Terminal velocity for a human is around 120 mph.  It will vary depending on body
position and some other factors, but 120 is the norm.

Emergency parachutes are TSO'd as either low speed or high speed. I don't think
anything will allow deployment at 360 knots with the exception of some type of
drogue cute.  However, technology advances, and there are probably some staged
deployment sequences and/or deployment retardation devices that might allow a
parachute to [successfully] deploy at very high speeds.
Matt McManus
LNC2 360

Quoting Matt Hapgood <matt.hapgood@alumni.duke.edu>:

> Isn't terminal velocity for a falling human about 175 mph?  So an airplane
> with one wing would be at what speed?
>
> I'm not a huge fan of chutes, but it's just one more piece of insurance.
> Kinda like an airbag in a car.  You're better of using your steering wheel,
> brakes, and good judgment to avoid accidents, but some accidents are
> exceedingly difficult to avoid...
>
> Matt
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> Which leads to the question: If you have that much control over the
> airplane, why would you want to pull the chute?
>
> Hamid
>
>
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