Any para types can correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the lighter guys in the jump companies have to carry more weight than the heavy-weights due to weight restrictions on the chutes? If so, I guess it pays sometimes to go for seconds in the mess hall...
Hey Al, I dunno if THIS is true or not, maybe you can clarify. I heard a while back that tankers started the whole human rights thing. (Changes voice to Dennis Hopper in True Romance) Yeah, yeah. I'll take that chesterfield now. Based on speculation that, like their Russian counterparts, they where recruited on physical characteristics suited to the small confines of armoured vehicles. Well, much to the armoured corps dismay, they quickly realised that an unfortunate by-product of sedentary duty, poor eating habits, and lack of PT was huge-hips-itis. The sad reality was that as they gained experience to guide the young and newly indoctrinated they also increased in girth. Yeah, yeah. Your part egg-plant. They did so much eating that they where at risk of outgrowing their terms of reference. So, they broke out the grease and embraced the civilian movement towards human rights in order to save their race. Now tell me.......am I lying? ;D
All in jest of course. I guess you have to have seen the movie to fully appreciate the humour.
Fact: More weight equals faster rate of decent. Average rate of decent of the CT-1 parachute = 14 to 18 feet per second. "KEEP YOUR FEET AND KNEES TOGETHER"!
Personal observation: Big guys fall faster and tend to get injured more often. Having said that, the same holds true for - the inflexible, unfit, poor drills, etc.......
Conclusion: Mesomorphs can still hump the weight once they hit the ground but tend to load the chute less and hit the ground at a slower rate of decent.
Reality: When the Pl Comd and Pl WO are creating their orbats and writing their Det Wng Orders for ops they already have enough to worry about. If a big guy ends up on a MG course, and as a result ends up in the wpns det as the C6 Gnr, then he will end up jumping more weight (and falling faster). The mission essential kit and troops are tactically cross-loaded based on the mission profile, not the personal weight of the jumpers. 'Extra' kit is distributed for tactical reasons and weight distribution as much as possible. That applies to a plane being shot down, going down (air or ground), missing the insertion, the ground tactical plan, the ability of the jumpers to move and fight (mobility), and a myriad of other factors. However, in a perfect world...........we would factor in the weight of the jumpers to approximate an equal rate of decent for everyone................someone pass the big jumper a kleenex.........please!!! ;D
Another personal observation: I've jumped 140lb rucks. I think that would qualify me for the 'maxing-out the chute capabilities' club. You can't honestly negate that by arguing that the chute will miraculously decelerate in the 14 1/2 ft that seperates jumper from kit on their respective landings. In 14 straight years as a paratrooper I have always made it to the DZ RV. Luck? Divine intervention? Or is there some merit to being a short, stocky, flexible, physically active, stubborn Irishman? ???
If memory serves, I believe the chute was designed for a max of 375lbs. I will clarify with the riggers on Monday. Having said that, as a PI we run into more problems with troops on training jumps trying to slip by with rucks under the 35lb min. This creates it's own set of problems, as it poses a hazard to the jumper.........but that is a whole new topic of discussion.