On May 12, 4:06 pm, "mike regish" wrote:
http://www.comcast.net/news/national...STIC&fn=/2007/...

My thoughts and prayers for the families and friends now dealing with
the loss.

The plane involved was a Cessna 182, an aircraft normally certificated
for four persons. If (and I understand this is a huge if) initial
press reports are correct, there were two instructor jumpers and two
student jumpers aboard with plans for them to make tandem jumps. So
in addition to those four, there had to be a pilot - for a total of 5
souls aboard. I know it is likely that the passenger seats were
removed and that if the plane carrying reduced fuel, it could have
been under gross (not taking into account of density altitude).

A question to the group: What waivers or STC's or similar provisions
are available to allow a jump plane to operate in this manner? I am
not questioning the rationale of such things since jump aircraft do
operate safely the vast majority of the time and we have NO
substantive information for the reason(s) for this mishap. I just
wondered.

take care . . .

John