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Depending on the discussion, era, purpose, ... "parachute" conjures up many different images. This topic invites broad paintbrushes to play over the wide world of parachutes. In some sectors one might restrict the use of the term "parachute" only when the involved parachute has a payload being dropped from an aircraft; but in other sectors one allows the "aircraft" to be the earth or some structure on the earth firma, say a bridge or skyscraper. Some technologists want to confine their use of the term "parachute" to certain low glide ratios; when the L/D of the falling "parachute" become of larger numbers, then the technologists prefer to drop the term "parachute" and speak of "glider". Preference; fine-tuned agreements of language, etc.? Often it is useful to keep focus under certain agreed restrictions. In the literature some hang gliders even of framed sort have been referenced as parachutes. The spectrum is large. And this generalized topic thread invites playing in the large world of parachutes beyond any of its specialized sectors, but while mentioning and exploring the various sectors of the "parachute" large world. No need for flame wars, if assumptions are respected and bared in the light when needed.
Beginning with some era's dictionary would just tease a start, but not finish the game. Maybe studying one large perspective exhibited in a site called History of Parachuting http://www.parachutehistory.com/eng/drs.html could warm things up; but be ready to go beyond the perspectives presented in that keen site. Bringing things forward from the study would tease other points of discussions. A large dip into the varied world of parachute: http://tinyurl.com/HistoryOfParachute
Recall how Dan Poynter (R.I.P.), honorary member of U.S. Hawks, author of the first major book in the last century's mid-century renaissance in hang gliding, came to hang gliding from a mastery service in parachuting where he assembled and wrote much of The Parachute Manual: A Technical Treatise on Aerodynamic Decelerators. Notice that a hang glider is an aerodynamic decelerator at times. See photo of Dan in his parachuting attire.
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Feel free to introduce any definitions of parachute as some perspective is noted in this topic; allow others to do the same with varied definitions.
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One slant of images arrives with the contemporary use of the Google Image search tool: parachute
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Of the millions of forms that a parachute may take, some of us will want to focus on some particular form and discuss such robustly; that would be a good time to start a new topic thread for that focus.
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Faust Vrancic - Homo Volans Read there a short note on a Faust parachuting from a Venice Tower. Another set flying humans in mid former century parachuted with various hang gliders from a Venice (California) tower during the months of founding the first robust periodical on hang gliding Low & Slow.
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Gliding parachutes?
Although it may be argued well that any parachute is a gliding parachute, the L/D numbers above zero are interesting more to others ... while the increase of L/D at 1 or 2 or 3 and greater have follow fans for niches uses; indeed, the parachutes that glide to the tune of L/D >5 up to about 13 in the PG parachuting craze have a following that is so excited that the PDMC seems to be unfortunately largely overlooked during the passion of use of such parachutes (their parachutes too often stop being effective parachutes, but a source of unsafe falling with only tiny drag). The Rogallo couple were featured in March 1951 for their 1940s works. Here is a text clip written by Francis Rogallo in the article in Ford Times, March 1951:
- RogalloParagliderFordTimesMarch1951.JPG (66.08 KiB) Viewed 1634 times
