Landings at High Altitude

[Cantoral 1]

Hi, I'm looking for information about HA landings (12,000 ASL or higher), specially landings on the top of a mountain or volcano, anything about safety and winds.
Any help will be helpful!

Thanks in advance.

[BillyVance 35]

A search might find some info but basically, since the air is thinner up there, that means less resistance to canopy flight, therefore if you jump say a Sabre 170 at sea level, it'll fly like a Stiletto 107 at 10,000 feet, hypothetically speaking. You'd have to be really careful on the landings.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[billvon 3,123]

> Hi, I'm looking for information about HA landings (12,000 ASL or higher)
> specially landings on the top of a mountain or volcano.

Landings will be considerably faster. Doubling your normal canopy size might be a good idea. Winds will be the big issue when landing on a pinnacle. Given the average winds at the top of a 12,000 foot mountain, they will be your #1 problem. Volcanoes add the problems of shadow turbulence and massive thermals.

[Cantoral 1]

Thanks for the responses guys! This is a project that a friend have in mind. Some of us have experience in demo jumps at a relative HA, around 8,500 ft ASL and definitively all is much faster at this altitude.

Quote

Winds will be the big issue when landing on a pinnacle. Given the average winds at the top of a 12,000 foot mountain, they will be your #1 problem. Volcanoes add the problems of shadow turbulence and massive thermals.

For me this is my major concern, that's why I'm looking for help, to have something to show to my friend and other fellow jumpers and evaluate the risks of making a HA Landings.

Thanks again for the help!

Cielos Azules

[riggerrob 643]

Try reading Sparky Immeson's book: "Mountain Flying."
It explains mountain micro-meteorology in great detail.
It was written specifically for bush pilots flying Cessnas, but the theory is the same for flying parachutes in the mountians. Spaky's book has been reprinted multiple times.
The information is the same, just better organized in later editions.

For a lighter read, try Dennis Pagen's book on micro-meteorology, written for hang-glider and para-glider pilots.

[Cantoral 1]

Thanks Riggerrob! These books wiil be helpful.

Cielos Azules