r/theydidthemath • u/Fizzerolli • 3d ago

[request] Assuming fresh powdery snow, how deep would it have to be for the paratrooper to survive, if possible?

Post image

My son sent me this. My immediate thought based on nothing is that it’s unsurvivable regardless of the depth.

7.3k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

210 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

115

u/NoMansSkyWasAlright 3d ago

With the old T10 paracutes, it would've been 800 feet in training, 500 feet for some actual combat jumps from an aircraft moving at ~140 knots. With the newer T11s, it's now 1100 feet in training and if there's been a combat jump since the new model parachute dropped then I certainly don't know about it.

Source: Was with the 82nd airborne.

18

u/electrogeek8086 3d ago

How survivable is a 500 feet drop without a parachute? At first glance it doesn't seem that high.

67

u/ErisGrey 3d ago

I survived. At the time of my accident, I was one of 8 people.

https://www.reddit.com/r/a:t5_29marg/comments/e5pedf/my_injuries_and_what_made_me_open_this_subreddit/

6

u/JoshuaFalken1 3d ago

Holy fuck.

How you doing now?

15

u/ErisGrey 3d ago

Day to day still. Back on far more medications than I want to be, but moved to a place that is far more beautiful than where I used to live. My drive to my specialists is only 20 minutes now instead of 2+ hours.

They've scheduled annual ablations on the spine and neck for me. The next one is in June, we are doing 5 levels bilateral.

In between the ablations, I get trigger points when needed. We'll usually do about 50 injections per session, with 3 sessions. Right side, then left side, then neck. (EG right side of back right next to spine and going out towards the side) We try to do more, but I actually start to heave/vomit after too many.

I was told my heart is no longer a concern. But my pancreas and liver started failing in September of last year. So I'm still on weekly/bi-weekly blood monitoring.

Covid hit me really hard. I wasn't even sick, when one day I collapsed in the kitchen. The Chronic Inflammation with covid was not a good combination. I got rhabdomyosis again, and lost all my muscle mass again. The nerve issues got flared up even more. My Nerve Conduction Study showed 32% absent response. They officially added both MS and Fibromyalgia to my medical issues.

I never forgot that they said I'll be lucky to make it to 40. So a few years ago my 40th birthday was extra special for me. Took the whole family down to Universal Studios (Hollywood, California).