is planned.
For example: a jump from above Texel will pass, from top to bottom: Nieuw Milligen TMA A class B airspace, class E airspace and uncontrolled class G airspace. This means at the moment of the jump a required flight visibility of at least 8 km between FL 150 and 3500 ft AMSL, and at least 1.5 km visibility for landing. The minimum distance from clouds is successively 1500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically in class B and class E airspace, and free of clouds and with ground or water in sight in class G airspace.

With regard to the VTC excerpt posted by Squawk7700, those blue dots following the coast comprise the published VFR Route. This is the recommended safe route for VFR aircraft, many of which are S/E helicopters for whom a direct track across the water is not a safe option, nor a desirable route if transiting between Essendon and Moorabbin. The VFR route has been designated for many, many years and now tracks directly through D342.

Originally Posted by peterc005

Training traffic going from YMMB via Albert Park Lake to YMEN might be a problem, but would more likely be inland of the drop zone.

Not at all: the designated departure points out of EN to MB will be via the MCG, the Bolte Bridge or the Westgate Bridge. None of these dictate a route east (inland) of D342. Plus most helicopters will take the coast at 700 feet to enter the MB area at the required altitude and join for the helipads on the west of the runways. Going inland subjects the residents to unnecessary noise and limits the forced landing options for both fixed and rotary aircraft. Hence the blue dots along the coast.

Originally Posted by Aussie Bob

A brightly coloured tandem parachute drifting down vertically is infinitely easier to see than another aircraft. Please, especially in this area, look out the window folks. Hopefully do it everywhere you are VFR.

Exhortations to look out and up for parachutes are all well and good, but the majority of drivers will be looking ahead and around. It's the nature of flying unless you're a steely eyed aluminium death tube driver with a head on a swivel.