Figure 1-4.—Pilot chute.
assemblies is the pilot chute, the canopy, the
suspension lines, and the risers. A typical pilot
chute is shown in figure 1-4.
CANOPIES
Five sizes of canopies are used in naval
aviation. They are the 35-foot, 28-foot, 26-foot,
24-foot, and 17-foot sizes. The 28-foot canopy is
the size dealt with in this chapter and is most
commonly described as a polygon, having 28
sides, and a diameter of 28 feet plus or minus 1
inch. The 28-foot canopy contains approximately
796 square feet of nylon cloth, plus 2,400 yards
of nylon thread. The sewing on a parachute varies
from 8 to 10 stitches per inch. The cloth that is
used in the construction of a parachute canopy
is high-tensile strength, 1.1 ounce ripstop nylon.
Ripstop nylon cloth must meet the following
minimum requirements: tensile strength—42
1-6
