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?

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

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u/SoylentRox 1✓ 3d ago

Ok so with a headwind, and I take it a white knuckle pilot to get the aircraft to a 50? foot altitude, so it's essentially hovering over the ground...still would be nice to have zip lines. But yes this seems survivable.

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u/CaptainRex8669 3d ago

I have some flight training (just over 20 hours, which is half of what you need for licence here in the UK).

In slow flight, with the ground that close to you, which you can use as a visual reference point, any pilot would be able to maintain altitude without deviating more than a foot, so flying at 20 feet, or even lower, would be achievable.

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u/Nukethepandas 3d ago

At that point could you just land the plane on the spot? Like a vertical takeoff/landing plane but using the wind? 

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u/CaptainRex8669 3d ago

It is possible technically, but probably not a good idea. I've seen videos of un-manned aircraft taking off by themselves in a strong headwind. It's why in some countries with extreme weather, pilots tie light-aircraft to the ground.