Spreading Ashes

Ventucky Red

Ventucky Red

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Has any devised a tool or some apparatus for spreading ashes out of a Cessna?

Professor Google is not very helpful today.
 
There is an Ice Pilots episode where Mikey McBryan spreads ashes out of a DC3. Didn't go as well as planned as I recall.
 
I now realize that it's impossible to do using most GA aircraft. Several pilots have related horror stories. The absolutely worst was an attempt to discharge by hand from the open tail ramp of a USMC helo. It evenly coated the entire interior and very little was dispersed. Do a test with talcum or Comet Cleanser first. I've given this some thought and perhaps an aircraft with a photo port in the belly may have a chance. Forget using an open window.

I was once invited aboard a boat for this rite and even that turned out badly.
 
It's also illegal in some jurisdictions. Don't be telling everyone.
 
A bit off topic. The Navy used to offer a burial at sea for veterans. I heard of one ceremony when the coffin was inadequately ballasted. It continued to float and was a Hazzard to navigation. Until the Skipper ordered that a .50 caliber machine gun be employed to sink it. I heard that there were videos.
 
ktup-flyer said:
You could probably make a long PVC pipe contraption to do it with, but that depends on the airplane
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Saw a device once that attached to the wing at the tie down fitting and was operated by remote. It was basically a tube with ends that opened when triggered from the cockpit.

Tossing ashes from plane is not something I ever anticipate doing ...
 
I know someone using a pipe.

Also replaced the Leading Edge of a stab from someone who didn’t.
 
Maxnr said:
I now realize that it's impossible to do using most GA aircraft. Several pilots have related horror stories. The absolutely worst was an attempt to discharge by hand from the open tail ramp of a USMC helo. It evenly coated the entire interior and very little was dispersed. Do a test with talcum or Comet Cleanser first. I've given this some thought and perhaps an aircraft with a photo port in the belly may have a chance. Forget using an open window.
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It is not impossible. It just requires significant thought and preparation.

Not unlike flying in the Rockies. Doesn't have to be flirting with death, but enough people go off nonchalantly about it to create that impression.

If you go about it haphazardly, it can be fatal or at the very least you end up like the Dude with Donnie's ashes all over your face (and your airplane).

My dad has done this successfully several times. The key was the contraption he constructed - he took a long leaf blower nozzle and built a canister on top of it that contained the ashes (all preloaded before takeoff). What made it work seamlessly was the container had a vent that after lowering the nozzle out of the open door, he could open the vent and it basically sucked the ashes out. No mess. We did it for my grandfather in a Lance, but his method would work in a Cessna as well.

Other important thing is the pilot needs to fly the damn airplane and not be looking back and part of the 'ceremony'.

If serious, PM me and I can reach out to my dad for specifics. on his contraption.
 
Maxnr said:
A bit off topic. The Navy used to offer a burial at sea for veterans. I heard of one ceremony when the coffin was inadequately ballasted. It continued to float and was a Hazzard to navigation. Until the Skipper ordered that a .50 caliber machine gun be employed to sink it. I heard that there were videos.
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Still do. Have heard the story of the floating coffin, but never seen or heard confirmation.

Most of the vet burials at sea are cremains, but some desire full casket burials. The coffins have holes prebored in them. Never seen one float.

The most ironic was JFK Jr - the USN recovered the body and then they sent it back out to sea to bury him again.
 
I was told to put the ashes in a good paper bag, tie a string on it really well about 5 feet long, then let it go. The bag will break when it hits the end of the string. Pull the empty bag back in. Done no mess.
 
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What you want is a delayed release so you can drop a solid object from the plane and have it release the ashes for you after you are safely clear of the dispersion zone.
 
Pilawt said:
A good friend of mine perished when he attempted an ash dispersal from his AT-6 at low level one blustery day a few years ago over the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon. The widow of the deceased died in the crash, as well.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/185786
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If I was going to scatter ashes from a T6, trying to scatter them from the open canopy would not be a route I’d choose.
 
Never done it but have read numerous threads on this topic. Best one seemed to be to run a length of garden hose out the window and use the pressure differential to vacuum out the ashes. Highly recommended to duct tape the horizontal stabilizer leading edge as the ashes are highly abrasive. This from SGOTI. If I were doing it, I make a dry run first, possibly with fine sand. Good luck.
 
DoubleD said:
Never done it but have read numerous threads on this topic. Best one seemed to be to run a length of garden hose out the window and use the pressure differential to vacuum out the ashes. Highly recommended to duct tape the horizontal stabilizer leading edge as the ashes are highly abrasive. This from SGOTI. If I were doing it, I make a dry run first, possibly with fine sand. Good luck.
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Garden hose seems a bit small. The leaf blower tube works much better. The key is the vacuum.
 
1RTK1 said:
I was told to put the ashes in a good paper bag, tie a string on it really well about 5 feet long, then let it go. The bag will break when it hits the end of the string. Pull the empty bag back in. Done no mess.
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This is what I did for my parents. Worked well.

That said... I wasn't flying the plane, that would be a bad idea for several reasons. Also, I was so focused on the release I didn't get any time to reflect, and for that reason, i wouldn't do it again.
 
We scattered my father's ashes from a stopped small motorboat on a calm day. It was supposed to be a longtime good friend using his boat but he had an emergency and so some friend of his we'd never met did the boat driving. What an incredible good friend that guy was to show up and do this for some people he had never met! My hat is still off to him.

Another memory is there seemed to be a lot more ashes than I expected...

Overall, I found the experience much less than anticipated.
 
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I've done it. In California. Just outside the Golden Gate. Put the ashes in a (not too sturdy) paper bag and tie the neck with string. Attach the other end of the string to the airplane. Toss the bag out and the weight of the ashes will tear the bag. Ashes have more of the consistency of sand, not fireplace ashes so they are heavy enough to break the bag.
 
DoubleD said:
Never done it but have read numerous threads on this topic. Best one seemed to be to run a length of garden hose out the window and use the pressure differential to vacuum out the ashes. Highly recommended to duct tape the horizontal stabilizer leading edge as the ashes are highly abrasive. This from SGOTI. If I were doing it, I make a dry run first, possibly with fine sand. Good luck.
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Ashes are more than find sand. Usually some little chunks of bone mixed in. Garden hose won’t cut it.
 
Here is what I did out of a 182. I got a plastic pipe from home depot maybe 3 or 4 feet long. It might have had a 6 inch diameter and might have been some sort of a sewer pipe. I closed the bottom of the pipe off with a bunch of tightly packed newspaper. Next you put in the ashes. Then you need another pipe (like a small pvc one) to push this all out. You have the passenger/assistant open the door and the trick is to get the contraption out of the slip stream so it all doesn't come back in the plane. Practice a few times with kitty litter. It's basically the same as human ashes. Worked for me.
 
Possible - they make salt boxes, load and seal the ashes in that. Drop in the ocean. Time spreads the ashes.
 
There are biodegradable urns used when someone wants a loved one to be buried at sea off a cruise ship. They are sort of a paper Mache.
 
I've never done what I describe below, but I have dropped ashes twice from my Warrior (PA-28-161) out the small storm window in a small rolled up biodegradable brown paper lunch bag. Not sure if it opened, but the ashes got where intended and I didn't bring home any on or in the plane. Next time, I'll try the technique below.

Place ashes in a small brown paper lunch bag. Not too full. You may need more than one bag. Roll the bag into a tube. Cut a length of cotton twine 1-1/2 times the length of your plane. Tie the twine's end around the tube's center and secure with a loose shoelace knot. Wrap the remaining length of twine neatly around the bag. You do not want to create a solid log, so wrap a bit loosely, in case it hits your stabilator/elevator.

Secure the far end of the twine to something inside the plane (not your body!). In the air, slow as much as comfortable (here's a chance to practice your slow flight), bank as steeply as comfortable (steep turns), and stuff the bag through the storm window. When all the twine has unrolled, the shoelace knot is slipped, and either the rolled bag falls intact or it unfurls releasing a cloud of ash. Retrieve the twine.

Let us know how it works.
 
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Fearless Tower said:
If I was going to scatter ashes from a T6, trying to scatter them from the open canopy would not be a route I’d choose.
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It's kind of like a student throwing up in the front seat of a T-34 B over the side of the open canopy it all ends up in the back seat of the instructor.
 
I've scattered the ashes of both parents from a boat into the Gulf of Mexico. I think that's a better process for all parties, unless everyone is a big time aviation enthusiast. When you get to the location where you will scatter the ashes, you can shut off the engine or heave to, and have some quiet so that anyone who wants to speak can be heard.

I've already told my family that I'd like them to scatter my remains off of Daytona Beach.
 
Get a weather balloon, a funnel, and helium.
Use the funnel to put the remains in the balloon, fill with lots of helium, tie it off, and let it go. At some point the balloon will burst scattering the ashes over whoever happens to be below at the time and the balloon will fall where it can be eaten by a whale and then the whale will die. The whale carcass will then be eaten by grateful sharks and seagulls keeping them well fed for weeks.

Everyone will be happy (except the whale).

I told the wife that the 1.6 gallon salute would be fine since I will be dead and won't care.
 
The problem with cremains is that, after the cremation the skeleton remains intact and has to be sent to the crusher. Those bone fragments are intermixed with the ashes making them highly abrasive.
 
Shouldn’t drones be an option?
https://www.prodrone.jp/en/archives/1420/

Undoubtedly pricey. But when the AI takes over, you’ll already have your own personal Killbot.

Although only slightly more seriously, it seems like you could rig something that attaches a tube to landing gear or a strut on a 172 or 182. Landing gear, being the more desirable of the two since anything you release should below the rear flight surfaces.
 
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I have shot cremated remains heavenward with my bowling ball mortar. Done 3 people that way. Not all the ashes but enough for nice ceremonial stream of ashes like jet contrails.
Really impressive.
4 Oz of FG black powder does a nice job.
 
Zeldman said:
I told my wife that when I die I want to be stuffed, like a deer, and put in a sitting position, with one hand up like I am waving. Then put me in a rocker on the front porch.

That way all the neighbors can wave back at me when they drive by...
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You need to specify that an auto-icon of your body be made, like 18th century philosopher Jeremy Bentham did. After he died, his skeleton was stuffed and clothed, a wax head was made,.and it was placed in a piece of fine cabinetry. You'll look great.

:D

Auto-Icon.jpg
 
There was a place in Seattle, about 40 years ago........that prepared your body by freezing it.......cryonics. Then you were to be stored for a century or two to be brought back to life with later technology.

The trouble was, they froze a few people and went then out of business..........didn't pay their power bill, and the frozen bodies were later found in a foul rotten mess.
 
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