Normal "pull" altitude for sport jumping is between 2000' and 2500' (for
experienced skydivers). An exit at 3500' will give you approx 12-14 seconds
of freefall before pulling at 2000. However if you are going through 3500'
at terminal velocity, you only have about 7-8 sec. before 2000'. I've gotten
out somewhat lower than 2000' several times but deployed as soon as I
cleared the a/c. You shouldn't deploy your main canopy much lower than 1800'
or so to give yourself time to use emergency procedures if necessary. Also
I've never been in a jump a/c that didn't have restraints for all jumpers on
board. Base jumpers don't have a reserve system...There's usually no time to
use them anyway.
Military jumping is another animal altogether.

"Scott Lowrey" wrote in message
news:HNCmc.43949$kh4.2310079@attbi_s52...
Ditch wrote:

Here is the accident report.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X07972&key=1


Holy crap. "Preparing to jump from about 3500 feet?" Although I'm not
an avid sky diver, I didn't think anyone jumped from an airplane at much
less than 9000' AGL.

I did the heave-ho out of a Twin Otter at 13,000. This altitude sounds
more like BASE jumping.

Need some time to enjoy that 120 mph wind-in-the-face.