Scattering Ashes

I have a co-worker who's father just passed away. He'd like his ashes
scattered over his home town. I've read a few horror stories in
flying magazine. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a
Mooney and am a little concerned about stuff getting blown back in, or
all over the wings. Is a high-wing the best way to go? I've also
heard that a tube and funnel thingy might be prudent.

Thankx

I have a bit of experience. Perhaps others have more.

This is not terribly pretty, and perhaps a even a bit tacky, but it worked
for us...

Get some 3" abs or pvc drain pipe, about 3 - 3 1/2 ' long.
Attach a cap to one end, and a cleanout fitting to the other.

The cleanout fitting unscrews, which allows you to pour the ashes into the
pipe. Of course, screw the fitting back on once done, but not too tight.

When over the site, open the window, and with the cleanout fitting end as
far out as you can, hold onto the pipe with one hand while unscrewing the
fitting with the other. Keep the open end aft of the open window and as far
down as you can comfortably reach. Don't drop the pipe!

Oh, perhaps you want to paint things on the pipe.

Harvey


"Chris Matras" wrote in message
...
I have a co-worker who's father just passed away. He'd like his ashes
scattered over his home town. I've read a few horror stories in
flying magazine. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a
Mooney and am a little concerned about stuff getting blown back in, or
all over the wings. Is a high-wing the best way to go? I've also
heard that a tube and funnel thingy might be prudent.

Thankx

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 17:02:27 -0500, Chris Matras
wrote:

I have a co-worker who's father just passed away. He'd like his ashes
scattered over his home town. I've read a few horror stories in
flying magazine. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a
Mooney and am a little concerned about stuff getting blown back in, or
all over the wings. Is a high-wing the best way to go? I've also
heard that a tube and funnel thingy might be prudent.

Thankx

Only one problem with a tube out the window, dipped in bottle
approach. The tube needs to poke into a (relatively) low pressure
area, not high-pressure area, or it blows round the cockpit.

Could practice with a u tube with a little water in it, to sample the
differential, or with a sensitive gage, or use a bottle of flour or
talcum?

Brian Whatcott Altus, OK

You shouldn't be doing this unless you've done it before. There are folks
who specialize on this type of delicate task and most of them are reasonably
priced. You or your friend should look into this first.

My condolences to your co-worker.

"Chris Matras" wrote in message
...
I have a co-worker who's father just passed away. He'd like his ashes
scattered over his home town. I've read a few horror stories in
flying magazine. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a
Mooney and am a little concerned about stuff getting blown back in, or
all over the wings. Is a high-wing the best way to go? I've also
heard that a tube and funnel thingy might be prudent.

Thankx

The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:24:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:

The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don

Not recommended for human ashes. Electronic ashes may be different.
The tube method is probably the best. Duct tape a 1" tube all the way
down the fuse, past the tail. The pressure differential will pull the
ashes out. As Juan says, practice. If you mess up you could be
breathing your cargo for a long time or allow him to literally
sandblast the side of your aircraft. Good luck.

Jon A. wrote:

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:24:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:

The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don

Not recommended for human ashes. Electronic ashes may be different.
The tube method is probably the best. Duct tape a 1" tube all the way
down the fuse, past the tail. The pressure differential will pull the
ashes out. As Juan says, practice. If you mess up you could be
breathing your cargo for a long time or allow him to literally
sandblast the side of your aircraft. Good luck.

Doesn't sound too smart to have a long rubber tube hanging out in
the slipstream which will happen if the tape get's ripped
off...Be careful with these experiments...an ASW crew on my base
a few years ago screwed up royally when they went out with lots
to tape on ten inch reels but had forgotten to take out an empty
reel to 'get things started' so to speak. One bright bulb said
'no sweat' we'll just dump a reel's tape by feeding the tape out
the General Purpose chute. He stuck a pencil through the reel and
fed it out...until the speed of the spinning reel (at approx the
speed of sound) wore the pencil off, the zinging reel hit the
floor at some God awful RPM, shattered and drove plastic shards
all over his legs. Had to abort the patrol and get him
home...painful and embarrassing...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Jon A. wrote:
On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:24:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:


The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don


Not recommended for human ashes. Electronic ashes may be different.
The tube method is probably the best. Duct tape a 1" tube all the way
down the fuse, past the tail. The pressure differential will pull the
ashes out. As Juan says, practice. If you mess up you could be
breathing your cargo for a long time or allow him to literally
sandblast the side of your aircraft. Good luck.
Is that an approved tube to be taped on the aircraft?
Something stupid like that would have a good chance of killing somebody
when it got loose.

What the hell are electronic ashes? THe idea is to get a junk inspection
plate, drill a hole in it for a PVC fitting, on the outside of the airplane
cut the PVC off at a 45d angle facing aft to get vacuum, put a deflection
plate behind the PVC cutoff to deflect the ashes down, run a shopvac flex
hose up to a plastic utility box, put yet another PVC fitting on the box to
connect the hose to the box (flush fitting inside the box).

Test fly it with kitty litter. IF you got it right, test fly it again with
fireplace ashes. If you don't find kitty litter or fireplace ash somewhere
on the belly when you get back on the ground, you got it right.

WIth the dearly departed in the box, gently scoop or brush the ashes over to
the PVC drain hole in the box. When brushing gets no more of the ash out,
sluice the box out with liquid of choice to get all the ash into the drain
hole. Some may use holy water. Some may use Guinness. I want Chardonnay.

Jim

Jon A. wrote:
On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:24:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:


The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don


Not recommended for human ashes. Electronic ashes may be different.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 21:57:57 -0600, wrote:



Jon A. wrote:
On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:24:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:


The subject comes up on the rec.aviation groups from time to time.
It'd be worth your while to google the newsgroup for it. Jim Weir has
the most carefully thought out approach. It involves removing an
inspection plate on the belly of his 182 and opening up the floor.

Don


Not recommended for human ashes. Electronic ashes may be different.
The tube method is probably the best. Duct tape a 1" tube all the way
down the fuse, past the tail. The pressure differential will pull the
ashes out. As Juan says, practice. If you mess up you could be
breathing your cargo for a long time or allow him to literally
sandblast the side of your aircraft. Good luck.
Is that an approved tube to be taped on the aircraft?
Something stupid like that would have a good chance of killing somebody
when it got loose.

It's not approved to dump anything out of the aircraft. As far as the
tape coming off, I was under the impression that an light airplane
would be used, not a jet. If you've ever had to duct tape a part to
get home, you know it generally is okay, we're not doing a cross
country flight in the muck. In any event, he should do some research
from an org that has done this a number of times so that he can do it
well and to everyone's satisfaction.