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Scattering Ashes

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Aerial scattering of cremated remains is a popular practice, available through commercial services or DIY, but pilots attempting it face significant practical challenges in ensuring a dignified and clean dispersal.
  • Successful aerial scattering requires careful preparation, including finely processing the cremains and employing techniques or devices that release ashes at a distance from the aircraft to prevent them from re-entering the cabin or smearing the plane.
  • Various legal and regulatory requirements govern scattering locations, including permits for national parks, specific distance rules for ocean burials, and potential state-level notifications for inland waters or other areas.
  • Pilots considering aerial scattering must prioritize safety and meticulous planning, as improper attempts have resulted in messes, undignified experiences, and even serious accidents, making it advisable to undertake such a task with a clear mind and careful execution.
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We always thought my dad wanted his ashes spread over Cherry Hill, the family farm and B&B in the Catskill Mountains where he grew up. But my mother vetoed our plans to airdrop his ashes from my Cardinal and said he had expressed a desire to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. And so he was. The ceremony, with full military honors, was very impressive.

But cremation – and the question of what to do with the resulting ashes – has become more popular – and problematic. Typically, a group of family and friends will take the urn with the ashes to one of the decedent’s favorite places and scatter the ashes. For sailors, the favorite place might be on the water and for pilots, in the air above a favorite fly-over spot.

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