parachutist

A parachutist is a person trained to use a parachute to descend from an aircraft, tower, or other elevated position. They may operate in military, search-and-rescue, or civilian sport contexts. Military parachutists, or airborne troops, conduct insertion by static-line or freefall jumps and may perform operations at night with specialized equipment.

Training typically begins with ground instruction and progresses through static-line jumps, followed by accelerated freefall or solo freefall as proficiency improves. Key skills include exit technique, canopy control, turn coordination, altitude awareness, steering, flight path management, landing accuracy, and emergency procedures. Certification is usually required by law or the governing bodies in a given country.

Equipment consists of a parachute system with a main canopy, reserve canopy, and a harness-container; deployment methods such as static-line or ripcord; a helmet, gloves, and an altimeter. Many systems include an automatic activation device (AAD) that can deploy the reserve at a preset altitude if the jumper is unable to do so.

Roles and disciplines include sport parachuting, where practitioners compete in formation skydiving, canopy piloting, accuracy landing, and freeflying; and military parachuting, which focuses on rapid insertion, airborne operations, and cargo drops.

Safety and standards are overseen by national and international organizations, emphasizing equipment maintenance, weather assessment, jump planning, medical fitness, and ongoing training to maintain currency and proficiency.