Skydiving experiences vary greatly. To get some
perspective, however, we consulted the skydivers at the Duanesburg
Skydiving Club near Schenectady, NY. They commonly jump from a plane
flying at about 10000 feet (3048 m) and free-fall to about 3000 feet
(914 m) before pulling the ripcord. The parachute deploys fully in a
few seconds, slowing the diver's velocity. It must be large enough in
size for the skydiver to hit the ground at a velocity below about 10
mph (4.47 m/s) in order to prevent injury.
Numbers like those
above will be used in example problems in the module.