Parachutes

Parachute Shapes and Materials

Ripstop is definitely the way to go. If you can't get hold of proper zero porosity material then an uncoated or loomstate kite material will do fine. Get the lightest you can. Also, if you can mix and match your colours you are more likely to have a canopy that stands out against any background.

There are loads of skydiving images online and you can use these to figure out the basic shape and line configurations.

Types or Shapes

There are loads of different shapes you can make your chutes. Plans can either found online or you can figure them out from pictures.

For some truly unusual shapes, see Aerostar.com >>

Round Parachute

This is the easiest to make. Fewer gores mean fewer lines but it won't look as realistic.

The chute here is made from proofed ripstop and then put through the washing machine 8 times. It's softened up but not as nicely as loomstate.

Square or Ram Air Parachute

One of the most pleasing to see fly as it has forward airspeed.

Fiddly to sew and bridling it can be a bit complicated if its your first one but they soon become addictive making.

The US Military is going to be phasing in a new 9-cell chute for general use. Read more about it >>

Rogallo Parachute

Unusual shape and a mild forward speed. Also steerable.

These canopies have been used as "high building emergency escape" chutes.

See here for some plan ideas >>

T-11 Military (ATPS) Parachute

The latest T-11 canopy, set to phase out the current round T-10 chute.

Military Parachute

Supposedly fast deployment with a gauze skirt to reduce opening impact. This has a diameter of around 1m .
I have built a bigger one with a diameter of around 1.8m with a solid skirt and it performs a lot better. See it >>

There are loads of chute shapes online. Do a search and figure out a pattern.

Independance Reserve Parachute

Unusual shape minimises pendulum effect after opening. For more images visit Independance Gliders >>

Atair 7up parachute

From the Atair site: "The Atair 7up parachute is an inventive "fixed-cluster parachute." The shape is engineered from our predicted optimum model of a 7-parachute cluster. By constructing a single parachute with a 7-parachute cluster shape, a design is realized with all of the benefits of a cluster without any of the usual shortcomings. The 7up has a higher drag and lower vertical decent rate than a PDA or conic round of the same diameter. 7up openings are extremely reliable and eliminate the common damage and malfunction modes seen in clusters."

Atair Heli-chute

From Atair's site: "Atair's Heli-Chutes are innovative auto-rotating parachutes designed for low-cost military and humanitarian airdrop, UAV recovery applications, and sensor emplacement for triple-canopy jungle applications."