New Member: Want to say hi and ask a question

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AerialEgress

Filing Flight Plan
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AerialEgress
How would you want to go?

Hey there!

As a new member to the forum, I wanted to introduce myself to everyone. My name is Sara Martinek and I've grown up loving flying and flying with my dad. From early childhood I was sitting in my dad's Maule, adolescence in his Helio and now as an adult going for rides in the 182. From a very young age I have been inspired to get my own pilot's license and am working towards it now per the instruction of my father, Dennis.

In addition to seeking my pilot's license, I've also taken to The Martinek Family business- spreading cremated remains over Lake Michigan. My parents started Aerial Egress when I was just 4 years old, and after 20 great years, I've decided to jump aboard and join the team.

I wanted to extend this idea to the pilot's community to get your feedback. Have you ever thought about the way you'd like to go? Is this something that you would ever consider?

Thanks again all, excited to join Pilots of America!

Sara
 
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Welcome,will probably consider it ,if any of my pilot friends are still around.
 
Another female pilot! Welcome!

I think there was a thread here a while ago on spreading ashes via plane . . . do you have a special method of doing so? Do you take up the loved ones while you spread ashes and say special words over the intercom?
 
Welcome Sara!

I asked my wife about this very thing not too long ago...her reply was I should go to my reward as I have lived my life; making a complete ash of myself...:yikes:


I live with the world's only funny CPA...:goofy:


Again; welcome
 
Welcome to Pilots of America Sara. Your families business certainly has a market. I know I've seen several post on various forums on the subject. Most I've heard of do it for a friend and volunteer and don't do it as a business, but it seems to have kept your family busy for 20 years so that's great. Congrats on decided to get your PPL.
 
Re: How would you want to go?

AerialEgress said:
I wanted to extend this idea to the pilot's community to get your feedback. Have you ever thought about the way you'd like to go? Is this something that you would ever consider?
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Buy an old run out Duke that's barely airworthy (or not airworthy, so long as I can get it off the ground I won't much care). Take off from LA for Hawaii without enough fuel to get there, dump the pressurization at FL280 on autopilot and LOP. Seems like a nice way to go.

I like your option, too.

Welcome! :)
 
Welcome Sara.....:cheers:...


As for your question............. If I do it right,, the ashes will be self spreading..;):redface:
 
Welcome.

In all seriousness, I would like my intact, unembalmed body to be dropped into the Atlantic as food for fish and other marine life. Ashes have little nutritional value.

I have a friend who's willing to do this if he outlives me. He owns an open cockpit biplane, and the tentative plan is to seat my corpse in the rear seat without a seat belt, fly at least 50 miles out over the ocean, and invert.

We have to work out the physics of it, however. Striking the vertical stabilizer on the way out would make for a very bad day of flying for my friend. But I don't know anyone who owns a bomber whose bays could be adapted for the mission, which would be a more feasible solution.

The other problem is a legal one. Only certain people are allowed to sign a certificate of interment for a body (as opposed to ashes), and aviators are not among them. So the body drop would have to be witnessed by someone who has that authority such as a clergyman, funeral director, or master of a seagoing vessel.

Perhaps Henning would be willing to meet us at the drop zone to witness the event and sign the paperwork.

By the way: I'm completely serious about the above. I'm not sure that a body drop into the ocean from altitude is practical, but it would be my preferred mode of egress.

-Rich
 
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Legal issue solved. Plenty of video out there of biplanes rolling inverted and dropping jumpers out of the front seat. You can be a crabby patty.
 
RJM62 said:
Welcome.

In all seriousness, I would like my intact, unembalmed body to be dropped into the Atlantic as food for fish and other marine life. Ashes have little nutritional value.

I have a friend who's willing to do this if he outlives me. He owns an open cockpit biplane, and the tentative plan is to seat my corpse in the rear seat without a seat belt, fly at least 50 miles out over the ocean, and invert.

We have to work out the physics of it, however. Striking the vertical stabilizer on the way out would make for a very bad day of flying for my friend. But I don't know anyone who owns a bomber whose bays could be adapted for the mission, which would be a more feasible solution.

The other problem is a legal one. Only certain people are allowed to sign a certificate of interment for a body (as opposed to ashes), and aviators are not among them. So the body drop would have to be witnessed by someone who has that authority such as a clergyman, funeral director, or master of a seagoing vessel.

Perhaps Henning would be willing to meet us at the drop zone to witness the event and sign the paperwork.

By the way: I'm completely serious about the above. I'm not sure that a body drop into the ocean is practical, but it would be my preferred mode of egress.

-Rich
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I'm sure it's done from ships regularly, one particularly infamous ex-Saudi comes to mind, but I can't think of a reason why this would be done from an airplane. I know the Argentinians did this during their 'dirty war' period, but because of the effect of the impact on the body I can't think it would be a common funeral practice.

These folks will include your cremains in an artificial reef: http://www.eternalreefs.com/

Some cultures use what they call a "sky burial", where the deceased's remains are exposed to scavenger birds to be eaten, but you'd have to have your body shipped to Tibet to do that, and even then, the Tibetans might not accept it.
 
MAKG1 said:
Does a seaplane pilot count? Or would he have to land first?
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I'm pretty sure it has to be someone who is the Master of the vessel that's doing the interment at sea. Henning would be more familiar than I with that sort of regulation, however. I also suppose it depends on the laws of the state issuing the death certificate, as well.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Welcome.

In all seriousness, I would like my intact, unembalmed body to be dropped into the Atlantic as food for fish and other marine life. Ashes have little nutritional value.

I have a friend who's willing to do this if he outlives me. He owns an open cockpit biplane, and the tentative plan is to seat my corpse in the rear seat without a seat belt, fly at least 50 miles out over the ocean, and invert.

We have to work out the physics of it, however. Striking the vertical stabilizer on the way out would make for a very bad day of flying for my friend. But I don't know anyone who owns a bomber whose bays could be adapted for the mission, which would be a more feasible solution.

The other problem is a legal one. Only certain people are allowed to sign a certificate of interment for a body (as opposed to ashes), and aviators are not among them. So the body drop would have to be witnessed by someone who has that authority such as a clergyman, funeral director, or master of a seagoing vessel.

Perhaps Henning would be willing to meet us at the drop zone to witness the event and sign the paperwork.

By the way: I'm completely serious about the above. I'm not sure that a body drop into the ocean from altitude is practical, but it would be my preferred mode of egress.

-Rich
Click to expand...

I always told my ex wife, "Sell off what you can, what you can't drag into the back pasture with everything else that dies out here and let the coyotes and mountain lion have it". For what you want, a boat would be much more practical, you need to go >20 miles for a whole body burial at sea. Best for them to get out in the Gulf Stream really.
 
Regardless of how I go, I'm going to be cremated and have my ashes spread in several places... some will go to Arlington, some will go to places I've loved.

And welcome!
 
Hi Sara, looking at your screenname I wondered if you were a skydiver until I read further. :)
 
Sara,


Occasionally a guys buddy will spread his ashes for him. And will have no idea how to do it.


It is an option to have someone that knows what they are doing show up, and direct the pilot as to how to accomplish this? No Widow wants to see the ashy covered airplane return.
 
ja_user said:
Sara,


Occasionally a guys buddy will spread his ashes for him. And will have no idea how to do it.


It is an option to have someone that knows what they are doing show up, and direct the pilot as to how to accomplish this? No Widow wants to see the ashy covered airplane return.
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It's actually getting the ashes sucked back into the plane that is the main concern if you do the 'urn out the window' method. The need to hold it all the way out at arms length before opening. There is also the funnel and pipe and bag on a string method that work well.
 
I've used the bag on a string method from an open cockpit airplane. It worked well. I'm glad I found some people who knew what they were doing, though.
 
Funnel and pipe is what I have heard about.
 
RJM62 said:
I'm pretty sure it has to be someone who is the Master of the vessel that's doing the interment at sea. Henning would be more familiar than I with that sort of regulation, however. I also suppose it depends on the laws of the state issuing the death certificate, as well.

-Rich
Click to expand...

Just have your buddy throw a parachute on your back and everyone will assume you just forgot to open it.
 
RJM62 said:
I'm pretty sure it has to be someone who is the Master of the vessel that's doing the interment at sea. Henning would be more familiar than I with that sort of regulation, however. I also suppose it depends on the laws of the state issuing the death certificate, as well.

-Rich
Click to expand...

No major fuss on the State side. To bury a whole body at sea the MARPOL reg is >20nm.
 
Sac Arrow said:
So if you hack it to pieces you can dump it closer to shore?
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<1" and you can dump it outside 3 miles IIRC. If you want to bait lobster or crab pots with it, it wouldn't much matter,and you could provide family & friends one last feed at your wake.;)
 
Henning said:
<1" and you can dump it outside 3 miles IIRC. If you want to bait lobster or crab pots with it, it wouldn't much matter,and you could provide family & friends one last feed at your wake.;)
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That's too much work, even for the most dedicated serial killer.
 
Sac Arrow said:
That's too much work, even for the most dedicated serial killer.
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Not really, lobster pots are pretty big, you wouldn't need to go too small. A chain saw or sawzall could get the job done in a few minutes.
 
Henning said:
Not really, lobster pots are pretty big, you wouldn't need to go too small. A chain saw or sawzall could get the job done in a few minutes.
Click to expand...

Oh I see what you're saying, I guess that would work.

"Tonight's lobster bisque is brought to you courtesy late Uncle Fred."
 
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