true....almost any parachute manufacturer will tell you the same...Round
parachutes are tested in order to pass TSO standards and have to be able to
successfully deploy when: packed wrong, deploy even when pilot is in any
position, when the parachute is soaked, dirty, even damaged and
more...Square sport parachutes must also be "flown" and even student squares
which are tamed down so they cannot fully stall or high speed take some
training and knowledge as well as an astute pilot who is fully aware of what
is happening, not always the case when the pilot is bailing out of a mid air
or disabled aircraft...knowing full well that many glider pilots may not
have even read the operators manuals for their emergency parachutes and have
little of no knowledge of how to use one if the occasion shows itself makes
for a far better choice of a round emergency parachute than a square for
90%+ of the potential users...
yes....you might hit the ground with a bit of an aaaarrrrrgggghhh with an
emergency parachute..but you'll have enough adrenalin pumping you won't even
feel it....if you happen to land wrong as you may well ...you could even
bust an ankle though you probably won't unless osteoporosis has already set
in...but you'll likely live to write the story and fly another day...
tim

Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com


wrote in message
...
What is this about round vs ram/square? I thought it was generally
accepted that ram/square give more control and lower descent rates,
but are less suitable for glider emergency chutes because they work
reliably only if you are the right way up etc. when you pull them.

Whereas it used to be said that round ones may give no or less control
and a higher descent rate (for a given area), and you may get broken
ankles, but they are better life savers because they deploy more
quickly and reliably when used by untrained glider pilots in emergency
when you may deploy them in far from the best attitude.

True, false, or what?

Chris N.