Drop zone
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- This page is about a parachuting dropzone, For the 1994 film, see Drop Zone (film).
In parachuting, a Drop zone or DZ is the area above and around a location where a skydiver or parachutist freefalls and expects to land. In many cases skydivers refer to the airfield at which they board aircraft in order to jump the Dropzone or DZ, but the term dropzone is intended to refer to the area in which freefall skydiving and parachute descents take place. At dropzones with fixed wing aircraft, the drop zone is generally a rectangular area, with its length in the same direction as the main runway. The size of a drop zone depends on the general weather conditions, as well as the aircraft's size and flight speed.
In sports skydiving a drop zone is generally the area where skydivers operate their aircraft, freefall, deploy and land their parachutes, or it can mean the business which owns the planes and arranges jumps. It is usually situated beside a small airport often sharing the facility with other general aviation activities. A skydiving operation may have one or more aircraft. There is generally a landing area designated specifically for parachute landings. Drop zone staff include the DZO (Drop zone operator or owner), Manifestors, Pilots, Instructors, Coaches, Cameramen, Packers, Riggers and other general staff.
[edit] Trivia
During the Battle of Normandy (1944), a significant number of paratroopers did not land in their predicted drop zones.
[edit] External links
- Dropzone.com - The single best source for skydiving information
- USPA The United States Parachute Association -- The governing body for sport skydiving in the U.S.
- Melbourne Skydive Centre - Example of a drop zone in Australia
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