For planned deployment initiation at 3,000 feet, how long should an average-sized jumper fall after exiting at 5,000 feet?

To determine how long an average-sized jumper will fall after exiting at 5,000 feet to initiate a planned deployment at 3,000 feet, it is essential to understand the principles of free fall and the rate of descent.

On average, a skydiver in a stable belly-to-earth position falls at approximately 120 mph, which translates to a vertical speed of about 18 feet per second. The altitude difference between 5,000 feet and the deployment altitude of 3,000 feet is 2,000 feet.

To calculate the time in free fall to cover this distance, you divide the altitude difference by the average rate of descent:

2,000 feet / 18 feet per second = approximately 111 seconds.

This indicates a duration much longer than the options presented, meaning adjustments need to be made for practical skydiving scenarios, which utilize a more straightforward estimate for jumps under normal conditions.

Typically, it is accepted that a skydiver will fall for roughly 10 to 12 seconds before needing to deploy the parachute at lower altitudes (which accounts for the total distance fallen during free fall before opening at 3,000 feet).

In this case, choosing 15 seconds as an approximate average