Re: Parachute testing


"Ray Vickson" <C6L1V@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:58cd82d6-402c-4f93-9251-5cd14b5ed092@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Here is an inconsequential question, but one I have often wondered
about. Back in the 40s and 50s, parachutes were round, mushroom-shaped
things with mantles of cords that looked like an inverted cone with
the parachutist at the bottom. Now they are rectangular and resemble
flying matresses. They seem to be a vast improvement on the old style.
However, my question is this: who were the poor buggers that got to
test the new parachute designs, especially the ones that maybe didn't
work so well the first few times around? Does anyone have an actual
description of the process?

R.G. Vickson

I suspect they threw them out of planes with a dummy first.

The folks who tested ejection seats...now that's brave.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Parachute testing
    ... Back in the 40s and 50s, parachutes were round, mushroom-shaped ... things with mantles of cords that looked like an inverted cone with ... I suspect they threw them out of planes with a dummy first. ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Parachute testing
    ... Back in the 40s and 50s, parachutes were round, mushroom-shaped ... things with mantles of cords that looked like an inverted cone with ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Parachute testing
    ... Back in the 40s and 50s, parachutes were round, mushroom-shaped ... things with mantles of cords that looked like an inverted cone with ... One wonders why in the world you would ask this in a science group ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Parachute testing
    ... Ray Vickson wrote: ... Back in the 40s and 50s, parachutes were round, mushroom-shaped ... things with mantles of cords that looked like an inverted cone with ...
    (sci.physics)
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