Strange Mission

AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
Here is my mission... My mother in law passed away and her request was for me to take her ashes and spread them over the Juneau Ice Field.

I have no idea how to spread her ashes from my plane. I need a delivery system that will spread her ashes. The side window in my plane is small and I just can't put the vessel the ashes are in and pop the top off.

Any ideas?
 
There was an episode of ice pilots where they did that, but they were using a Dc3 and still having issues trying to get it out. I forgot what they used.

Maybe A beer bong would work.
 
Put the ashes in a ziploc bag. Get a length of plastic tubing. Stick on end of the tubing out the side window. Use the other side to "vacuum" out the ashes from the bag. Don't announce to anyone what you're doing. Just do it. (Beg forgiveness rather than ask permission.)

Haven't actually tried this myself, so you may want to try it in advance with some ordinary dirt just to make sure it'll work.
 
Would a PVC pipe of some variation work?

Sorry for your loss Bill.
 
I've heard of the plastic tubing working sort of well. But, you will undoubtedly end up with a mouth/planeful of your mother in law.
 
exncsurfer said:
There was an episode of ice pilots where they did that, but they were using a Dc3 and still having issues trying to get it out. I forgot what they used.

Maybe A beer bong would work.
Click to expand...
They home built one and still 2 guys to ensure it doesn't come inside the plane. Rather difficult in a GA aircraft from what I have seen

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Though it sounds like a simple task, there could be all kinds of distractions, emotional, physical and aerodynamic. I lost a dear friend just a year or two ago, as he was doing that in his AT-6 low over the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon. The deceased's widow was in the back seat. Something went wrong and they nosed into the river, killing both of them.
 
MichiPilot said:
I've heard of the plastic tubing working sort of well. But, you will undoubtedly end up with a mouth/planeful of your mother in law.
Click to expand...

You'll get a cabin full of ashes if you just try to dump them out the window or side vent, or so I've heard. Seems I once read a story about someone doing this, but I can't recall where.
 
Ashes in the cabin.... been there, done that.

But wait. There's more!

Upon landing I discovered a light gray tracing of the slip stream spiraling around the fuselage as a post flight gift to the bereaved.

As advised by others, try your technique with some cold fireplace ashes first.

I am sorry for your loss,

JNB
 
Whatever option you choose, I'd test it with non-remains ash to make sure you don't get any blow-back before executing the mission.
 
You need to get the discharge some distance aft of the open door or window. ie 6-12" might be fine, I am not talking 3 feet. If you use a flexible tube it with whiplash against the fuselage.

I made a pvc device with hardware store supplies - in 30 minutes & $10 - a few years ago.
The discharge pipe is put out the window, in flight. The ashes are 'vacuumed' out of the bottom of the 4" pvc 'cannister' over a few minutes with little difficulty. Will dig it out if photos needed.
 
Get two thick paper bags, long bit of paracord, and a thin sheet of plywood and a small flare parachute (like you'd find at the army surplus store), and some paper packing tape.

You cut two discs of wood, about 3" wide, drill a hole in the center of both for the paracord to go through, be sure the paracord is attached well, you pour the ashes in the paper bags with the discs on ether end and the paracord sticking out each end, one end goes a short ways and attaches to the little parachute, the other goes a little longer ways and goes into the cabin with enough length to go past the tail, lightly fold chute up with one small rubber band around the bag, when you drop it out the window holding onto the longer end of line it falls past the plane the chute deploys, blows the bag apart and the ashes deploy behind the place and away from the window where it would get ashes back in the plane.

After it pops you can let go of the line, since it's all basically super light and will bio degrade, I've heard some people put some glitter in with the ashes so they can actually see them fall better.


If that makes sense
 
MSCARD88 cannot post this but we were thinking a spudzooka would be an awesome way to launch your belated over the Juneau passage.
 
And be careful. This happened near Creede, CO:

The pilot of a Cessna 210 with four people on board planned to scatter his mother's ashes over a mountain cabin. According to the NTSB, one witness observed a "cloud of something" pass behind the airplane moments before it spun to the ground ... . A powder, which was light tan in color and gritty to the touch (similar to cremation ashes), was found throughout the cabin area."
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I made a pvc device with hardware store supplies - in 30 minutes & $10 - a few years ago.
The discharge pipe is put out the window, in flight. The ashes are 'vacuumed' out of the bottom of the 4" pvc 'cannister' over a few minutes with little difficulty. Will dig it out if photos needed.
Click to expand...

This is what I was trying to describe to Bill, but didn't do too good of a job of it. Only difference is that I was thinking of securing the tubing onto a stick with enough extra at one end to bend with the slipstream and enough on the other end to stick into what ever is containing the ashes. Stick would need to be long enough so the ashes don't come in contact with the fuselage.

In a nutshell, the end effect is to do the same thing as a relief tube.
 
How about abandoning the idea that you are doing the flight, and just charter (or go up right seat) with another pilot with a 172 or 182, and chucking the ashes out the window? Benefit - you could enjoy a cold brew or a glass of wine in the process.
 
mulligan said:
MSCARD88 cannot post this but we were thinking a spudzooka would be an awesome way to launch your belated over the Juneau passage.
Click to expand...
Mark's a genius.
 
Pressure vacuuming works, but I've also heard that the gritty ashes sandblast the horizontal stabilizer.

Paper bag(s) on a string are reputes to work well, don't understand the need for plywood discs. Just make sure the bag goes past the tail before the string tightens and teats out the bottom of the bag. Then let go of the string.

Whatever you do, be careful.
 
Radar Contact said:
Whatever option you choose, I'd test it with non-remains ash to make sure you don't get any blow-back before executing the mission.
Click to expand...

Testing is a good idea thanks

SkyDog58 said:
Old salt?! :mad:

I'd like you to know that I am a very young 59.
:D
Click to expand...

High five on 59....:)

Sac Arrow said:
How about abandoning the idea that you are doing the flight, and just charter (or go up right seat) with another pilot with a 172 or 182, and chucking the ashes out the window? Benefit - you could enjoy a cold brew or a glass of wine in the process.
Click to expand...

Good idea but I'll at least test what you all have posted...:)

Hank S said:
Pressure vacuuming works, but I've also heard that the gritty ashes sandblast the horizontal stabilizer.

Paper bag(s) on a string are reputes to work well, don't understand the need for plywood discs. Just make sure the bag goes past the tail before the string tightens and teats out the bottom of the bag. Then let go of the string.

Whatever you do, be careful.
Click to expand...

100% thanks, a friend from Anchorage had a similar idea


Thanks for everyone's comments
 
Last edited:
Mix her in the smoke oil?
 
I made a tube from a 5 foot length of material. Put it over the container, and tape it on. Open the container, stick most of the tube out the window. No muss, no fuss.
That was the second time I was asked to scatter someone's remains.
The first time I was asked did not go so well.
They are still trying to get the remains out of the plane 50 years later.
 
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