Hey there guys and gals,

I have been having a hard time finding concrete rules regarding parachuting from an airplane. First and foremost, this is purely hypothetical, seeing as I am in no position to allow anyone out of an airplane I am commanding with the hours I have accumulated thus far.

From what I have gathered out of the FAR/AIM rulebook, the legality of parachuting from and within uncontrolled airspace is limited only to the preparation of packing a parachute.

Part 105 clearly outlines that parachuting into controlled airspace requires a two-way radio communication with the air traffic control 5 minutes prior to the jump, a visibility of 5 miles or greater at or above 10,000 ft, and CoC within the jump radius.

Nowhere does it outline or mention uncontrolled airspace, the legality of a Private Pilot PIC, etc.

I have also been unsuccessful in finding a website which outlines the rules. I have also searched our forums, and have come up with nothing related to a request like this. It would be great to shed some light into this vague corner of FAR/AIM interpretation.

 

As long as no money changes hands and the private pilot does not use the hours logged to qualify for a higher rating, it doesn't matter what grade certificate you've got. Just remember, as the PIC you're responsible and if someone is hurt, no matter what they signed and how many signs saying they could die doing this, lawyers can and will come after you.

 

You do not want to attempt jump ops without having some knowledge and experience. If you want to go there, do some jumping at your local DZ, and chat up the pilot.

You will need to remove the rear seats, install a special door on a cessna, etc, etc. There is paperwork associated with those mods.

Like someone said, the flight time you log could be considered compensation...I would not do it without a CPL. It would be one thing if you have a buddy or two whom you occasionally take up to 10,000', but I suspect the FAA would come after a PPL who hung out at the local DZ and carried numerous jumpers.

 

If you use a C182 for example, you need to cover a bunch of compliance topics in order to be legal. You'll need to have an approved operational procedures placard fixed to the panel with things like v speeds and power settings on it, an approved weight and balance for airplane equipped minus interior with 4 jumpers on the floor, and paperwork for the mods like the door, wheel guard and whatever else you put on it. Also you need an approval from the FSDO for jump operations at your airport if it is near controlled airspace. This will include stipulations on when you can jump, where, and other specific details that are determined by the FSDO.

Be that as it may, setting up a drop zone is not a tough task and lots of mom and pop owners do it. No problem flying with a private ticket if you own the business. For reasons Rick mentions it is usually the owner of the operation with only a private ticket because it helps him run the operation more smoothly. DZ owners are usually are just avid divers and they rarely bother with higher certs. Visit a mom and pop drop zone operator in a neighboring county and tell them you want to set one up in your county (not theirs) and they will love to talk about it over a few beers.

There are a lot of old C182 jump planes listed in TradeAPlane or what have you, so you can just buy one for something like $40-60k. C182's are the best option for startup operators. Then all you have to do is find a hangar to operate from. Anything will do for that, but you need something to train people in and to provide a clean floor for repacking, a place to keep papers of course a large beer refrigerator. You may even be able to find a turn key operation for not much more than the cost of an airplane itself. It's a great little business and can easily pay for any amount of weekend skydiving and flying if you are into that.