Free tool
Skydiving spot calculator
Enter your wind speed, exit altitude, and body position to calculate freefall drift and how far upwind to exit the aircraft.
Auto-fill winds aloft
Pull live conditions from Open-Meteo — free, no account needed. Fills all altitude rows automatically.
Wind speeds & directions by altitude
Every 1,000 ft. Leave any row blank to skip. Active rows are within your freefall band.
Reading a winds aloft forecast manually
NOAA codes use five digits: 27019 means from 270° (west) at 19 kts. Enter each altitude's speed and direction — the calculator weights each layer by its thickness and averages them.
How the calculation works
- 1.Freefall time is estimated from your fall distance and body position. Belly-to-earth terminal velocity is ~120 mph (6 seconds per 1,000 ft); freefly sit and head-down fall faster, reducing drift time.
- 2.Freefall drift = average wind speed × time in freefall. At 20 mph over 60 seconds: 20 × (60 ÷ 3600) = 0.33 miles.
- 3.Forward throw (~0.2 miles) is subtracted. On jump run the aircraft flies into wind, giving skydivers upwind momentum that partially offsets the drift.
- 4.Net spot distance is how far upwind of the landing area the aircraft should be at exit.
Wind averaging
Use the average wind speed across your freefall altitude range, not just the surface wind. Winds typically increase with altitude — the difference between surface and exit altitude can be significant. Check a winds aloft forecast (NOAA, Windy, or your dropzone's weather service) at 3,000 ft, 6,000 ft, 9,000 ft, and 12,000 ft and average the speeds.
This is a guide, not a guarantee
This calculator uses accepted estimation methods but cannot account for all variables: gusts, altitude wind shear, aircraft speed variation, or individual fall rate differences. Always defer to your S&TA, pilot, or instructor. In questionable conditions, confirm the spot with a more experienced skydiver before exit.
Common questions
What is a skydiving spot?
The spot is the point on the ground directly below the aircraft at the moment skydivers exit. Because the wind carries skydivers downwind during freefall, the exit must happen upwind of the intended landing area — at a distance calculated from wind speed and freefall time.
What is forward throw and why does it matter?
When you exit a moving aircraft, you carry its horizontal velocity with you. Because the aircraft flies into the wind on jump run, this gives you upwind momentum that partially counteracts wind drift. For a typical jump aircraft at 80–90 mph, forward throw accounts for roughly 0.2 miles of effective upwind travel during freefall.
How do I average winds aloft for spotting?
Check a winds aloft forecast at multiple altitudes spanning your freefall — for a 14,000 ft jump, look at 3,000 ft, 6,000 ft, 9,000 ft, and 12,000 ft. Add the four speeds and divide by four. This average better represents the wind environment through your entire freefall than any single altitude reading.
When is it too windy to jump?
Most dropzones use 14–17 mph (12–15 knots) as the upper limit for student jumpers. For licensed skydivers, limits vary by canopy size and local conditions. Winds above 25 mph significantly reduce canopy penetration ability; above 35 mph most sport canopies cannot fly into the wind at all. Your S&TA sets the local limits.
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