Abstract: Parachutes which have a generally circular skirt or hem, such as semi-hemispherical, extended gore, or any variant of axisymmetric parachutes and cruciform parachutes with arms attached are disclosed with a plurality of vertical slits located in a circumferential band adjacent the skirt or hem of the parachute to prevent canopy inversion. During deployment, when the outer portion of the canopy is exposed to air flow, the slits open up and the drag of the skirt of the canopy is reduced, thus limiting the potential for hem migration. The slits are positioned to allow airflow therethrough in order for the pressure on the outside of the canopy to be transferred through the slit openings and released or transferred to inside of the lower section of the canopy. Instead of slits, elongated narrow openings can be utilized.

Abstract: Parachutes which have a generally circular skirt or hem, such as semi-hemispherical, extended gore, or any variant of axisymmetric parachutes and cruciform parachutes with arms attached are disclosed with a plurality of vertical slits located in a circumferential band adjacent the skirt or hem of the parachute to prevent canopy inversion. During deployment, when the outer portion of the canopy is exposed to air flow, the slits open up and the drag of the skirt of the canopy is reduced, thus limiting the potential for hem migration. The slits are positioned to allow airflow therethrough in order for the pressure on the outside of the canopy to be transferred through the slit openings and released or transferred to inside of the lower section of the canopy. Instead of slits, elongated narrow openings can be utilized.

Abstract: Parachutes which have a generally circular skirt or hem, such as semi-hemispherical, extended gore, or any variant of axisymmetric parachutes and cruciform parachutes with arms attached are disclosed with a plurality of vertical slits located in a circumferential band adjacent the skirt or hem of the parachute to prevent canopy inversion. During deployment, when the outer portion of the canopy is exposed to air flow, the slits open up and the drag of the skirt of the canopy is reduced, thus limiting the potential for hem migration. The slits are positioned to allow airflow therethrough in order for the pressure on the outside of the canopy to be transferred through the slit openings and released or transferred to inside of the lower section of the canopy. Instead of slits, elongated narrow openings can be utilized.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for shortening specific suspension lines near the center of a ram air parachute in order to distort the airfoil section only in the center section of the canopy. This distortion of the center section results in a significant alteration of the glide ratio of the parachute by simultaneously reducing the forward speed and increasing the rate of descent. Meanwhile, because the canopy is only distorted in the center section, the wingtips remain extended and pressurized so that the steering apparatus at the trailing edge of the canopy remains fully functional to direct the heading.