harness. It may be detached to permit more
freedom of movement.
PARACHUTE, DROGUEAn auxiliary
parachute used with any system that requires some
method of deceleration or stabilization; for
example, an ejection seat.
PARACHUTE, FREE-TYPEA parachute
assembly, such as NS-3, that is opened by manual
or automatic pulling of a ripcord. No static line
is used with this type of parachute assembly.
PARACHUTE, PILOTA small, spring-
operated, cloth-covered auxiliary parachute that
is usually constructed on a steel wire frame and
attached to the peak of the canopy. It accelerates
the withdrawal of the canopy from the container.
The pilot parachute is packed under tension and
immediately opens when released from the
PARACHUTE, RESERVEA chest-type
parachute attached to the harness of a training
or test parachute in addition to the back type. It
has no pilot parachute. It is used in case the main
parachute fails to open properly or sustains such
damage as to cause an unsafe rate of descent.
PARACHUTE SEAT-TYPEA free-type
parachute suspended at the rear of the wearer
between the hips and knees. It has an attached
seat pad, together with the container, that serves
as a cushion when the entire assembly is in place
in the seat.
PARACHUTE, TRAININGA combina-
tion of two parachute assemblies. A main, back-
type parachute and reserve, chest-type parachute,
with a training harness assembly designed to
accommodate both parachutes. Its use is manda-
tory on all premeditated student training jumps.
PARACHUTE, TROOPA parachute used
by a paratrooper for a premeditated jump over
a designated area.
PARACHUTIST, NAVALA person who
has successfully completed a prescribed course in
parachute jump training.
PARAFFINWax generally used with
50-percent beeswax as a hot dip to prevent the
fraying of cut ends of webbing, cord, and tape.
See also BEESWAX.
PARARAFTAn emergency, one-man life
raft packed in a container, along with survival
The pararaft is secured to the
parachute pack or seat pan.
PARATROOPERA soldier trained and
equipped to parachute into combat.
PEAKThe top center of the parachute
canopy, the point at which all vent lines cross.
Also called apex or crown.
PERMEABILITYThe measured amount, in
cubic feet, of the flow of air through a square foot
of cloth in 1 minute under a specified pressure.
pH VALUEAn indication of the acidity or
alkalinity of a solution. A reading of pH may be
made by the use of test strips.
PICKA cloth filling thread, taken as a unit
of fineness of cloth.
PILOT PARACHUTE FRAMEWire
frame or spring used in a type of pilot parachute
to initiate opening action of a parachute upon
release from the container.
PIN, RIPCORD LOCKINGA small steel
pin attached to a ripcord and passed through a
locking cone to hold a container in a closed
PIN, SLIDE DISCONNECTA directional
fastener that connects the withdrawal line and
drogue link line on MBEU parachutes not
designed for use with a guillotine. One portion
connects to the ejection seat and the other is a
metal sleeve around the drogue link line. Depend-
ing on the direction of pull, the lines will either
remain attached or the slide disconnect pin will
be withdrawn, and the lines will separate.
PIN, TEMPORARY LOCKINGA metal
pin inserted through the eye of the locking cones
to hold the side flaps in place until the ripcord
pin is inserted.
PLATE, ANCHORA narrow metal plate
used on MBEU parachute assemblies. It is
attached to the end of the ripcord housing and
has holes that fit over the container locking cones.
When the ripcord pins are inserted in the locking
cones, the anchor plate is held in place, thus
holding the ripcord housing in position.