On 2007-04-18 14:02:31 -0700, Erik said:

C J Campbell wrote:

Not that I have done this or given it much thought. :-)
Okay, I was a navigator/bombardier on C-130 Hercules planes, and had
one of the most consistently accurate drop records in our wing. But
aside from that....

So, bottom line, the only reason you need to know you are over an exact
point is indeed if you are going to drop something (or photograph
something straight down) and the way you tell you are there is to line
up on two objects in front -- so that they are line with each other --
and two objects in line with each other to the side. Roads work well.
So do utility lines, fences, buildings, and rows of crops or trees. Man
likes straight lines, and that makes it easier for other men to drop
things on him.

Hmmm. So my golf ball accuracy can become far better. So basically,
make crosshairs with landmarks, then calculate forward travel and
wind. Check.

My neighbor's car is in real trouble now.

Grasshopper, the acme of skill is not in hitting your neighbor's car
with a golf ball. The acme of skill is hitting the sunroof of your
neighbor's car with the golf ball.

Of course, when we lived in McCormick Woods, we had golf balls in our
driveway all the time. So we would not have noticed one dropped from an
airplane. A tomato, however...
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor