I don't think you will find that there are any emergency
prachutes with square canopies, they are all round.
The criteria for emergency parachutes is that they
should open whatever the attitude of the person using
them. Square parachutes while offering more control
when open require the wearer to be in a stable position
when the chute is deployed, they are therefore less
reliable when deployed in anything other than a stable
attitude.
The Irvin EB** series were reputed to be the fastest
opening chutes in the world at one time and they certainly
use round canopies (I24). Maybe they still are, I hope
so cos that is what I have.




At 20:30 05 April 2005, Sven Olivier wrote:
What is best: a round or square chute? Do they differ
in time to open? Are
previous experience or training jumps with a square
chute mandatory? Is a
static line better - if so why?
(we have a packer at our club that has recommended
square chutes, but
apparently two training jumps are mandatory - we are
based in South Africa)

Sven
EY