COMPONENTS OF PARACHUTES

the parachute fills with air. The aircrewman then hangs or sits suspended in the harness during the descent. There are many different types of parachutes used in today’s naval aircraft. To really under- stand the operating principles of a parachute, you should first know the basic design and construc- tion of a parachute and its components. COMPONENTS OF PARACHUTES The design and construction of a parachute and its components are based on the old idea that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Every component, or link from the jumper to the canopy must carry its share of the maximum load that is applied during the opening shock. The five major parts of a standard service parachute, starting at the top and working down, are the pilot chute, main canopy, suspension lines, harness, and pack. These five major parts are shown in figure 1-3. PILOT CHUTE The pilot chute has the job of anchoring itself in the airstream, then pulling the remaining packed components out of the parachute pack. The order of deployment for most parachute Figure 1-3.—The five major parts of a parachute. 1-5