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
