A cross-country jump refers to a style of

skydive Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes. For ...

where the participants open their

parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

s immediately after jumping, with the intention of covering as much ground under canopy as possible. A cross-country jump is typically planned when the upper winds are strong, allowing the parachutists to cover larger distances. There are two variations of a cross-country jump: The most popular one is to plan the exit point upwind of the

drop zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In ...

. A

map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...

and information about the

wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hou ...

direction and velocity at different altitudes are used to determine the exit point. This is usually set at a distance from where all the participants should be able to fly back to the

. The other variation is to jump out directly above the

and fly down wind as far as possible. This increases the risks of the jump substantially, as the participants must be able to find a suitable landing area before they run out of altitude. Two-way radios and cell-phones are often used to make sure everyone has landed safely, and, in case of a landing off the

, to find out where the parachutist is so that ground crew can pick them up.

References

External links

Variations - Technical Library - Blue Sky Adventures Skydiving
at blueskyadventures.org (short entry)

at skydivingmagazine.com (Skydivers Use Winged Suits for Cross-Country Jump) Parachuting {{air-sports-stub