25thid.us - Jumping from rotary aircarft and you

[marksinnerdemon 11]

Welcome to the informal primer on rotary aircraft and effectively jumping. While we wait for jump capable aircraft, and other such add-ons (some are already out but not to my liking) to allow a realistic air drop of personnel we figured we would give the community some information. Without further adue the information and photos the 25th ID at 25thid.us has provided for your consumption ad comment.

First and for-most this isn't a complete comprehensive guide. I won't be going into the mil-sim information on how to do a proper jump although we did practice it with PFC. Kirby (a Cav scout with the US army and a big contributor to this). The reality is this information should help you choose how to jump, and safe helicopters to do such a mission.

First let me start by stating not all rotary wing aircraft were tested the little bird wasn't tested, but I will attempt to do that this evening. For now lets review safety cautions.

Jumping at the same time

Select helicopters moving at speed

Low altitude

Collisions while in free fall

First things first while jumping out of some helicopters will allow you to alternately release from one side or the other we noted collisions occurring regardless. This is why we will make recommendations later due to the casualty rate of a mass simultaneous jump. While Arma 3 will let you deploy and survive a opening at 50 meters above the ground it is very risky. Be prepared to smack the deck if you are jumping under a 100 meters without practice. I will go into detail later.

Step 1 Assemble

Step 2 Make sure everyone has a parachute (buddy check) people can be dumb and be out with a pack

Step 3 Stand in a line and designate numbers to each jumper

Step 4 Move to aircraft and board

Step 5 Pilot gains altitude and position (this may include being in a drop zone)

Step 6 Pilot signals to jump

Step 7 Jump says "One Out" and then jumps

Step 8 Last in stack says "# Out last man" and jumps

Step 9 Parachutes are deployed after clearing helicopter and before being a pancake.

Step 10 Jumpers Flare reducing speed to under 10km before touching the ground

Step 11 Jumper notifies superiors are on the deck

ACRE: Note talking to each other in free fall with ACRE doesn't seem to work, but radios do!

The reason behind the numbers and jumping interval style is to prevent collisions and give people the three dimensional space to maneuver. Speeds during free fall get high and if you clip a parachute or jumper expect certain death. Unfortuantly you aren't watching people dive out of the back of a C-130 and this makes things a little more cumbersome. With practice however you guys can jump safely and quickly. Note that 300 meter jumps seem to be fairly easy for beginners and allow a short free-fall. For first time jumps I recommend a 500 meter release personally, build your SOPs as needed. Note that you can jump with night-vision and when landing not have a new pair of digital eyeballs (anyone who has jumped in the military will know what this is a scary thing)

That covers basically everything you need to know about jumping from a stationary aircraft.

Warning

While traveling laterally jumpers will be struck by the synchronized elevators. This is known issue in real aircraft (fixed wing as well) and why you see certain aircraft are used for jumping and others aren't. So far with the 3 tested helicopters the GhostHawk and Orca are dangerous, but the mohawk is fine. I will assume the little bird(whatever you call it) is as well, but we will test it and see.

Note the position of the stabilizers in the images below.

http://imageshack.us/a/img34/360/pzuv.png (402 kB)

http://imageshack.us/a/img268/7388/48oy.png (510 kB)

Mohawk has a higher stabilizer and is safe to jump from.

I'll update more in a day or two and probably edit this post.

Edited September 20, 2013 by MarksInnerDemon

[MSantana 10]

Great brief guide on things to look out for, and do when attempting an air drop. You guys did an awesome job on those jumps. Make sure to check us out at 25thid.us . Thank you for taking the time to create this post and share some of our experiences with the community Mark, great work.

[marksinnerdemon 11]

Ok so we have been jumping for a few days now and can add a bit of information now. I will also point out something about jumps. Unless gear is dropped in or other troops bring gear, you will not have a backpack to carry equipment usually required for medics etc.

Recommended first time jump altitude 500 meters, at no greater then 80kph in level flight.

Min safe effective drop height seems to be around 100 meters (possibly as low as 75-50 with much practice) at no more then 160-180kph with a open terrain drop.

Warning about flight attitude : Do not have any yaw pitch or roll not congruent with flight path. If you are flying over runway then don't have the helicopter rolling, changing speed or turning during the jump

Confirmed safe jump-able helicopters while in forward motion

• CH-49 Mohawk
  
• MH-9 Hummingbird
  

Every other helicopter should only be jumped at very slow relative speeds, and if possible at a fixed location. This will allow a glide into a combat zone.

Ok lets go over some basic jump information

Pre-Jump checklist

-Jump location, and safe jump area

Make sure that you decide a safe area to jump, how long the window will be open for either time, or distance on the map

-Altitude & Direction of travel during jump

-Number of jumpers

-Abort word

-All jump reasons (this should be standard SOP if you jump a lot)

-Chalk designation for fire-teams, or multiple jump locations/altitudes

-Battalion/squadron LZ

Location and safe jump area is obvious, but should be discussed by flight officer, and chalk leaders along with number of jumpers. The flight officer will discuss safe flight needs and a agreed direction will be decided so chalks can be told of suspected landing pattern. Flight officer states today's abort word for jump which either chalk leader, or pilot can use to abort jump. Flight officer may reviewa this time reasons for an all jump such as aircraft damage, pilot dies, aircraft is having issues.

Chalks are lined up packs are checked (make sure someone isn't trying to jump with a carryall)

Chalk leader review jump location, Rally Point, Jump information, and reviews things like ALL JUMP, and Abort Word

Flight crew signals to load aircraft

Pilot brings aircraft to prescribed area for jump

Flight crew will notify chock leader as follows

• Crew: Chalk 1 standby (done 30-60 seconds out if possible)
  
  
• CL: everyone standby to jump
  
  
• Crew: Chalk 1 Green Green Green
  
  
• CL:Chalk 1 Jump (the jump can be iniated by just the pilot)
  
  
• C1: One Out (then he jumps)
  
  
• Last out: Seven out last man (jumps)
  
  

Pilot gives the green for jump

Jumpers evacuate the aircraft

Jumpers land and begin forming into LGOPs

LGOPs move to Battalion LZ

Paratroopers on the ground a basic guide

If you have a decent sized group and are jumping there are some smart rules to follow due to the spread of most jumps will cause.

Trooper taking fire

1. Find cover, and locate the enemy.
   
2. Return fire towards the nearest enemy.
   
3. Look at friendly trooper near me, if more of us are shooting at the bad guys than the bad guys shooting at us, keep it up, if not, retrograde in the direction from which you approached, or towards the nearest friendly troopers.
   

For troopers that are not in immediate contact

1. Move to the sound of the firefight.
   
2. Assess which side has the upper hand. If it is even, try to flank the enemy.
   

Once the initial firefights are done, move to rally point proceed with mission.

[PN11A 2]

Some things you need to add,

Night jumps AA markings,

Parachute formations while infil

Attaching chemlights while in free fall

Glide slope angle for the Ram air parachute

Maximum decent speed for safe opening of parachute.