Exit separation calculator

Establishing adequate exit separation is fundamental to conducting safe skydiving operations. The USPA recommends at least 1,000 ft of separation over the ground between solo jumpers at exit, and 1,500 ft between small groups; this is in order to take into account freefall drift between different types of group, tracking, etc. Head or tail winds can make achieving the same horizontal separation take different amounts of time as the plane covers a different amount of distance over the ground. This tool can be used to achieve a chosen separation by using the ground speed as read out by the pilot or someone with access to that data. A more sophisticated tool is our exit separation visualizer, which can be useful in understanding the various factors and appreciating the complexity of establishing safe separation. None of this applies to aircraft that do not have a jump run—helicopters and hot-air balloons require separation by other means.

Ground speed on jump run 90 kt

Separation over the ground 1,000 ft

Time between groups—seconds in the door

Ground covered per second

Same separation at 60 kt

at 80 kt

at 100 kt

This tool is for learning purposes only and does not indicate dropzone policy nor make any recommendations itself. Nothing here is a substitute for proper training by certified instructors. See, for example, the United States Parachute Association's Integrated Student Program, described in the Skydiver's Information Manual.