Narrative:

Departed 4a4 on an instructional flight after a full-stop taxi back. We took off several mins after a twin otter with parachute jumpers. We departed the traffic pattern on left crosswind and made a wide climbing downwind on course to fulton county. All of our intentions were announced appropriately on published CTAF. We then heard '1 min until jumpers away.' this would have been plenty of time for us to be out of the area. However, less than 30 seconds later, we observed parachutes opening less than 1/3 mi and within 2000 ft of our altitude. We made an evasive turn to avoid jumpers. I believe that the jumpers may have already departed their aircraft before the 1 min warning. I also do not believe that this amount of warning was adequate. A 5 min warning would have been more adequate, or even just a 1 min warning before the jumpers departed. Watching the twin otter depart, I also observed occupants sitting in the back doorway of the aircraft that was partially open during takeoff. I don't know what part of the FARS they operate under, but perhaps I'm not familiar. I would hate to see an accident result from these practices.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 ADVISES THAT SKYDIVERS WERE RELEASED IN THE VICINITY OF 4A4 WITHOUT PROVIDING TIMELY WARNINGS TO OTHER ACFT.

Narrative: DEPARTED 4A4 ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT AFTER A FULL-STOP TAXI BACK. WE TOOK OFF SEVERAL MINS AFTER A TWIN OTTER WITH PARACHUTE JUMPERS. WE DEPARTED THE TFC PATTERN ON L XWIND AND MADE A WIDE CLBING DOWNWIND ON COURSE TO FULTON COUNTY. ALL OF OUR INTENTIONS WERE ANNOUNCED APPROPRIATELY ON PUBLISHED CTAF. WE THEN HEARD '1 MIN UNTIL JUMPERS AWAY.' THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF TIME FOR US TO BE OUT OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, LESS THAN 30 SECONDS LATER, WE OBSERVED PARACHUTES OPENING LESS THAN 1/3 MI AND WITHIN 2000 FT OF OUR ALT. WE MADE AN EVASIVE TURN TO AVOID JUMPERS. I BELIEVE THAT THE JUMPERS MAY HAVE ALREADY DEPARTED THEIR ACFT BEFORE THE 1 MIN WARNING. I ALSO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS AMOUNT OF WARNING WAS ADEQUATE. A 5 MIN WARNING WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ADEQUATE, OR EVEN JUST A 1 MIN WARNING BEFORE THE JUMPERS DEPARTED. WATCHING THE TWIN OTTER DEPART, I ALSO OBSERVED OCCUPANTS SITTING IN THE BACK DOORWAY OF THE ACFT THAT WAS PARTIALLY OPEN DURING TKOF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OF THE FARS THEY OPERATE UNDER, BUT PERHAPS I'M NOT FAMILIAR. I WOULD HATE TO SEE AN ACCIDENT RESULT FROM THESE PRACTICES.

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.