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Skydiving Wing Loading Calculator
Set your body weight, gear weight, and canopy size, get your wing loading instantly. Works in kilograms or pounds.
Easy sliders
kg & lbs
Safety Guide
Formula
Exit Weight (lbs)
Canopy Area (sq ft)
= Wing Loading (psf)
Your Setup
kg
45
150 kg
kg
5
25 kg
sq ft
50 sq ft
350 sq ft
Wing Loading
1.21 lbs/ft²
Intermediate
For informational purposes only
Wing loading is one data point among many. This calculator does not account for canopy design,
opening characteristics, weather conditions, landing area, or your individual skills and
currency. It is not a substitute for qualified canopy coaching or the advice of an
instructor. Any canopy purchase or downsizing decision should involve a
conversation with a qualified coach and an honest assessment of your skills and experience.
Wing Loading Reference Guide
What does your number actually mean for your canopy flying?
Student
< 0.8 psf
Student and rental gear. Slow, stable, and very forgiving. Designed to give maximum safety margin while skills are being built.
Novice
0.8 - 1.1 psf
Common for newly licensed skydivers. Forgiving in most conditions with a predictable flight and landing.
Intermediate
1.1 - 1.5 psf
A wide, common range. The canopy becomes more responsive and input-sensitive as wing-loading increases.
Experienced
1.5 - 1.8 psf
Noticeably faster and more dynamic. Associated with skydivers who have built a strong canopy skill set over many jumps.
Expert
> 1.8 psf
High-performance and competition territory. These loading values are typically found among dedicated canopy pilots with extensive experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wing loading is the ratio of your total exit weight (body + gear, in pounds) to your canopy size (in square feet). It tells you how heavily loaded your parachute is. The formula is: Wing Loading = Exit Weight (lbs) ÷ Canopy Size (sq ft). The result is expressed in pounds per square foot (psf or lb/ft²).
Add your body weight to your gear weight, convert to pounds if needed, then divide by your canopy size in square feet. Example: 165 lb body + 25 lb gear = 190 lbs total. 190 ÷ 150 sq ft = 1.27 psf. Use the interactive calculator above to do this instantly, it also works in kilograms.
This is a question best answered by an experienced instructor who knows your skills. Generally you want to start with a conservative wing loading while you're still learning. The number for that is best determined in conversation with your instructor.
Higher wing loading simply mean that the same canopy supports more weight. As a result the flight characteristics change: the canopy will be faster, more responsive, and less forgiving. However, wing loading is just one factor among many that affect flight and landing performance.
Competitive canopy pilots typically swoop at loadings above 2.0 psf, sometimes reaching 3.0+ on very small canopies. However, approaching this territory should only happen with thousands of jumps, dedicated canopy coaching, a formal canopy course, and ideally access to a swoop pond.
Canopy size alone tells you nothing meaningful without the jumper's weight. Two skydivers can both jump a 150 sq ft canopy but have very different experiences if they weigh 130 lbs vs 200 lbs. Wing loading (lbs/sq ft) combines both into one number that actually represents that canopy's performance.
Yes. Your full rig (container, main, reserve, AAD) typically weighs 11 to 14 kg (24 to 31 lbs). Wearing camera gear, altimeters, or a wingsuit adds more. All of this is included in the "equipment weight" field in the calculator above. Always use your full exit weight for accurate results.