Actually the 8710 form for the application of a new rating has 2 columns for different kinds of solo flight, one for total solo time and one for solo xc. I think it is fairly common practice to log solo time until finishing all your ratings. There are solo requirements for the commercial license. I would think it would be confusing to the examiner if these flights were not logged as solo.

Huh?? I have jumped for years and never heard of this. I have flown jumpers as well. I guarantee that if a jumper did this when I was flying him, there would be big trouble for that jumper once I got on the ground.
Can you say "ass kickin' !!!"

Westside Skydivers in Winsted MN was hiring low time UND pilots for a while at $10 a load if you were interested. I did my jump there and the guys seemed nice. It's in the middle of nowhere though.

BElly, it used to happen more back in the day before skydiving became a yuppie sport and was more sport death. and it sometimes involved an asskickin after but it was all in good fun. And you didn't do it to just any new pilot you had to do it to somebody you could trust to get the plane back or no jumpy the rest of the day. ill admit its horrible on the engine but most skydivers are retards as soon as the put there rig on..me included... Today most jumpers don't ever ride in a piston banger or get out under 10k. what a sad state of affairs our sport has become. Damn im getting old, but it beats the alternative

In my 182 days a favorite was to hit the fuel selector on the way out. I always had a blast flying skydivers, just a bunch of fun loving idiots.

I've had more than one beginner on a jump who flipped my fuel selector on the way to the door. It was more of a panicked attempt to hold on to something than anything else. I started putting my hand on the selector when we had tandem or new guys jumping.

I wasn't worried about making a dead stick landing from over the top of the field @ 12,000' if some dude stole my mag keys, but the owner of the drop zone would have kicked the guys butt for shock cooling his engine that I can promise you. Most drop zone operators were paranoid and for good reason about shock cooled cylinders. Those things are expensive!

Of course a pilot in the know would simply reach up behind the panel and pull the wires out of the mag switch which equals mags hot, which equal engine running.:):)

Just in case it ever happens to you.

Flying Jumers
 

I agree, I have heard stories of jumpers grabing the keys on the way out. The owner of the DZ I fly at would never let that jumper on the grounds again if that happened. As far as the fuel cutoff, that happens now and then, just always check it before you start your take off roll. If the student hit it when they got in, you will have just enough to make it to about 400-500 AGL. Not fun!
I love flying jumpers no better way to build hours.

Jumper flying is a relaxed atmosphere compared to other types of flying. But if anyone stole my keys, they would probably get charged with interfering with a flight crew as soon as I got back. There's plenty of danger without adding to it. You can probably get most mag switches to turn with a knife blade jammed in there also.