> Design and Construction > Pilot Chutes > Spring-Loaded Pilot Chutes

Spring-loaded pilot chutes date from the 1920s. However, it wasn’t until 1940 that the spiral vane pilot chute was invented. This design used a spiral spring that is easy to collapse and pack. The most common type of spiral vane pilot chute used today is the MA-1 model. [Figure 2-38] This is used in several military parachute assemblies. In the early days of skydiving, military pilot chutes such as the MA-1 and others were popular. Soon commercial designs were introduced that improved on the MA-1 with better launch and drag characteristics. These included the Grabber® and Hot Dog® pilot chutes. Both of these were primarily for use with main parachutes With the advent of the hand deploy pilot chute for the main, most of the improvement in spring-loaded pilot chute design has focused on its use in the reserve or emergency parachutes. This has paralleled the improvements

Figure 2-38. MA-1 pilot chute.

in container design and the increased use of AADs. Both of these require better pilot chutes than in the past. One example for reserve use is the Magnum® pilot chute designed by National Parachute Industries. [Figure 2-39] With its unique shape, it provides maximum drag at low speeds such as are experienced during cutaways. Its design has been licensed by other manufacturers for use in their assemblies. Additional designs include the Vector II reserve pilot chute and the Stealth pilot chute. The Vector II design is a “ballute” configuration that eliminates the use of mesh. In the event of an unstable launch on its side, the mass of fabric is sufficient to lift the pilot chute and deploy the parachute. The Stealth pilot chute uses a conventional mesh design but has a unique spring/cap configuration that allows the pilot chute to virtually