Skydivers-Flight ops manual
- especially if the remaining ones are on the Pilot side!!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk
Last time I had anything to do with jumping from a helicopter, the aircraft had to have a supplement in the Flight manual detailing any necessary mods, the pilot had to be approved by the BPA & tested by a BPA examiner and the helicopter's operating company had to have an approved section in their Operations Manual detailing the training required and the Supplementary Line Check.
I can recall doing a pilot's checkout as a BPA examiner, signing the supplementary line check form as the company line check captain and then diving over the side. Not awfully comfortable as it takes longer to reach free fall velocity and proper control.
I can recall doing a pilot's checkout as a BPA examiner, signing the supplementary line check form as the company line check captain and then diving over the side. Not awfully comfortable as it takes longer to reach free fall velocity and proper control.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: 55 degrees north ish.
I can put you in touch with a BPA authorised pilot, who can advise on the current regs.
Pm me for an email address is you like.
I have jumped from maybe 10 different helicopters, probably over 30 heli jumps and if the pilot is experienced in dropping skydivers it doesn't matter how you exit, I've done every version of an exit mentioned here, single, double, even 3 at once.
Waving at the pilot of a Lynx 8000ft over Scotland through his window is fun too!
Helicopter jumps are novel and kinda fun for the first few, but they are very expensive from a jumpers point of view.
Pm me for an email address is you like.
I have jumped from maybe 10 different helicopters, probably over 30 heli jumps and if the pilot is experienced in dropping skydivers it doesn't matter how you exit, I've done every version of an exit mentioned here, single, double, even 3 at once.
Waving at the pilot of a Lynx 8000ft over Scotland through his window is fun too!
Helicopter jumps are novel and kinda fun for the first few, but they are very expensive from a jumpers point of view.
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 118
Likes: 1
From: North America
It looks the guys at Elikos in the Italian Alps do it on occasion....
Helicopter video - Elikos Srl - Val Gardena Dolomites South Tyrol Italy
Helicopter video - Elikos Srl - Val Gardena Dolomites South Tyrol Italy
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 196
Likes: 1
From: UK
The exit is the easy part. They will sometimes hang on to the side, hang off the skids, and pull faces from the outside at you including the front window. I have found the the jumpers prefer not to be in the hover and min pwr speed is generally a good speed for exit or slightly slower. Once they jump what about the doors? If you have someone in the cabin that didnt jump all well and good. If you have to descend with the doors open then learn from the mistakes of others, they are plenty. Soundproofing, headsets, seat cushions, charts etc can all exit during a proloned descent. Secure everything. Maintain balance during the descent, the cabin buffeting is less if the doors are off or open.
If you are on your own, be prepared to be 'apprehensive' once they exit, it gets easier with subsequent jumps. Pay attention to the potential of hypoxia, particularly the first few jumps over 8000'.
Best piece of advice; the last jump of the day is the most dangerous or potentially where the most screw-ups occur. I dont know why, it just is.
If you are on your own, be prepared to be 'apprehensive' once they exit, it gets easier with subsequent jumps. Pay attention to the potential of hypoxia, particularly the first few jumps over 8000'.
Best piece of advice; the last jump of the day is the most dangerous or potentially where the most screw-ups occur. I dont know why, it just is.
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,605
Likes: 6
From: UK
With our jumps the aircraft was always door less and seatcushionless. The jumpers would buckle the belts before jumping.
Though on one jump the rear bulkhead cover did become loose and fly out the door. not enough velcro.
Though on one jump the rear bulkhead cover did become loose and fly out the door. not enough velcro.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 243
Likes: 3
From: London
I'm also an active skydiver. For reference, the AAD (Automatic Activation Device) for a reserve canopy will fire at approximately 750 feet AGL if exceeding a speed of 78mph vertically. This would equate to over 6800 fpm on the VSI and I doubt anyone on here lands a helicopter that aggressively. If interested in how these work, have a search for “Airtec Cypres AAD” which is the most common and prevalent brand. Also of note, is that for most skydiving rigs, the jumper would have to take his rig off to turn off the ADD (without someone else’s assistance) which would be quite difficult in smaller helicopters.
I haven’t read this report, but something went wrong with the AAD or they had a problem with the reserve closing loop.
I haven’t read this report, but something went wrong with the AAD or they had a problem with the reserve closing loop.
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania, USA
Ah, those were the days.....
Like Geordie I have jumped from helicopters, I was an instructor who checked pilots out. I used a company at Goodwood Airfield. Great chap who owned the company good to work with and great pilots too, I think one of the pilot's name was James.
Nothing wrong with waving at the pilot through the front windscreen.(LOL) Must agree with the departure though. We practiced to be smooth, whether it was 2 at a time or dependant on height all 4 together.
Also in a later life dispatched jumpers from a Bell 47 for a local jump center, only 1 at a time.If they stood out on the skid for too long and it was a getting a tad interesting handling, its amazing a slight right tap on the cyclic and they were away.
What great fun though
Nothing wrong with waving at the pilot through the front windscreen.(LOL) Must agree with the departure though. We practiced to be smooth, whether it was 2 at a time or dependant on height all 4 together.
Also in a later life dispatched jumpers from a Bell 47 for a local jump center, only 1 at a time.If they stood out on the skid for too long and it was a getting a tad interesting handling, its amazing a slight right tap on the cyclic and they were away.
What great fun though
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: West Africa
Why learn to jump from a perfectly good aircraft......maybe one day the aircraft is not so perfectly good !!
In Australia the pilot must wear a chute as well.....just incase.
I always liked that rule.
HF
In Australia the pilot must wear a chute as well.....just incase.
I always liked that rule.
HF
Joined: Aug 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 83
From: Gold Coast, Australia
Originally Posted by helofan
In Australia the pilot must wear a chute as well
Are you quoting regs, or a local rule? I've only come across that with stiff wing operations, never with helicopters.There have been threads on this before, and the issue that I have with jumping from helicopters is: never, never allow them to go from the same side as the pilot. Doors off on the non pilot side only, then there is less chance of loading to out of tolerance lateral CG.
One of my 206's was turned over by the left side pair of jumpers pushing off, while the right side pair stayed on the skids. The pilot elected to keep the roll going, and had no idea when the right side pair departed, nor how they avoided the rotors. The pre jump briefing had stressed all the correct techniques, especially to depart equally (one per side, at the same time) and to step off, not to jump nor to push away from the airframe. Waste of bl**dy time, that was!
Immediate grounding and mast inspection, but a lesson learned. Ops Manual amended to prohibit removal of the pilot side doors during parachute operations
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 0
From: Cornwall
Para - madness
In the old days of the FAA (and AVGAS fueled choppers) it was compulsory to wear a chute if you were planning an extended flight over 3000 feet. If you think that's daft remember we spend most of our time below 200 feet so 3 grand looks a long way up.
Dropping display skydivers at the Game Fair (from a 206) I learnt the hard way that they need to be briefed NOT to push off on the skids! As they went out left, right, left right I thought it would all turn pearshaped. Fortunately the rocking motion subsided and I got a shiver down my spine watching them disappear earthwards followed by that eary feeing of emptiness and wind-blown maps. An interesting experience.
G.
Dropping display skydivers at the Game Fair (from a 206) I learnt the hard way that they need to be briefed NOT to push off on the skids! As they went out left, right, left right I thought it would all turn pearshaped. Fortunately the rocking motion subsided and I got a shiver down my spine watching them disappear earthwards followed by that eary feeing of emptiness and wind-blown maps. An interesting experience.
G.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: France
jumping into the sea from a helicopter
As probably THE most inexperienced helicopter pilot on this site, and indeed the most inexperinced user of forums I wonder if anyone could tell me if it is possible to drop someone into the sea from a Schwiezer 300. I have seen it done from an R44 but am interested in getting training/advice on this procedure. The passenger would not need to be retrieved from the sea?
Thanks
Thanks
