A large capsule that would be dropped from an airplane with a person or two in it, which would have a built in oxygen tank that runs oxygen through a tube to the person’s face. And there would be a large parachute built in at the top (and a secondary emergency chute), and thick cushioning on the floor of the interior with thinner cushioning on the walls.

Or an individual capsule could be constructed for a single person. It would have a suspension seat that you strap into, and some cushioning on the bottom.

These capsules would have windows in them (if pressure will allow for it), so that you can see the view.

The parachute might be deployed automatically after a set time from when the capsul is dropped, or at a certain altitude by an altimeter. And it would have an emergency manual deployment system as well.

People might be able to use these without any real training.

After each use: the parachute would be repacked, and the oxygen tank would be refilled if there is low pressure. The capsule would then be placed back into the airplane, ready to be dropped again.
-- BJS, Jun 21 2006

so you mean something exactly like that module astronauts used to use that would land in the ocean somewhere (i'm sure someone knows the name) I am not sure exactly what the point of this would be, if you wanted to jump without training the military does it all the time... your tethered to the plane and the chute is opened when you run out of line
-- tatmkr, Jun 21 2006


Quick! Join the Mile High (and dropping) Club!
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Jun 21 2006


Sorta baked in Starship Troppers, except for the windows and comfort and whatnot. Pretty cool.
-- notmarkflynn, Jun 21 2006


There are some problems with this.

First, an automatic parachute opener on a capsule is going to be not much safer than an AAD (automatic activation device) on a regular parachute.

Second, you kind of want somebody to steer the 'chute once it opens.

Third, this would not be that exciting. After the first five seconds or so, the capsule is going to reach terminal velocity. At that point, it is going to be very much like standing in a small room - no weightlessness, no sensation of falling, and not even the exhileration of a 120mph breeze going past you.

The main kick would be the 2-4 seconds of effective weightlessness at the beginning of the drop, as the capsule accelerates. But this you could get much more easily from a ground- based ride. You can do a tandem jump without any training, if you like.

[EDIT WHEN SOBER: christ I'm a miserable naysayer, aren't I? OK, it would be fun. Impractical but fun. How about a giant, helicopter-suspended bungee instead of parachutes though? [+] ]
-- MaxwellBuchanan, May 12 2007


Being a solid capsule, it could be very aerodynamic, giving a very high terminal velocity and longer free-fall time. But then free-falling strapped into a box wouldn't be that exciting.
Option: Deployable wings to allow much gliding after reaching terminal velocity - becomes high altitude, long range person transport.
-- neutrinos_shadow, May 14 2007



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