# How long does it take for a parachute to fall 3,000 meters? Banzai parachuting **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227 "2008-05-31T03:05:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/1 "2008-05-31T03:05:31Z")
For those unaware of banzai parachuting, it involves: getting a plane to 3,000 meters, throwing your parachute out, then waiting, then jumping after the parachute, and trying to get it on and deployed in time. The current record is a 50 second wait. I am wondering how long it will take a parachute to fall 3,000 meters. [http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/long430.html](http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/long430.html) ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/2 "2008-05-31T03:11:18Z")
HMMMM… 3000 meters=9000 feet +/- terminal velocity of a packed parachute=? 50 seconds… I figure some math guys will explain to you that gullible is not in the dictionary…I could be wrong… The guy must have great eyesight to say the least. Able to locate a falling packed chute with a 50 second head start, that has gotta be some kind of record. Then catch up to it put it on deploy it…hey 2.5 wanna buy a bridge? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/3 "2008-05-31T03:43:16Z")
Right, some guy tosses his chute from a plane, waits, then jumps after it. So whaty lind of plane? Suppose he is ina Citabria, Storch or other performance craft that has the capacity to slow down to 50 miles per hour without falling out of the sky. This means that he will only be 3,667 feet away from the parachute horizontally, plus however far the parachute has fallen vertically and he is just going to glide down and catch it (never mind putting it on). (Of course, in a more likely plane doing over 90 knots, the horizontal distance will exceed a mile.) It is fun to browse nonsense web sites for their entertainment value, but it is not a good idea to believe things that are simply not true. (Now, a web search on “Yasuhiro Kubo” leads to the same story as a comment on a video of a guy jumping without a parachute _at the same time as some friends dropped with chutes_ and he got into the harness after jumping, but throwing the cute out and waiting to follow it has simply not happened.) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/4 "2008-05-31T03:43:38Z")
[QUOTE=askeptic] The guy must have great eyesight to say the least. Able to locate a falling packed chute with a 50 second head start, that has gotta be some kind of record. [/QUOTE] They don’t have the spot the chute themselves. There are specially cultivated young cats that ride on their back and guide them. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/5 "2008-05-31T03:49:09Z")
Here is an interview with Craig Glenday, editor of the Guinness Book of World Records: > [@Craig Glenday](#): > > By far the most dangerous record category, in my opinion, is the Banzai Skydive. This involves taking an aircraft to a given height (3,000 meters, so just short of 10,000 feet), throwing your parachute out of the door, then waiting as long as possible before jumping after it. The aim, then, is clear: free fall towards the parachute, catch it, strap it on, and deploy before hitting the ground. The longest wait yet is, incredibly, 50 seconds by Yasuhiro Kubo of Japan. [http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/the-guinness-book-of-world-records-editor-answers-your-questions/?hp](http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/the-guinness-book-of-world-records-editor-answers-your-questions/?hp) ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/6 "2008-05-31T03:50:24Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Right, some guy tosses his chute from a plane, waits, then jumps after it. So whaty lind of plane? Suppose he is ina Citabria, Storch or other performance craft that has the capacity to slow down to 50 miles per hour without falling out of the sky. This means that he will only be 3,667 feet away from the parachute horizontally, plus however far the parachute has fallen vertically and he is just going to glide down and catch it (never mind putting it on). (Of course, in a more likely plane doing over 90 knots, the horizontal distance will exceed a mile.) [/QUOTE] Can’t the plane circle? ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/7 "2008-05-31T04:08:54Z")
Skydiver’s rule of thumb: 15 seconds to terminal velocity covering 1500 feet of altitude. Then at 120 mph terminal velocity, 6 seconds per thousand feet. So, for 50 seconds: 50 = 15 + 35 (let’s say 36 to make life easy) ``` = 1500 feet + 6x1000 feet = 7500 feet. From 10,000 you're at 2500 feet, and minimum allowed opening altitude is 2200 feet. ``` Now the rig free-falling alone won’t fall as fast as a man, so the chaser won’t have to fall for 50 seconds to catch it. but given the time required to put on the harness (2 thigh straps, the shoulder straps, and 1 chest strap) let alone the time to chase & catch it, and I say you run out of time more often than not from 10000 feet. From 14000, maybe you have an even chance. It’s still heads you die, tails you live. Colour me skeptical -trupa, A (beginner) license, 103 jumps. As a former skydiver, ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/8 "2012-10-19T07:19:51Z")
Good you question this. I did the usual Googling and I couldn’t find proof that anyone has ever made a “banzai skydive”. The Japanese guy who is the alleged “world record” holder has a web-page. I think he should state the situation clearly. (Me - just a former skydiver and glider pilot.) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/9 "2012-10-19T12:27:48Z")
Beware- this is a zombie thread. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/10 "2012-10-19T18:03:28Z")
> [@ycc\_Swe](#): > > I did the usual Googling and I couldn’t find proof that anyone has ever made a “banzai skydive”. It’s not quite the same thing, but Travis Pastrana jumped out of a plane without a parachute in 2007 (before the original date on this zombie thread). Rather than meet up with a thrown chute, though, he met up with another skydiver and latched into a harness, and then landed safely in tandem with the other skydiver. It was a carefully planned stunt sponsored by Red Bull. There are videos of it on youtube. You can see on the video that two skydivers jump out with him and he is never far from either one of them (unlike a banzai chute, which is going to end up pretty far away from the skydiver). I suspect that he could have linked up with either one and that they used two as a safety precaution, since if he failed to link up with the first one and they didn’t have a backup his only other alternative at that point was to go splat. That’s probably the closest you’ll ever get to a real banzai chute. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/11 "2012-10-20T00:05:33Z")
It is worded differently on some sites, like [this one](http://theanythingblog646.blogspot.com/2010/08/guinness-world-record-fact-august-2122.html): > [@](#): > > On September 2, 2000, Yasuhiro Kubo (Japan) jumped from a plane over Davis, California, at an altitude of 9,842 ft without a parachute. After a record-breaking 50 seconds of free fall, he hooked on to a parachute that had been thrown out of the plan prior to his jump and landed safely. That sounds like a chute is thrown, the jumper jumps and waits as long as possible to grab it and hook up. That at least sounds possible if you can match terminal velocities well enough. Maybe a small drogue on the chute to slow it or whatever is necessary to make both fall at the same rate. The [Free Fall Research Page](http://www.greenharbor.com/fffolder/fiction.html) says: > [@](#): > > Banzai skydiving: Supposedly there is a sport called “Banzai Skydiving” in which the participant throws his parachute out of an airborne aircraft and then waits as long as possible before jumping out of the aircraft, catching up with it, putting it on, and deploying it. The slim descriptions of this sport do not mention if the individual is wearing a reserve, but I hope so, otherwise this should be called “Kamikaze Skydiving.” The champ, apparently (since odds are that this is an Internet hoax), is a Japanese man named Yasuhiro Kubo, who waited 50 seconds before jumping and reuniting himself with his parachute on September 2, 2000. I could not find anything to support this claim, though it is repeated in multiple places on the web. I searched [guinnessworldrecords.com](http://guinnessworldrecords.com) for Yasuhiro, Kubo, and Banzai with 0 results for each. Searching parachute and skydive has hits but none are related. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/12 "2012-10-20T01:53:31Z")
Well Yasuhiro Kubo is a real stunt sky diver, base jumper and aerial camera man. His web page here claims “No parachute Skydiving Guinness record 2000”, but it doesn’t make any claim about 50 seconds or the details. [http://www.skydiving.jp/about\_yasukubo2.html](http://www.skydiving.jp/about_yasukubo2.html) Theres a contact form, someone who can speak Japanese could email him and ask for details. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/13 "2012-10-20T03:50:25Z")
Well, the Guinness FAQ says" There are more than 40,000 current records in our database and we currently present about 3,000 records online. We’ll be adding more every week, so make sure to check the site regularly" so that may be why it doesn’t show there. [This site](http://www.pointsincase.com/columns/david-nelson/extreme-sports-world-tour) seems to back up it’s appearance in the record book: > [@](#): > > When I first read about Banzai Skydiving, I was dubious. Some things are too fucked up even for the Japanese.\*\* But it’s even in the Guinness Book of World Records, 2007 edition, page 95\*\*. Anyone have an '07 Guinness Book? I’m seeing other sites that describe it the way I speculated earlier, where the jumper and chute go out and he waits 50 seconds to grab it and strap it on. One site said a partner jumper with an extra chute and Kubo waited 50 seconds before jumping, catching him and taking the chute. What sounds very plausible for me is a mixture of the two where both he and a partner jumped at the same time, stayed in close range, and he took the chute after 50 seconds. I don’t believe for a second his chute had a 50 second head start. I bet there’s been some confusion along the line somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/14 "2012-10-20T13:30:12Z")
Glad you still take interest in this. I sent this to Mr. Kubos email. Dear Mr Yasuhiro Kubo, I have heard about the sport “banzai skydiving”. I think it means that the skydiver first throws out his parachute from the airplane. After that he jumps out of the airplane and freefalls so that he can link up with his parachute. he then puts on the parachute, opens it and lands normally. Since you are a highly experienced skydiver I want to ask you the following: 1. Has anyone ever made a banzai skydive, as described above? is there any video or other documentation of that jump? 2. If anyone has made a “banzai skydive”, did they wear an extra reserve parachute? Thank you for taking your time, Mr Kubo I apologize I cannot write to you in Japanese. ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/15 "2012-10-23T08:32:34Z")
Thanks to expert skydiver, Mr. Yasuhiro Kubo for replying to my email. Mr. Kubo wrote the following. I just removed some of my and Mr. Kubo’s personal contact information. I would really like to see the video. I wonder if I should maybe ask Mr. Kubo if there is any possibility to see the video, maybe on youtube or maybe ask when the video was aired and in which show? I am not sure how to continue investigating banzai skydiving. This was an interesting turn. Mr.NN How are you. Thank you for being interested in my record I do not know that other people challenged it after me (like same a way) My record still appears in the Guinness Book of Records. The record is not changed. It will be difficult to change this record from now on If a video is my thing, there is it. It was on air by TVshow. Thank you for a question Yours sincerely, ############################## 久保安宏 YASUHIRO KUBO URL [http://www.skydiving.jp/](http://www.skydiving.jp/) MAIL N@N TEL 00000000000 ε----==三三　＼\_＿○ノシ〃ャ→冫フo ############################## ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/16 "2012-10-23T08:37:33Z")
ok but that doesn’t give any details about what he actually did. theres a big difference between throwing out the parachute 50 secs before and free falling for 50 secs next to a parachute thats thrown out at the same time. was it even 50 seconds? someone needs to find that 2007 physical Guinness book. ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/17 "2012-10-23T08:39:55Z")
It has been in the Guinness book. It will not help so much to know if it is still there I think. i think we must find the TV show or other witness. ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/18 "2012-10-23T08:48:42Z")
maybe the best thing is that I write back to mr. Kubo and ask for details. When and where did it happen. how long freefall did Mr. Kubo have before catching up with the parachute at what height. But maybe language and cultural differences are too big to ask such questions. I would be willing to pay postage and media cost for a DVD with the video just so see it. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/19 "2012-10-23T08:58:00Z")
without knowing the air date and network it will be impossible to find. I just tried doing a search on youtube and on japan video site nicovideo.jp using the kanji of his name “久保安宏” nothing comes up. ---
**Author:** ![ycc\_Swe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@ycc\_Swe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ycc_Swe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227/20 "2012-10-23T09:07:02Z")
That was a good approach. There is still a risk the TV show is only an interview. I don’t think we can demand from Mr Kubo to reply to many detailed questions. Maybe the best thing is that I ask mr Kubo what date and at which dropzone the record was set. Then maybe it is easier to ask for witnesses. (Adjacent jump clubs etc) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-parachute-to-fall-3-000-meters-banzai-parachuting/451227.md?page=2)