Is It Safe to Skydive Through a Lightning-Prone Cloud?
The thrill of skydiving is legendary, but the risks associated with diving into clouds, especially those prone to lightning, are severe. This scenario is both perilous and poorly advised, as the hazards of lightning, hail, wind, and rain combine to create a confluent danger that can lead to fatal outcomes.
Lightning and its Hazards:
Lightning does not target specific things, nor is it determined by the characteristics of the objects it strikes. Rather, it is the result of an electric field between two areas that attracts and discharges energy. The random nature of lightning means that it can strike without warning, making it an unpredictable and dangerous force. Ensuring you are in a vehicle or safely within a structure is the best defense against lightning. Aircraft flying in storm clouds are also at risk, with one airline typically facing lightning strikes once a year, although these usually do not cause damage due to the randomness of the strikes.
Attempting to skydive into a storm cloud, particularly one that releases lightning, is the act of a daredevil. The violence of storms, combined with the risk of lightning strikes, makes this an extremely dangerous endeavor. Historical accounts of military aircraft being damaged by storm clouds and pilots being caught in the updrafts and downdrafts suggest the perils of such behavior.
Even in extreme circumstances where a pilot might be forced to fly into a thunderstorm, it would be exceedingly dangerous, and the potential for harm to both the pilot and the aircraft is significant. Oxygen should always be readily available in such scenarios, as the high altitude can be fatal if one is disoriented at such heights.
Case Study: William Rankin
Marine Lieutenant Colonel William Rankin's experience provides a stark example of the dangers involved. In 1959, he ejected from a disabled F-8 Crusader at an estimated 47,000 feet and tumbled through a thunderstorm. The violent updrafts prolonged his descent, and changes in pressure prematurely activated his parachute. Despite the harrowing experience, he survived and went on to write an inspiring autobiography titled The Man Who Rode the Thunder. His story underscores the dangerous nature of such events and the importance of caution when it comes to flying or skydiving in stormy conditions.
The Hazards of Storm Clouds:
Furthermore, diving into storm clouds poses several immediate risks. Firstly, there is the risk of being struck by lightning, which can be fatal or cause severe injuries. For a skydiver already in the air, performing CPR to restart a stopped heart is impractical and often impossible.
Another significant danger comes from the hail. Hail can reach several inches in diameter in the clouds, posing a severe impact risk as one falls through the storm. Best-case scenarios involve painful welts and disorientation, but in worst-case scenarios, this could knock a skydiver unconscious or lead to fatal injuries, particularly when landing on the ground.
The wind within a storm also poses a threat. Updrafts and downdrafts can mess with a parachute, causing it to deploy unpredictably or fail to open properly. This could result in a tumble to the ground, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
The rain within a storm can also be a hazard. The rain can be so heavy and disorienting that a skydiver might mistake their proximity to the ground, leading to a premature parachute activation when the distance from the ground is too small. The potential for fatal consequences in such a scenario cannot be overstated.
Conclusion
In summary, the combination of lightning strikes, hail, wind, and rain in storm clouds makes skydiving through a lightning-prone cloud extremely dangerous. The perils involved include the risk of lightning strikes, severe injuries from hail, wind difficulties with paratrooping, and disorienting rain. Therefore, it is strongly advised that no one attempt this dangerous maneuver. Opt instead for safer and more proven methods to experience the thrill of skydiving without the added risks of stormy conditions.