Parachuting This is a two page paper that defines parachuting. There are two references used for this paper. Introduction Parachuting is a sport that has gained in popularity in the last 10 years with both young and old alike. While it?s not for a person who is faint of heart, the U.S. Parachute Association is quick to point out parachuting is safe, as long as the person is properly trained. Parachuting for Pleasure Parachuting isn?t just for the military anymore. People are finding it?s an exhilarating sport that can has a definite edge of danger and most report it?s a thrill they?ll never forget. At an average cost of $200 a jump, a quarter of million people try parachuting every year. The sport is becoming a lot safer with around 30 people dying a year, half of these professional jumpers. The number of deaths from first-time jumpers has also declined from 30 percent of the fatalities to 17 percent (1997). When the parachutist jumps out of the plane he will usually fall 18 ft per second at a speed of 125 miles per hour, however, those who parachute as an extreme sport have learned how to fall slower (2002). Learning to Parachute Not just anyone can rent a plane and jump out. Before a person can participate in the sport, he must first learn about it and the equipment. The parachute is an ?umbrellalike device designed to retard the descent of a falling body by creating drag as it passes through the air (2002).? The parachutes used today have specific requirements. The parachute should be able to keep its shape and balance while it is making a slow descent, lightweight, and extremely stable. The original parachutes were made of silk and opened into an umbrella shape, while today?s chutes are made of nylon and are easier to control due to their wing-shape design (2002). When the person first starts parachuting, he and a trained instructor are tethered together and share a chute in an effort to reduce the risks of death or...   MORE >>