Hypothetical situation - you witness a chute deployment in the air

BigBadLou

BigBadLou

Final Approach
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So here is a hypothetical situation. Or for some of you possibly a past event.

You are flying around (let's say for a hamburger) and you notice a chute being deployed in the air (let's say safely distant from your airplane). There is no parachute jumping in the area (to your knowledge) and the Center controller (let's assume you are on FF) did not announce any jumps to you and you didn't hear a jump pilot announce "meatbombs away". And let's also assume that the chute is carrying a human, not a Cirrus.

What goes through your head and what actions do you take?
 
Hey, look a skydiver. Better stay clear.
 
Demo jump is the most likely answer, rogue(no notam) demo into a backyard BBQ is second most likely. Big tower nearby. Glider/acro pilot making an insurance claim. Probably not a big deal people use parachutes all the time for all sorts of fun. Type of parachute matters. If it is a round parachute then it is almost certainly glider/acro plane related and perhaps taking a look see would be the neighborly thing to do. Square parachute is someone having fun, MYOB time.
 
I saw something like that once. Many years ago, I was on the ground. Looked up, saw a single skydiver, but no aircraft. This was in Ft. Leavenworth, KS, ('78? '79'?)

There was a big 82nd Airborne exercise scheduled a couple days later, and part of that training involved dropping guys "behind enemy lines". Maybe there was a NOTAM, I dunno. It was still pretty cool though to see what might have been a HALO jump.
 
Lou, because this involves a burger is the guy that pulled the chute you?
 
Report it. It could be a skydiver, or an emergency. Or perhaps both. If Center doesn't already know, it's not routine. Someone may be injured and need help.

And of course steer clear.
 
I'd key the mic....."Bryan.....iz dat you?":rofl: :goofy:
 
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MAKG1 said:
Report it. It could be a skydiver, or an emergency. Or perhaps both. If Center doesn't already know, it's not routine. Someone may be injured and need help.

And of course steer clear.
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To who? How would that be actionable?
 
Phoenix said:
Demo jump is the most likely answer, rogue(no notam) demo into a backyard BBQ is second most likely. Big tower nearby. Glider/acro pilot making an insurance claim. Probably not a big deal people use parachutes all the time for all sorts of fun. Type of parachute matters. If it is a round parachute then it is almost certainly glider/acro plane related and perhaps taking a look see would be the neighborly thing to do. Square parachute is someone having fun, MYOB time.
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That, circle around a couple times and see if you see any smoke anywhere, also if you can tell if it's a round or a ram air (square) canopy, if it's a round I might tell ATC, ram air, probably a planned jump.
 
File a ASRS report and disclose on your next medical.
 
Since you're already on FF, I'd let them know. They'd be able to warn other pilots in the area and that's probably about all you need to worry about. I'd keep my eyes PEELED for the rest of the flight through that area though.
 
Brad Z said:
To who? How would that be actionable?
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Well, you're already talking to Center, so that would be the obvious choice.

They have radar and could see if someone disappeared. And if you can see where the guy landed, they can call other emergency services as appropriate.

I've reported grass fires to Approach before, which they relayed to CalFire. They take such things rather seriously.
 
Relay to the JRCC. Monitor guard. Make contact with survivor and authenticate. Prepare for hasty PR. Transport to rear and debrief.
 
Straff 'em in the chute so they don't live to fight another day.
oh, sorry.
I was having a flash back.
 
I would not do a fly-by. If it's the unlikely event of an emergency deployment, you might do some good. But it's much more likely that it wasn't. And when it's not an emergency, the odds that there will be another in the area is pretty high. I would think the odds of running into another parachuter are higher than rescuing someone.

I'd just report it to the controller I'm talking to and let them handle it. If they ask for a look-see, I might comply.
 
Yep, exit the area expeditiously. You can only see the meatbomb that is under canopy, you can't see his half dozen friends screaming down from above.

I'm not telling anyone. In the ultra-exceedingly unlikely event that you just witnessed someone departing an airplane, he left the calamity behind and all is well!
 
MAKG1 said:
Well, you're already talking to Center, so that would be the obvious choice.

They have radar and could see if someone disappeared. And if you can see where the guy landed, they can call other emergency services as appropriate.

I've reported grass fires to Approach before, which they relayed to CalFire. They take such things rather seriously.
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Who is center going to tell? What will they report? I'm pretty sure the police aren't going to respond to a report of skydiving.
 
Round or square canopy is all you need to worry about.

Round = trouble

Square = mind your business and don't ruin others fun.
 
Brad Z said:
Who is center going to tell? What will they report? I'm pretty sure the police aren't going to respond to a report of skydiving.
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That's their issue.

It's really best not to second guess professionals when you have no training. If you report it and they determine it's nothing, there is no problem. If you don't report it and there were a problem, someone gets hurt.

Even if it's just a rogue jumper dumper not talking to Center like they should, you've just notified all the other aircraft in the area that there is a hazard to avoid.
 
MAKG1 said:
That's their issue.

It's really best not to second guess professionals when you have no training. If you report it and they determine it's nothing, there is no problem. If you don't report it and there were a problem, someone gets hurt.

Even if it's just a rogue jumper dumper not talking to Center like they should, you've just notified all the other aircraft in the area that there is a hazard to avoid.
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So Sally Q Public should report every low flying plane she sees? Even if they are lined up on a runway.:idea: If there is no hazard no harm, if something bad is on then Sally is an American hero. Hate to break it to ya all but GA pilots know less about parachuting then Sally knows about GA flying. Sad but true.
 
What 'chute? Anybody see a parachute? No? OK then, FIPO.
 
Phoenix said:
So Sally Q Public should report every low flying plane she sees? Even if they are lined up on a runway.:idea: If there is no hazard no harm, if something bad is on then Sally is an American hero. Hate to break it to ya all but GA pilots know less about parachuting then Sally knows about GA flying. Sad but true.
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I would just tell ATC so they can advise any other traffic in the vicinity if that is their desire. No intent to get anyone in trouble.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Yep, exit the area expeditiously. You can only see the meatbomb that is under canopy, you can't see his half dozen friends screaming down from above.

I'm not telling anyone. In the ultra-exceedingly unlikely event that you just witnessed someone departing an airplane, he left the calamity behind and all is well!
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Yes, this , last time I saw a parachute near me, there was another one closer and higher coming down at me. No announcement, grass strip nearby. I was in contact with Class D airport tower no, mention of parachutes nearby. Not yet inside class D.

Cheers
 
Did the Cirrus make the required one time traffic call 28 miles out?
 
I would look at the back to make sure everyone was still there....
 
BigBadLou said:
So here is a hypothetical situation. Or for some of you possibly a past event.

You are flying around (let's say for a hamburger) and you notice a chute being deployed in the air (let's say safely distant from your airplane). There is no parachute jumping in the area (to your knowledge) and the Center controller (let's assume you are on FF) did not announce any jumps to you and you didn't hear a jump pilot announce "meatbombs away". And let's also assume that the chute is carrying a human, not a Cirrus.

What goes through your head and what actions do you take?
Click to expand...

assuming I don't see a plane heading nose first for the ground or the aftermath of a plane crash I would presume the chute belongs to a sky diver and like deer along a country road at night...where there's one there may be more. I would start looking for other chutes and maneuver to avoid smearing my plane with meatbomb.
 
We've got a bastard rogue skydiving operation that doesn't follow the regulations. If I see a chute I immediately look for other meatbombs that haven't deployed yet. These clowns give skydiving a bad name.
 
Me: Center, N12345, I have a parachute at my 2 o'clock and about 4 miles, doesn't appear to be a powered parachute, do you have any jumping activity taking place in that area?
Center: N12345, negative.
Me: Roger, I'm gonna get a closer look and see if it is potentially someone that bailed out.
Center: Roger 345, keep me advised.

Looking around for wreckage. I'll probably circle the parachute a good distance away and above the parachute. If he lands and signals to me that he needs help...

Me: Appears the parachutist has landed safely, appears to be signaling me for help. His position is: lat/Long
Center: Roger 345, thanks for the help, SAR has been dispatched.


Yeah the controller can see you on the scope but I don't know if he has the ability to pull my aircrafts Lat/Long, I'll ask my brother tonight. The military aviator in me is gonna continue circling him for as long as I can to let him know he isn't alone until I reach a fuel state that requires me to go to the nearest airport, give him a wing rock to let him know help is on the way and head to the airport.
 
Happened to me. Landed at a sleepy little airport north of Tulsa. Before I knew it, chutes outnumbered airplanes. Now that was a weird feeling.
 
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