Question for you freefall/HALO guys

[ABNAK]

Can you cover more distance tracking in freefall or opening high and "flying" the chute? Let's assume you exit at the same altitude for both, like high enough that you need oxygen at first.

[ramairthree]

If you fall slow, you have more time to travel laterally.

[Skyyr]

The best glide ratio is about 1:1 in freefall (1ft lateral travel for 1ft vertical travel).

You can unequivocally cover more ground distance with your chute open, though how much depends greatly on the chute design and the winds at your altitude level.

[26 Inf]

IIRC correctly the glide ratio for tracking can approach 1:1; with a wingsuit it is much higher 3:1(?); modern canopies can damned near be paragliding wings with ratios of 5:1.

Winds aloft would impact the distance traveled - but the canopy would potentially put you further

Disclaimer: I was a baby free faller, not military HALO.

[ABNAK]

Very interesting, makes sense. Thanks for the input guys!

I was a static line troop so no flying anywhere. Well, with a -1B (dash-one-bravo) you could conceivably "fly" but not too damn far! You'd have to run with the wind but then your landing would be mighty uncomfortable!

[sinister]

Typically you'll fly farther under canopy doing a HAHO. Royal Marines crossed the channel in the 80s.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pn9gHz7HGi0/UKWEul-g_YI/AAAAAAAABsY/Qx7dfeYhIns/s1600/HAHO+test+jump.JPG

Yves Rossy, the "Jet Man," has done amazing things with his jet-powered wing:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2sT9KoII_M

[rjacobs]

And with modern meteorology and knowing winds aloft my guess is the drop point for a HAHO could be planned pretty well to take advantage of the winds. Not sure how high those guys can jump, but if you could get into the jet stream of 100+ kts at 35000 you could be pushed pretty far at a 5:1 glide ratio. Obviously the wind dies out as you get lower, but 30-40kts until 1-2k feet isnt out of the ordinary in my experience flying.

[sevenhelmet]

It's also really, really cold up there in the very thin air, so I would imagine jumpers have to balance the need for lateral displacement with the gear they need to survive hanging out for minutes at altitudes that could kill an unprotected man vs. falling quickly to lower altitudes where less life support gear is required.