Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,uk.misc From: zeus@myth.demon.co.uk (Mike Cowgill) Subject: Re: freefalling bodies landing in concrete? Date: Fri, 7 Oct 1994 00:11:55 +0000 This is what the Guinness Book of Records has to say: It is estimated that the human body reaches 99% of its low-level terminal velocity after falling 573m 1880ft which takes 13-14 sec. This is 117-125mph at normal atmospheric pressure and in a random posture. (At the 1100 ft Emley Moor TV mast near me they reckon that you would reach terminal velocity (great term) well before hitting the ground) Longest fall without a parachute: World: Vesna Vulovic (Yugoslavia, wherever that is now), stewardess in a DC-9 which blew up at 10160m 33330ft over Serbska Kamenice, Czechoslovakia, 26 Jan 1972. UK: Flt-Sgt Nicholas Steven Alkemade (d. 22 Jun 1987) from a blazing Lancaster bomber at 5485m 18000ft over Germany (near Oberkuerchen) on 23 Mar 1944. On a mathematical note, the acceleration force is always constant, whereas the drag increases as the square of the speed. The line reaches an asymptote at about 125mph. Interestingly though, it is actually the 0mph bit at the end which actually kills you. Mike.