How Altimeters Can Affect Your Jumping

The altitude of skydiving does matter if you want to set a record. However the record has remained for 40 years and it is going to be extremely hard to beat!

If you are thinking of trying to beat the current highest parachute jump record then you may be wondering what that record actually is. Well it belongs to Joseph Kittinger and he is currently the highest parachute jumped as well as holding the record for the fastest speed too. He is a man whom many skydivers look up to and beating his record will be incredibly difficult to do.

The Highest Jumping Record and how it was achieved

The record for the highest parachute jump was actually set back in 1960 by Joseph Kittinger. He did it as part of a test for the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories of the Unites States Air Force and he was basically looking at high altitude escape. He undertook the jump at 102, 800 feet in the air and it is the highest parachute jump ever to be attempted. Most skydivers today jump at heights of between 10, 000 feet and 30, 000 feet so the thought of jumping at 100, 000 feet is quite spectacular!

Joseph Kittinger jumped in absolutely freezing temperatures and he fell at a speed of roughly 714 miles per hour. It is estimated that he free fell for around 4 minutes and he got three separate world records; one for the highest parachute jump, one for the longest free fall and one for the fastest speed ever to be reached by man. Whilst he set off at 102, 800 feet, he only opened his parachute once he got to 18, 000.

The reason why Joseph did the never attempted highest parachute jump was to allow parachuting to advance. Tactical training, escape techniques and deployment were all researched and the USAF also conducted various investigations regarding the high altitude escapes. This was so that the pilots as well as other people would be better able to escape at high altitudes. These days however when skydivers jump from heights, they are not concerned with discovering anything new; they are more interested in the thrill of it.

Although it is mainly a military type jump, there are skydivers who like to jump from such heights. They are adventure seekers and they love the feeling of their heart racing for long periods of time. They want to free fall for minutes rather than seconds and that is where they differ to ordinary skydivers just looking for an amazing experience. Most skydivers are quite content simply free falling for a few seconds as that is enough to increase the heart rate and get the adrenaline pumping around your body.

Overall Halo jumping is becoming more and more common. Otherwise known as high altitude, low opening jumping, many ordinary skydivers love to use them as an adventure skydiving activity. It has been 40 years since the record was set by Joseph Kittinger and though many have tried to beat him, they have always failed. So if you are looking to beat the record then it may take some practicing!

By: John Ewing -

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John Ewing loves writing for www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com . A website with tips on altimeters, amongst many related topics.