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Now, the guys he was talking about are tards, no doubt about it, but it does bring up an intersting point.

Now this is an argument that is going on in our local BASE comunity. How much does wind effect opening? I would say very little on a free fall jump, here is why. Have you ever noticed on a tower jump how loud the wind can be on top of the tower? But once you exit it gets really quiet then loud again as your vertical speed increases? I would say this is prrof that you are moving with the wind almost as soon as you leave the tower. Now if you are moving with the wind, then that would mean that it has ZERO speed relative to you. Meaning, when you open, RELATIVE TO YOU, there is no wind. So, now I ask, how can a wind that the canopy does not feel effect its opening.

I have heard the wind sock argument, but that fails because the wind sock is anchored, and you are not.

I supose the question is now, how long after you leave the object are you moving at the same speed as the wind? Again, based on the sounds one hears after leaving an object, I would say not long at all. Maybe this windsock effect might come in to play on static line jumps, I don't know.

What have other people experinced?

The rule of thumb I've always heard (and used) is that the wind governs the opening until your fall speed (i.e. relative wind) exceeds the wind speed (i.e. absolute wind).

It seems to work pretty well that way, from observation.

I have noticed that slider up canopies seem more susceptible to wind effects, even at higher airspeeds. I theorize that this is because the canopy is still constricted as the slider descends, and hence can be pushed around by the wind more easily, after it (and you) have already begun decelerating out of the "invisible" background wind, but before it is inflated and flying.

i think alot!


I would say it depends on the wind speed and the delay you take...............


is that not the silence you get from exit normally??


i would say thats not exactly proof


surely it depends on wind speed...............

This thread is interesting, specifically the theorizing about wind. I have fowarded this to a friend that is a physics student, majoring specifically in liquid dynamics (air is considered a liquid in this case even though it is a gas!). Once he gets a chance to reply to it I'll post what he had to say.

my jumping partner has a Phd in "all this shit"......................... and i still argue the point with him! cause i still think that those "reasons" he comes out with still dont fit in the BASE world!!! hehehehehe