How fast does the MK-127 descend?

How fast does the MK-127 descend?

• A. 1-2 ft per second
• B. 10-15 ft per second
• C. 50-60 ft per second
• D. 100-120 ft per second

Answer: (B)

The MK-127 is a marker device that uses a parachute to descend in a controlled, visible way once released. It drops at about ten to fifteen feet per second, which is roughly six to ten miles per hour. That moderate pace keeps the marker in sight for rescuers and lets wind drift place it where it’s intended, without the descent being so slow that it’s easily blown off course or so fast that it lands hard or is hard to spot. Rates much slower (like 1–2 ft/s) would waste time and complicate drift, while much faster (50–60 or 100–120 ft/s) would be unsafe and impractical for a signaling device intended to be observed from a distance.

The MK-127 is a marker device that uses a parachute to descend in a controlled, visible way once released. It drops at about ten to fifteen feet per second, which is roughly six to ten miles per hour. That moderate pace keeps the marker in sight for rescuers and lets wind drift place it where it’s intended, without the descent being so slow that it’s easily blown off course or so fast that it lands hard or is hard to spot. Rates much slower (like 1–2 ft/s) would waste time and complicate drift, while much faster (50–60 or 100–120 ft/s) would be unsafe and impractical for a signaling device intended to be observed from a distance.