My primary instructor had done this professionally for a while.
His first attempt, emptying a bag through the window, resulted
in the ashes flying into the back and covering the widow and
the priest. Not ideal. He ended up using a length of pipe (plastic
I suppose), as long as reasonably possible given that it has
to be stored and manoeuvered in the cockpit. At the moment,
the passenger threads it through the open window then empties the
ashes down the pipe. This should keep it out of the slipstream.
Of course nobody would actually *know* if the ashes of the
departed ended up mainly stuck to the oil film on the belly, but
it's probably better if they don't.

John


"tony roberts" wrote in message
news:nospam-A53B13.21060101122003@shawnews...
I appear to have volunteered for a task I know nothing about.
My friend who owns a Cherokee was approached by a neighbour who advised
him that his father was dying and has asked that his ashes be scattered
from an aircraft over a rural area near where I live. My friend
volunteered, then thought that a high wing may do the job better, and
asked me if I would do it in my 172 - in a weak moment I agreed.

Throwing the sealed bag out of the window is an appealing option for its
simplicity, but I doubt that next of kin or persons on terra firma would
agree.

An open bag, thrown out of the window may or may not empty on its way
down - not reliable enough. Also I don't want the dear departed to hit
the horizontal stab and take us with him.

Tipping the contents of the bag out of the window would, I suspect,
result in the contents siphoning back into the cockpit.

A tube hanging out of the window, with a funnel at the top? That may
create a venturi effect and cleanly suck the ashes out of the plane.

Has anyone ever disposed of cremated remains from a light plane?
How did you do it? All suggestions/ideas gratefully received.


--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE