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

110

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.

30

u/AliBinGaba 3d ago

500’ or 85’ doesn’t matter. You hit terminal velocity.

2

u/SoylentRox 1✓ 2d ago

He hit terminal velocity with whatever drag a collapsed chute provides. So it's still slower than it would be jumping with no chute, that's why he's still alive (and the other soldiers, seems like it's been at least 3, who experienced the same type of failure are alive as well).

Not to discount it, many people have died with collapsed parachutes. I remember a WW2 airman supposedly survived falling into deep snow with no chute but he may have had a collapsed chute as well.

There's also a flight attendant who survived an aircraft breakup, but she was shielded by the wreckage. Similar story - the wreckage lowered the terminal velocity. Everyone else on the aircraft died. A WW2 tail gunner survived a similar way.

So yeah, pure naked falls to dirt or water I think are currently at 100 percent fatality rate.

2

u/RelativeChest6657 2d ago

A WW2 pilot survived a naked 22,000ft drop by landing on a glass roof. He had to of been the luckiest person alive at that moment!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Magee

1

u/SoylentRox 1✓ 2d ago

I would assume his torn parachute was still on him and interacting with the air stream. Glass doesn't seem likely to provide the gradual deceleration needed. (There's no parachute stunt landings with wing suits hitting a special net or boxes decelerator)

It's possible the impact with the roof tore it loose so when the German soldiers on the ground found him there was no chute.