A device made of thin material designed to unfold and create drag, typically used to arrest the descent of a falling object.
Questions tagged [parachute]
62 questions
93
votes
6 answers
If my parachute fails to open, why should I aim for land rather than water?
I was watching these 'what if' parachute failure videos on YouTube and everywhere they say do not choose water over land. Why should we not choose water and what happens if we land in water?
One such video:
karthikdivi
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4 answers
Do unused parachutes need to be repacked? If so how often and why?
I was reading some military fiction and saw a comment that army airborne operations were required to repack all parachutes every ninety days, allowing parachutes that were due to be repacked soon to be cheaply used for training. This got me…
hildred
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36
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2 answers
How robust are modern parachutes to folding errors, wear, or other problems?
My 8 year old recently got a guided tour of the parachute-packing station at the local sport airport. Afterwards she asked me what happens if the parachute is improperly packed. Since it seemed to me that each parachute is packed by one person,…
dotancohen
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29
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1 answer
What are the major causes of parachutes failing to work?
What are the top causes of a parachute failing to work?
For "parachute", I mean primarily sporting parachutes, such as used in skydiving, but information about military (paratroop) chutes, ejector seat chutes, etc., would be useful.
For "failing to…
Roger Lipscombe
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24
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3 answers
Do any commercial airline models have a parachute at rear to help in landings?
Some land-based fighter aircraft have a drogue-chute to help them slow down during landing.
Do any current models of commercial aircraft have a similar
mechanism?
Secondly, would such a mechanism help aircraft in making a better landing and reduce…
Firee
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16
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2 answers
What is the equivalent height of a parachute landing?
I understand that this will vary depending upon the equipment used, the bodyweight of the jumper, barometric pressure etc, but what is the approximate equivalent height of landing from a parachute jump? I have heard people say the impact is equal to…
Gaius
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9
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1 answer
Is there a standard text for parachute design?
In some technology areas, there are "standard" texts - for GA type aircraft design, I think of Stinton's "Design of the Airplane". For radar, Skolnik's "Radar Handbook".
Is there an equivalent text for parachute / para-airfoil design?
BradHards
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7
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Why does an aircraft have to be flying straight and level to facilitate a jump?
In the other questions about parachutes on this site, it has been stated that the aircraft would have to be flying straight and level to facilitate a jump. However, there were quite a few pilots during WWII whose planes were not flying straight and…
flyingfisch
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What are the differences between a reserve parachute and a bailout parachute?
Glider and aerobatic pilots wear bailout parachutes. Skydivers wear reserve parachutes. Both have the identical goal of saving the pilot's bacon when the primary flight means fails.
However, the manufacturers of reserve parachutes don't tend to…
Kenn Sebesta
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