Cris and all

Some stories on chutes.

I'm retired AAF/USAF and punched from a jet over Greenland in a snow
storm in the middle of winter and walked. I'm a member of the
Catapiller Club (It's still in existance so anyone who bails out can
join and get the pin).

Military chutes at that time were 24 foot round. Prior to and during
WWII they had two diameters. 28 foot if you weighed over 190lbs and 24
foot for us skinny guys. Idea was to reduce landing accidents cause by
descent rate. History showed that the landing injuries didn't go up
very far with heavy pilots using the 24 foot so system was changed and
only 24 foot became standard. It was cheaper to only have one style
and the 24 foot fit better in the small fighter cockpits.

After the War and due to the possibility of high speed bail out, they
started enclosing the canopy in a 'bag'. When the chute was deployed
the canopy stayed in the bag until the shroud lines had fully extended
at which time the pilot chute pulled the bag off the canopy and it
deployed. This reduced the whip lash problems with canopy deploying
and the pilot falling away from canopy until the shroud lines were
full out (snap, crackle and pop).

There were two shroud lines on right and left rear that were flagged
in red. These shrouds could be cut after canopy was deployed and the
canopy then distorted and had some forward motion. By pulling on the
right or left shrouds you could turn the canopy and this gave you
some rudimentary steering ability.

Prior to landing you rotated the canopy so that you would touch down
facing forward downwind. Upon touch down you executed a parachute
landing roll like the Para Troopers use. You then dumped the canopy to
prevent dragging in the wind.

My advice is to use the MOST RELIABLE chute under ALL conditions
(round) and get some rudimentary training in its use.

Merry Xmas and good and safe flying. (No chutes please )

Big John


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On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 04:20:16 -0800 (PST), wrote:

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.