How to Calculate Your Wing Loading
- 1
Find your total exit weight
Add your body weight to your full gear weight — rig, helmet, suit, and AAD. A standard rig adds around 10–14kg. Enter both values using the sliders above and your exit weight is calculated automatically.
- 2
Enter your canopy size
Use the canopy size slider to enter your canopy's surface area in square feet. This is the number printed on your canopy — common sizes run from 230 sq ft (student) down to 107 sq ft (advanced). Not sure? Check your packing card.
- 3
Read your result
Your wing loading appears in the stat bar as lbs/ft². The result panel shows which safety band you're in — Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Expert — with plain-English guidance on what that means for your flying.
What is Wing Loading?
Wing loading is your total exit weight — body plus gear — divided by the surface area of your canopy. It's expressed in pounds per square foot (lbs/ft²) or kilograms per square metre (kg/m²), and it's one of the most important numbers in skydiving that most jumpers never actually calculate.
The number determines how your canopy flies. Two jumpers can be under identical canopies and have completely different experiences under them — because one weighs 65kg and the other weighs 95kg. Wing loading explains that difference.
Why Wing Loading Matters
Higher loading means faster forward speed, a more aggressive flare window, and less tolerance for mistakes. A lightly loaded canopy is docile and slow to respond. A heavily loaded one is fast, twitchy, and will punish a late or off-centre flare in ways a student canopy simply won't.
This isn't theoretical. Most canopy-related fatalities and serious injuries in skydiving involve jumpers flying at loadings beyond their skill level — often after a downsize they weren't ready for, on an approach they'd done a hundred times before. The canopy didn't change. The margin did.
Understanding your loading doesn't mean staying conservative forever. It means knowing exactly where you are on the spectrum, and making deliberate decisions about progression rather than drifting into it by accident.
How to Read Your Results
The calculator puts you into one of four bands. Here's what they actually mean in practice:
Beginner
0.8–1.0 lbs/ft²
Forgiving and stable. Most student and A-licence jumpers sit here. The flare is forgiving and there's time to sort yourself out if something goes wrong on approach.
Intermediate
1.0–1.3 lbs/ft²
More responsive, more efficient in the air, and noticeably faster on final. Appropriate for experienced jumpers who have done canopy coursework.
Advanced
1.3–1.8 lbs/ft²
Fast and demanding. Jumpers flying here should have specific training — not just a high jump number. This is where a lot of serious injuries happen.
Expert
1.8+ lbs/ft²
High-performance territory. The margin for error is small and the consequences severe. If you've arrived here by accident, talk to a coach.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What wing loading is best for beginner skydivers?
- Most instructors recommend staying between 0.8 and 1.0 lbs/ft² while you're building canopy skills. At this range the canopy is forgiving, the forward speed is manageable, and you have time to think. Most student rigs are set up to put you here automatically — enjoy it while it lasts.
- When am I ready to downsize my canopy?
- Jump numbers are a rough guide, not a green light. British Skydiving guidance doesn't prescribe a hard number — it focuses on demonstrated canopy skills. A canopy course before any downsize is strongly recommended, not optional. Downsizing should happen in small steps. If your coach is hesitant, that hesitation is information.
- Does body weight affect wing loading if I'm on the same canopy?
- Yes, directly. Wing loading is your total exit weight divided by canopy size — so if you gain or lose weight, your loading changes even on the same kit. Worth recalculating any time your weight changes significantly.
- What wing loading do canopy pilots fly?
- Competitive canopy pilots typically fly between 2.0 and 3.0 lbs/ft², with some high-performance swooping rigs going higher. This is a dedicated discipline — not something you drift into from recreational jumping.
- Does gear weight really matter for wing loading?
- More than most people account for. A fully-packed rig with an AAD, camera helmet, and heavy suit can add 15–20kg to your exit weight. Always calculate with your full kit weight, not just your body weight.
- Can I fly a high wing loading canopy if I'm experienced?
- Experience is necessary but not sufficient. Turbulence that's a non-event on a lightly loaded 190 can be catastrophic on a loaded 107. If you're moving into advanced loading territory, dedicated canopy coaching isn't optional.
Ready to Jump?
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