parachute drop zone

parachute drop zone

A designated column of airspace with a minimum radius of 3 NM centered on a parachute landing area. In the vernacular, the dropping zone is the operations area where parachuting occurs and consists of the landing area, the packing area, and the airspace above. The landing area is where personnel and loads are dropped. However, the drop zone is where the drop occurs and is usually a conical space extending from the ground where the landing happens. The radius of the cone depends on the altitude of the drop and the normal wind speed in the area.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved