A question about skydiving
 

Hi Folks,

I am trying to find out what are the most popular craft for skydiving?

If you can tell me what plane the club nearest you use that would be helpful, or if you know off hand what are the types used, but ideally I am looking for some stats (to back up my report).

And as a secondary question, how many jumping occupants does the plane usually permit.

Many Thanks,
Fionn

(mods: please feel free to move this question if it is in the wrong forum)

Some common types are: Cessna 182/185/206 with a jump door modification, C208, Skyvan and Twin Otter when the budget is a bit better. Other types are used too, like older King Air, and Navajo. Few aircraft are actually unsuitable.

There is a long FAA list of aircraft which are permitted to be a platform for jumpers.

thank you Step Turn, exactly the kinda list I was looking for, now I can go and read up on each model you have mentioned.

Might there be a CAA list of aircraft with jump approval? I do not see this as part of CAP 60 ( http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP660.PDF ).

any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.

Fionn

Pilatus (Turbo) Porters are quite popular, Cessna Caravans too.

At my former homefield they use a C206, with a turbine conversion, I think it carries the pilot plus six jumpers but cannot be sure.

In Eastern Europe I have seen An-2s, though these must be expensive to run with their rate of fuel burn, and Let L410s.

And I remember that at Ampuriabrava LEAP they use (among others) a twin Beech, a B200 perhaps. But then, that place claims to be Europe's busiest centre for skydiving.

Thanks Jan.

I have jumped from a Pilatus and my main thought was "How much is this costing?" (turboprop version)
I have also looked at the Cessna 182 and 185 and consider these to be the most cost effective.

I have also dispatched emails to locate the nearest one to me.

Thanks everyone :-)

Fionn

Dornier DO28 twin turboprop. Normally carries 15 jumpers. 15,000ft and down in 11min. We are the biggest operator of them in Europe.

Isn't that a typo? The venerable Do-28 is twin piston powered, and doesn't look like carrying 15 "passengers" (though people will do a lot, in sports).

Was by any chance a Do-228 being meant? That at least is a turboprop, and yes turboprops are highly wanted for PJE operations given their strong climb performance.

Do-28's can't be flying in great numbers, anymore. They might do well for PJE, though, if the cost of fuel burn and maintenance remains bearable.

No typo. Dornier DO28 Twin Turboprop. We have seven of them.....

...there is no end to learning, apparently.

Do 28 G.92
1995 conversion of Do 28D powered by two Walter Engines M601-D2 450 hp (340 kW) turboprops used for skydiving operations, seven built

I have a feeling I've jumped from one, quite a while ago I'll watch the footage to get the reg :)

:uhoh:Some have a lot to learn, even if they think they know it all. :rolleyes:

There are more than seven of them. Three are at least 10 to my knowledge with Walther engines and there are a couple with PT6 as I recall.

I have flown 7hrs in the last 24hrs......:ok:

Where do you operate from Bose?

All over Europe. We have our own DZs in UK, Spain and Portugal as well the military contracts. We also provide pilots and aircraft to DZs all over Europe and additionally all the training and testing of pilots on a variety of turboprops. Mostly done by me.

one little note on the subject of 'always learning'

I sometimes right click peoples usernames and let google perform a search for me. And today Jan Oliesagers I am glad I did :-)

What a remarkable history this chap had, often not bothering to fill in paperwork for kills behind enemy lines .... the stuff of legend.

I had always (wrongly) presumed Jan was your name (my apologies).

So Thanks for the history lesson.

Blue Skies

Fionn

[[ off topic ]] My pleasure, Fionn! Actually the nick was chosen in deliberate self-mockery: this chap Olieslagers was called "The Antwerp Daredevil" and for good reasons too - whereas myself am as scared as a pilot could be - on my first lessons I screamed my guts out, to the understandable annoyance of the instructor, in turns of more than 30 degrees. Loosing sight of the horizon before me still makes something go "click" between my ears, getting me close to a panic. Which is one reason I am not in a hurry to upgrade beyond my current mid-performance three-axis microlight.

Jan Olieslagers has a statue at the entrance of Antwerp Airport EBAW, he was one of the driving forces of its creation.
http://i.imgur.com/TqPW5tN.jpg