Jumpers (was F*cking hell!!)

"Mike Isaksen" wrote in message
news:lhAWg.5278$ms1.4384@trndny05...
Gus, hope you don't mind that I cross posted this. The video is incredible
from the jumper perspective. I noticed the plane in the lower left of the
video frame,... and I remember the pilot mantra: if it aint movin in the
windshield, you will hit it.

Jumpers are the only real scary aviation experience I've had. Back in the
late 90's I was acting as safety pilot for a friend and we wanted to fly
the whole approach so we didn't get ATC involved. Well it was quite a
surprise to me when a half dozen chutes "appeared" about four miles ahead.
We never heard the jump plane's call on unicom! And we cleared the area
promptly.

FWIW,

There's a "little bit of skydiving" gg going on out in here in the desert
between Phoenix and Tucson but I don't think I've ever heard jump ops
talking on their airport's CTAF at the actual time of jumpers away. They're
either talking to Albuqurque Center or Tucson Approach.

Since that event I've permanently changed some of my routine vfr xc
habits:
1. I try to get flight following every time.

Ditto

2. I don't directly overfly airports on xc.

Ditto

3. I specifically look for and circle the para symbols enroute.

Double Ditto both enroute and during flight planning.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ