Wing Loading Formula: Skydiving 101

Key Takeaways 

Wing loading in skydiving is the ratio of a skydiver’s exit weight (body weight plus gear) to the parachute’s surface area, expressed in pounds per square foot, which determines canopy performance. The formula is simple: divide exit weight by canopy size. Higher wing loading, increases descent speed and responsiveness but requires more experience due to a smaller margin for error. 

What Is Wing Loading? 

Wing loading is the ratio of a skydiver’s weight (including gear) to the surface area of their parachute, typically expressed in pounds per square foot. Wing loading helps us determine how the canopy will fly with us under it and how fast we will descend! Is every skydiver expected to know their wing loading? Yes! And we’re here to tell you how to figure it out; why it’s so important; and the effect it has on your skydiving experience. Let’s dive in! 

What Is The Equation For Wing Loading? 

The wing loading formula for skydiving is exit weight (your body weight + the weight of your gear) divided by the size of your canopy in square feet. There are many things in life that use wing loading, like birds and planes. What is the formula for wing loading for a bird? Similar to skydivers, body mass is divided by wingspan! 

The Wing Loading Formula Explained

What’s up with all this math in skydiving? We know … but we promise it’s super important. Your wing loading is presented as a ratio; it’s all comparable to a common numeral of one. We don’t need a wing loading calculator when the math really is this simple! 

For example, if someone has an exit weight of 170 lbs and their canopy is 170 square feet, then they would have a wing loading of 1:1, because 170/170 = 1.

• Lower wing loading example: Someone with an exit weight of 230 lbs jumping a canopy that is 270 square feet would have a wing loading around 0.8. 

• Higher wing loading example: Someone with an exit weight of 230 lbs jumping a canopy that is 109 square feet would have a wing loading around 2.1. 

The higher the exit weight and the smaller the canopy size, the higher the wing loading. And the opposite is true: the lower the exit weight and the larger the canopy size, the lower the wing loading. 

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) provides us with an awesome skydiving wing loading chart and wing loading calculator. 

We all calculate wing loading the same way, but skydivers don’t say to each other: “What is the wing loading ratio of your gear?” When asking about your wing loading, they’ll commonly say something like, “What’s your wing loading?” Or, “What do you jump and what do you load it at?” All of these questions mean the same thing! 

More About Exit Weight

Our exit weight is the first part of the wing loading equation. This weight is the combined mass of our body weight and the weight of our gear. 

How much does skydiving equipment weigh? Solo skydiving rigs – the container, both parachutes, and other components – weigh around 25 lbs, while tandem skydiving rigs weigh around 50 lbs! 

Understanding how we determine exit weight can give reassurance of why there are weight restrictions in skydiving. For example, the tandem skydiving weight limit is 225 lbs here at Skydive Carolina. This is because the exit weight for a tandem skydive is your body weight + your instructor’s body weight + the weight of the gear. When you check in for your skydive and are asked how much you weigh, it’s not because we’re just curious – we’re determining which instructor to pair you with to ensure we’re within the regulations of our gear. 

Skydive Wing Loading: Does Experience Matter? 

YES! Experience, currency, and jump number are all determining factors when considering wing loading. When we increase our wing loading, we descend faster and the margin for error dissipates. This is why these factors have to be considered when determining increasing your wing loading. 

Jump number is not equatable to experience. There, we said it! 

When & Why Skydivers Change Their Wing Loading

People like to downsize their canopy as they progress in the sport and often upsize after they’ve taken time off from jumping. Although downsizing – increasing your wing loading by decreasing the size of your parachute – is not a requirement as you spend more time in the sport, it’s common. Why? People want to do more! Flying with a higher wing loading will make your parachute more responsive, and suddenly things like harness input and flying with your rear risers becomes the norm, when it was nearly impossible to do with a low wing loading. 

It may be hard to believe, but after a couple hundred jumps, skydivers crave something different. They become hungry for more. This isn’t to say they become complacent or bored, but rather want to push into their full potential as a canopy pilot. 

If you’re a solo skydiver and have questions about wing loading, ask a trusted canopy coach! If you want to get into the sport and see what all this skydiving math is about – book your first skydive today!