Narrative:

Flying r-hand traffic pattern at byron with a student, we were advised over the CTAF that skydivers would be falling northeast of the departure end of runway 30 (runway in use). In recent experience, I have always known the parachutes to drop northwest of the runway, in order to remain clear of the r-hand pattern. The skydiving plane again reported jumpers falling northeast of the runway, so following through with my touch-and-go I stated that I would make left traffic 1 time around in order to avoid them. Already in the left crosswind turn, I saw jumpers above and directly ahead. Keeping the turn in tight, I heard someone on the CTAF state, 'anyone who makes left traffic at byron will be sitting in the FSDO with me!' I based my decision of left traffic on the skydiving plane's repeated statement of jumpers falling to the northeast of the departure end of the runway within a mi of the airport. He later corrected himself and said northwest, but that was after I had completed left traffic. We stayed in the pattern for another 20 mins or so and departed back to oakland without further occurrences. I generally stay away fromm the byron airport, especially when parachute activity is being conducted, but that particular day the crosswind was excellent for training. My recommendation for a problem such as this is to drop skydivers further from the airport. It may require that a van meet them to bring them back to the airport, but it seems a small price to pay for safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT RPTS FLYING THROUGH A PARACHUTE DROP AREA THAT WAS INCORRECTLY ANNOUNCED BY THE PLT MAKING THE DROP.

Narrative: FLYING R-HAND TFC PATTERN AT BYRON WITH A STUDENT, WE WERE ADVISED OVER THE CTAF THAT SKYDIVERS WOULD BE FALLING NE OF THE DEP END OF RWY 30 (RWY IN USE). IN RECENT EXPERIENCE, I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THE PARACHUTES TO DROP NW OF THE RWY, IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR OF THE R-HAND PATTERN. THE SKYDIVING PLANE AGAIN RPTED JUMPERS FALLING NE OF THE RWY, SO FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH MY TOUCH-AND-GO I STATED THAT I WOULD MAKE L TFC 1 TIME AROUND IN ORDER TO AVOID THEM. ALREADY IN THE L XWIND TURN, I SAW JUMPERS ABOVE AND DIRECTLY AHEAD. KEEPING THE TURN IN TIGHT, I HEARD SOMEONE ON THE CTAF STATE, 'ANYONE WHO MAKES L TFC AT BYRON WILL BE SITTING IN THE FSDO WITH ME!' I BASED MY DECISION OF L TFC ON THE SKYDIVING PLANE'S REPEATED STATEMENT OF JUMPERS FALLING TO THE NE OF THE DEP END OF THE RWY WITHIN A MI OF THE ARPT. HE LATER CORRECTED HIMSELF AND SAID NW, BUT THAT WAS AFTER I HAD COMPLETED L TFC. WE STAYED IN THE PATTERN FOR ANOTHER 20 MINS OR SO AND DEPARTED BACK TO OAKLAND WITHOUT FURTHER OCCURRENCES. I GENERALLY STAY AWAY FROMM THE BYRON ARPT, ESPECIALLY WHEN PARACHUTE ACTIVITY IS BEING CONDUCTED, BUT THAT PARTICULAR DAY THE XWIND WAS EXCELLENT FOR TRAINING. MY RECOMMENDATION FOR A PROB SUCH AS THIS IS TO DROP SKYDIVERS FURTHER FROM THE ARPT. IT MAY REQUIRE THAT A VAN MEET THEM TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE ARPT, BUT IT SEEMS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.