NZFF

Posted: **Tue May 11, 2010 11:34 am**

A quick question on â€˜terminologyâ€™.

At some point in the not too distant future, once Iâ€™ve squared my CPL away, I would like to obtain a Parachute Drop Rating.

Iâ€™ve got two questions that Iâ€™d welcome information and advice on if there is anyone out there that has any experience of this type of operation.

1) Section (a)(2): states that one must have â€œ100 hours as pilot-in-command of the category of aircraft being usedâ€. What exactly is the â€˜categoryâ€™ in this instance? Is it i.e. Cessna / Warrior etc (which I believe is â€˜Typeâ€™) OR is it Single Engine Piston Land (which I understand to be â€˜Categoryâ€™)? Am I correct in thinking that you must have 100 hrs PIC in SEP(L) as opposed to 100 hrs PIC in a Cessna?

2) Section (a)(3): states that one must â€œsatisfactorily completed a course in dropping parachutists conducted by a parachute organisationâ€. Has anyone here completed one of these courses? Would you be able to supply me with some more details please? Iâ€™ve done around 200 free fall jumps, so Iâ€™ve got some knowledge of whatâ€™s involved but it would be good to hear from someone whoâ€™s done the course.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Posted: **Tue May 11, 2010 11:46 am**

QUOTE

Am I correct in thinking that you must have 100 hrs PIC in SEP(L) as opposed to 100 hrs PIC in a Cessna?[/quote]
Correct

And this from the AC

QUOTE

Rule 61.651 Eligibility requirements
Parachute drop course
Rule 61.651(a)(3) requires an applicant for a parachute drop rating to have satisfactorily
completed a course in the dropping of parachutists. The course must be conducted by a
parachute organisation whose Part 149 certificate authorises the holder to conduct a course in
the dropping of parachutists.
The ground course would normally include the following:
â€¢ A briefing by a jumpmaster on the use of parachutes; and parachuting operational and
emergency procedures; and
â€¢ A knowledge of CAR Part 105 - Parachute Operating Rules, and of Part 91 rules -
Parachute-drop operations and Emergency parachute assemblies.
Competency demonstration
Rule 61.651(a)(4) requires an applicant to have demonstrated their competency in the dropping
of parachutists to an authorised person within a parachute organisation. The demonstration of
competence must be conducted by a parachute organisation whose Part 149 certificate
authorises the holder to conduct assessment for a parachute drop rating.[/quote]

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 11:50 am

by HercFeend

Further to my own question...... These definitions come from CAR Part 1

Aircraft category and category of aircraft means any one of the following classes of aircraft: aeroplane, balloon, glider, hang glider, helicopter, or microlight:

Type:
(1) in relation to the licensing of aviation personnel means all aircraft of the same basic design, including all modifications thereto except those modifications which result in a significant change in handling or flight characteristics; or
(2) in relation to the certification of aircraft, aircraft engines, or propellers, means those aircraft, aircraft engines or propellers which are similar in design:

So, for the PDR, â€œ100 hours as pilot-in-command of the category of aircraft being usedâ€. Means, I believe, 100 hrs PIC in an Aeroplanes. Good stuff, nearly there then!!

Would still be interested to hear from someone who's done the course or has done / is doing the job.......

Cheers

[Edit] Too quick for me SA227. Cheers for the extra info.

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 7:05 pm

by A185F

I've done a bit of para dropping a few years back. Course is more like a small photocopied booklet and an open book exam. Whole lot maybe half an hours worth. No biggie.

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 10:33 am

by HercFeend

A185F wrote:
QUOTE (A185F @ May 11 2010, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've done a bit of para dropping a few years back. Course is more like a small photocopied booklet and an open book exam. Whole lot maybe half an hours worth. No biggie.

no excuse not to get 100% then I guess! Thanks for the info.

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 4:43 pm

by FlyingKiwi

I did a drop rating relatively recently, so if there's anything you need to know I can probably help.

Like A185F said, it's reasonably straightforward - I spent a couple of days of (very) casual study on the theory, and then did the whole rating (exam, flying, ground briefings etc.) in one day. Obviously that provides for a very basic drop rating (no GPS approval, etc.) and if you were planning on doing it full time you'd want to invest in a more comprehensive course, but you can easily get the basic rating in a day if the weather's suitable.

Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 11:22 pm

by A185F

Hmmm well taking into account what flyingkiwi has said, I should add that they are all different. Ive heard of some pretty basic briefings being the whole rating to full on multi day courses up north. My rating was basically a read of the booklet, did the exam, went up as an observer on 1 load then flew the next one being instructed/shown round the traps. That was pretty much it and a thousand hours of dropping parachutes later... I survived.
For a pilot, there really isn't all that much to it. There isn't much that cant be covered in a causal talk/briefing and the bulk of it is how to operate the aeroplane the way that operator wants.
So really, there isn't much point in going and getting a drop rating without a job as all the operators do things differently so they will have to re-train you. If you get a job as a jump pilot, they will prob give you a drop rating, the way they want it.

Hope that makes sense...

Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 1:42 pm

by HercFeend

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll wait then and see what's required by an organisation when I actually approach them.

NZFF

CAA Rules â€“ terminology.