RPT OF SKYDIVER PLT'S ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF JUMPERS. PROX OF CLOUDS; ACFT AND DIVERS GOING IMC IN VFR FLT; LACK OF COORD WITH ATC AND DRUNKEN DIVERS.
Synopsis
RPT OF SKYDIVER PLT'S ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF JUMPERS. PROX OF CLOUDS; ACFT AND DIVERS GOING IMC IN VFR FLT; LACK OF COORD WITH ATC AND DRUNKEN DIVERS.
Narrative
AS A JUMP PLT IN A SKYDIVING ENVIRONMENT; IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL INTENT AND OBSERVATIONS OF A SKYDIVER GROUP; OR SINGLE SKYDIVER. ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS; WHILE CLBING TO ALT (13500 FT MSL) IT IS NOT UNKNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN SKYDIVING ACTIVITY IN BROKEN/SCATTERED CONDITIONS; ONLY TO FIND YOURSELF IMC. IN AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN A CLRNC; YOU ARE ALREADY VFR AGAIN; AND NO CLRNC REQUIRED. I PERSONALLY HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THIS SIT A FEW TIMES THIS YR/SEASON. ADDITIONALLY SKYDIVERS; WHEN 'SPOTTING' THE ACFT; HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN; THE PLT DOES NOT; HOWEVER; THE PLT IS HELD RESPONSIBLE IF THEY SHOULD AND CAN 'TRACK' TO OR THROUGH A CLOUD. MOST SKYDIVERS ARE AWARE OF VIOLATIONS IN 'PUNCHING' CLOUDS; HOWEVER THEY BELIEVE IT TO BE MORE FUN THAN THE RISK. THE PLT HAS NO WAY OF DETERMINING THEIR ACTION; HOWEVER IS HELD RESPONSIBLE. PERHAPS STIFFER PENALTIES TO THE SKYDIVERS THEMSELVES. NOT ONE SKYDIVER I KNOW HAS EVER BEEN VIOLATED FOR 'PUNCHING CLOUDS;' HOWEVER MANY; MANY PLTS HAVE. ANOTHER TOPIC OF SAFETY AND CONCERN IS INTOXICATED SKYDIVERS. ONE INSTANCE I EXPERIENCED WAS A FLT TO 13500 FT MSL; AT 6000 FT I 'THOUGHT' I COULD SMELL ALCOHOL FROM A SKYDIVER. MY SUSPICIONS WERE AROUSED AGAIN AT ABOUT 12000 FT BY HIS MANNERISM IN PREPARATION FOR EXIT. BY THE TIME I SAID TO MYSELF 'WAIT A MIN; THIS GUY'S DRUNK;' HE HAD EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND WENT ABOUT AN UNEVENTFUL SKYDIVE. ON THE GND; MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED. AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? AGAIN; THIS IS MORE COMMON THAN I WISH TO ADMIT; AND AGAIN I HAVE NEVER KNOWN A SKYDIVER TO BE VIOLATED FOR THIS. I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF ALL OF THE SITS BECAUSE I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS ACTIVITY FROM MID MAY TO PRESENT DATE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.