UNITED STATES
HANDS ON FLYING
Tracy Thurman thurmantracyt@gmail.com
Dump It! Young or old, experienced, or a boot pilot, every pilot needs to be well versed in the dynamics of the rapidly shifting CG envelope that can occur when jettisoning a load.
B 32 | agairupdate.com
There’s no understating the importance of being able to safely and efficiently get rid of a load should the need arise. It’s something every ag pilot must train for on a regular basis. Knowing the proper time and technique to jettison a load is just as important as knowing when to make a go-around on landing. In fact, dumping a load is often part and parcel to any emergency procedure. Waiting until you need a skill, is not the time to try to gain that skill. Young or old, experienced, or a boot pilot, every pilot needs to be well versed in the dynamics of the rapidly shifting CG envelope that can occur when jettisoning a load. He also needs to be conscious of when is the right time to do it. Recognizing a failing take-off, for example, is something a guy needs to be ready for and have the decisiveness to hit the dump handle well before the airplane hits the ditch at the end of the runway. There is a brief time just before all your
options run out when you have to act without hesitation in order to minimize damage to the airplane and yourself. Any airplane you fly will have different tendencies. Different make and models fly differently. At the same time, every airplane, even if they came off the assembly line together, has their own personalities. A pilot needs to know his airplane intimately. He needs to know every aspect of how it will fly and react under any circumstance. Especially austere circumstances when the usual becomes unusual and reaction times are measured in heartbeats. Knowing how the airplane will react when jettisoning a load, whether intentionally or inadvertently is something a pilot needs to be familiar with and always ready for. It’s something he needs to practice often. When strapping into a new airplane, a guy ought to take it up and try it out. See how it flies empty and loaded. Familiarize ➤
