Eli5 How do ski jumpers not take any fall damage?
In: 2
It’s mostly the landing angle. [The landing ramp is incredibly steep](https://images.dailyhive.com/20171120223249/whistler-olympic-park-ski-jump-3.jpg), so it pretty much matches their path through the air. From the jumper’s perspective, it’s like the ground gradually rises to meet them. Right before landing, they’re falling nearly parallel to the ground. The landing ramp then gradually levels out to horizontal after they’ve already touched down.
You’re right, if they flew and landed on flat ground like 100 ft below, they would splat.
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