So by the end of my first chapter my two MCs jump off a dying dirigible with one parachute between them, in a raging thunderstorm, over a forest. It's a bad time, but they need to survive it so there can be a rest-of-the-book. I've googled around a bit; perhaps understandably, skydiving websites don't like to go into worst case scenarios. Bad for business. So here I am!
1. Taking into account adrenaline, is it possible for two people to successfully use one parachute without a harness attaching them? Could the person wearing the parachute hold onto the other when the chute snaps open, or is this one of those scenarios in which arms would get dislocated?
2. Are there any special considerations to jumping in a thunderstorm? We can safely assume they don't get struck by lightning (I'm the writer, and I say they don't get struck by lightning), but what about wind and rain?
3. I've found some scant info on paratroopers and smokejumpers, so I know it's possible to parachute into rough terrain and forests. I'm betting it's unpleasant. Any insight?
If someone bites, I may follow up with questions about altitude and time spent in freefall, etc. I'm cursed with endless curiosity.
1. Taking into account adrenaline, is it possible for two people to successfully use one parachute without a harness attaching them? Could the person wearing the parachute hold onto the other when the chute snaps open, or is this one of those scenarios in which arms would get dislocated?
2. Are there any special considerations to jumping in a thunderstorm? We can safely assume they don't get struck by lightning (I'm the writer, and I say they don't get struck by lightning), but what about wind and rain?
3. I've found some scant info on paratroopers and smokejumpers, so I know it's possible to parachute into rough terrain and forests. I'm betting it's unpleasant. Any insight?
If someone bites, I may follow up with questions about altitude and time spent in freefall, etc. I'm cursed with endless curiosity.