Terminal Velocity

Roger
Interesting that they reprogramed the computer by rewiring it. I'm using a language program that changes the keyboard as soon as you load it. Life is good.
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Roger in the earily 1970s I had an analog computer course where you set up the computer(program it) by moving jumper plugs around!

Second life may not be all that good when you end up spending a sleepless night trying to get the plug and play hardware to do more then to give you error messages or trying to figure out why you are getting the old blue screen of death at random times.

Computers are wonderful when they are working correctly.

Not sure where you guys are getting your numbers, but I can tell you this: Far more important than most considerations is what is he doing while falling? If he's sky diving spread eagle; he'll reach about 120 mph. If he's "diving" or even doing a "cannonball" he may reach as fast as 200 mph. The really talented fast divers can reach speeds exceeding 300 mph. In an ultra high altitude jump, like from the stratosphere, a pro could conceivably break the sound barrier, but I doubt he’d be much over 300 mph by the time he touched down. I think SCoates needs to provide more info before an educated guess can even be tossed out there.

Occom Bill we are talking about a jumper here not someone who has the training and desire to assume the position of minimum air drag. Having done a few jumps myself getting into a stable minimum drag position take a fair amount of proficient would you not agree?

Second at the very very best you have roughly 8 seconds from impact for getting into a low drag position from a building jump and that short time frame would take a skill level that I don't think I still retain after not jumping for years.

That was my point, exactly. You guys were using 115 mph, and that would require maximum drag, which in turn requires technique. On my first jump; even after spending the morning training, and jumping with 2 pros; it still took 5 or 6 seconds just to assume the proper position. Had I been alone and straightened my legs and/or moved my arms to my sides; or pretty much done anything but relaxed in the spread eagle position; I'd be traveling faster than 115 mph. Had I jumped off even the tallest building; I would have met the earth well before reaching Terminal Velocity (though it may have proved "terminal".)


So you're looking for a target speed that realistically varies between 120 and 200 mph. This will take more time than there is altitude to accomplish even approximate Terminal Velocity for most jumpers off even the tallest buildings. I'd say in perfect form; a guy could probably get pretty close to TV jumping off the tallest building; but your average guy wouldn't even get too close.

That was my point, exactly. You guys were using 115 mph, and that would require maximum drag, which in turn requires technique. On my first jump; even after spending the morning training, and jumping with 2 pros; it still took 5 or 6 seconds just to assume the proper position. Had I been alone and straightened my legs and/or moved my arms to my sides; or pretty much done anything but relaxed in the spread eagle position; I'd be traveling faster than 115 mph. Had I jumped off even the tallest building; I would have met the earth well before reaching Terminal Velocity (though it may have proved "terminal".)
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I am not sure what we are disagreeing about then , as my fast and very dirty basic program gave a result of 800 feet to reach 90 percent of terminal velocity and only a handful of buildings in the world would give you a chance of acheiving that distance of fall.

Now a TV/RADIO tower can reach well over 1200 feet, as I can remember once flying my little MX ultralight over the flat near sea level surface of South Florida at around 1100 feet and being very surprise to fly by a radio tower who top was still a few hundred feet above me.