Authorize parachute operations only within airspace designated for the jumping activity. Separate aircraft, other than those participating in the jump operation, from the airspace authorized for the jumping activity. Impose, as necessary, any conditions and restrictions which in your judgment would promote the safety of the operation.
14 CFR Section 105.15 prescribes the information required from each person requesting authorization or submitting notification for nonemergency parachute jumping activity. FAA Order JO 7210.3, Para 19-4-1, Nonemergency Parachute Jump Operations.
Note: The Chart Supplement (Airport/Facility Directory) may list additional location-specific information for parachute jumping activities. We were unable to load Disqus. If you are a moderator please see our troubleshooting guide.
Handle notifications to conduct jump operations in other Class E airspace as follows: Issue a traffic advisory to the jump aircraft before the jump. Include aircraft type, altitude, and direction of flight of all known traffic which will transit the airspace within which the jump will be conducted.
Advisories must consist of the location, time, duration, and altitude from which the jump will be made.
14 CFR Section 105.13, Radio Equipment and Use Requirements, prescribes that, except when otherwise authorized by ATC, parachute jumping is not allowed in or into Class E airspace unless radio communications have been established between the aircraft and the FAA ATC facility having jurisdiction over the affected airspace of the first intended exit altitude at least 5 minutes before the jumping activity is to begin for the purpose of receiving information in the aircraft about known air traffic in the vicinity of the jump aircraft.
Several years ago while flying through a parachute jump area, a cross-country aircraft stuck a parachutist. The parachutist lived sustaining only a broken ankle while all those on the aircraft perished due to damage to the aircraft. Damage to the elevator rendered the aircraft unflyable and it crashed. A tragic story.
With 2,500 hours flying jumpers and reading all of these comments, one item that is not mentioned is that almost always the jumpers will be leaving the aircraft on a line upwind of the landing zone and may be 5 miles away if they are very strong at 10 to 15,000 ft agl.
Flying in Southern Wisconsin it isn't uncommon to hear East Troy 10 Minutes to Jumpers, East Troy 5 Minutes to Jumpers, ...3, ...1, ...Jumpers Away on CTAF for East Troy.
Most people are way off in their time estimations because most people don't pay any attention to how long stuff they're doing actually takes. I would expect that most jump pilots would be just as far off in their time estimates, not because they're in a hurry but because they always call out a five minute warning at the same point in their flight, no matter how many minutes it actually is from when the jumpers exit. They don't know how long it actually is because they've never actually timed it.
That way a pilot knows exactly what frequency to listen on when flying near a jump zone. We have a specific frequency for air-to-air communications - why not for jump zone communications?
Usually, mostly up wind, yes, but at DZs with large aircraft and multiple groups jumping on one pass, the first group may be overhead or even a bit short of the DZ, esp. on lighter wind days. With 7K+ jumps, I don't think I've ever been 5 miles upwind, even on high-pull "cross country" jumps.
Doubt pilots get much sympathy flying through parachutists "floating pedestrians", any more than drivers do running through loaded cross walks.
The jump run typically takes place over the designated landing area and usually into the wind. A few minutes prior to the drop, the jump pilot contacts ATC, advising of jump altitude and exit time. ATC then advises of any aircraft or unsafe conditions in the area. Before the drop, the jump pilot may make a blind call on UNICOM as an additional alert to aircraft in the vicinity of the drop zone.
drop zone is a designated landing area clear of obstacles, and is usually marked with a brightly colored wind sock. Drop zone operators, jump pilots, airport management, and aviation officials meet and agree upon key safety concerns and practical issues of sharing airports and the surrounding airspace. Some drop zones located beneath complex airspace have a letter of agreement with the appropriate FAA air traffic control facility to address site-specific issues and concerns. Each day before the jumping begins, the drop zone operator contacts the Flight Service Station for the latest weather forecast and winds aloft forecast. The jump pilot files a notification with Air Traffic Control at least one hour prior to the first drop. Skydiving operations with continuous activity may file a permanent notification. These areas are often, but not always, depicted on aeronautical charts with a parachute symbol and are listed in the Airport/Facility Directory. The actual location of parachute symbols on the chart does not represent the precise location of drop zones. The symbol on the chart may be in the only free spot that is clear of other markings. Another reasons to make sure you look for these symbols is because the FSS will not normally identify these permanent notifications during a preflight briefing, unless specifically requested to do so.
The purpose of this series of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Program publications is to provide the aviation community with safety information that is informative, handy, and easy to review. Many of the publications in this series summarize material published in various FAA advisory circulars, handbooks, other publications, and various audiovisual products developed by the FAA and used in its Aviation Safety Program.
Safety and awareness of skydiving operations is necessary since all users of the National Airspace System have the responsibility to know and understand each other's operation.
Frequent parachute operations are depicted on sectional charts with a parachute icon. They're also sometimes listed in the airport remarks section of the Chart Supplement. Keep in mind, however, that just because there isn't an icon on the map, doesn't necessarily mean there aren't jump operations.
NOTAMs are typically one of the best places to look. NOTAMS published for jump activities include the location, altitudes, and time/duration of the jump.
However, at non-towered fields, the nearest ATC facility must be notified at least 1 hour in advance but not more than 24 hours in advance. The operation must also have approval from airport management. As for the actual jump, ATC must be notified 5 minutes prior to drop. This is another reason why it's almost always a good idea to pick up VFR Flight Following from ATC when available.
Parachute jumps are not authorized into controlled airspace, except when they have permission and coordination from the controlling ATC agency. When operating in controlled airspace, jump pilots are required to communicate with ATC at least 5 minutes prior to jump operations. You can find a full list of regulations in 14 CFR 105.