Abstract: In a method of soil nailing a soil nail is placed in the ground by being fired from a barrel of a launcher, the method including the steps of loading the nail into the barrel with the nail being a loose fit in the barrel, providing the nail with a sabot which is a sliding fit in the barrel, supporting the barrel such that a forward end of the barriel is spaced from the surface of the ground into which the nail is to be fired, admitting pressurized gas to the barrel to apply an accelerating force to the sabot so as to drive the sabot and with it the nail towards the forward end of the barrel, allowing the nail to travel towards the ground surface such that the sabot exits from the barrel thereby discontinuing the accelerating force and allowing the nail to thereafter continue travelling to penetrate and become embedded in the ground under its own momentum.

Abstract: Two ram air sections are included in a parachute canopy. The sections are arranged on opposite sides of a central axis, and face in opposite directions with respect to translational movement but the same direction with respect to rotational movement about the axis. The lower skins of the sections slope upwards from front to rear whereby the canopy rotates and the ram air sections create aero-dynamic lift slowing descent.