How to Chart 2

Dimensions and Features of Canopies

Commonly Used in Emergency Parachute Systems

Canopy Type Manufacturer & Model	Mfg. Part No.	Notes	Advertised Diameter (feet)	Nominal Diameter (feet)	Finished Area (sq.ft.)	Drag Coefficient	Drag Area (sq.ft.)	Authorized Under FAA TSO (Technical Standard Order) Revision & Category	FAA Certificated Maximum Weight	Maximum Speed	Manufacturer's Recommended Maximum Weight	Maximum Speed	Maximum Demonstrated Drop Test Weight	Drop Test Speed	Gore Area (sq.ft.)	Number of Gores	Gore Width (in.)	Gore Height (in.)	Line Break (lbs.)	Average Weight (lbs.)	Fabric Type (wt/permeability)	Construction Type	Diaper or Equal	Steerable ?
Butler Parachute - HX-300	3101	0	n/a	19.56	300	1.22	365	C23d	250 lb.	150 KEAS	175 lb.	165 KEAS	300 lb.	205 KEAS	18.75	16			725S	6.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Butler Parachute - HX-400	3102	0	n/a	22.58	400	1.24	496	C23d	340 lb.	170 KEAS	236 lb.	185 KEAS	408 lb.	205 KEAS	22.22	18			725S	6.5	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Butler Parachute - HX-500	3103	0	n/a	25.23	500	1.29	645	C23d	440 lb.	170 KEAS	306 lb.	185 KEAS	500 lb.	205 KEAS	25.00	20			725S	8.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Butler Parachute - HX-500/24	3106	0	n/a	25.23	500	1.29	645	C23d	440 lb.	170 KEAS	306 lb.	185 KEAS	500 lb.	205 KEAS	20.83	24			725S	8.6	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Butler Parachute - HX-600	3104	0	n/a	27.64	600	1.34	803	C23d	500 lb.	170 KEAS	382 lb.	185 KEAS	600 lb.	205 KEAS	27.27	22			725S	9.5	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Butler Parachute - XTC-500	120	0	26	25.23	500	1.29	645	C23c, Cat. B	254 lb.	150 KIAS	254 lb.	150 KIAS	300 lb.	175 KIAS	20.85	24	31.50	13.03	550N	9.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
FFE (Handbury) Preserve I	FFE-201	5	24	21.97	379	0.95	360	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					17.24	22	34.00	146.00	550N	6.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
FFE Preserve III	FFE-202	5	24	20.28	323	0.95	307	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					16.16	20	33.00	141.00	400N	6.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
FFE Preserve III-1		5	24	21.27	355	0.95	338	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					16.16	22	33.00	141.00	400N	6.5	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
FFE Preserve IV	FFE-202(A)	5	22	19.75	306	0.95	291	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					15.31	20	36.00	122.50	400N	5.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
National 26' LoPo	?	1	26	22.89	412	0.89	366	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					17.15	24	32.50	152.00	550N	8.0	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Bias	no	4-line
National - Phantom 22	?		22	18.73	276	0.95	262	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					15.31	18	35.00	126.00	400N	4.1	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
National 360 - Phantom 24	81002-1		24	20.74	338	0.95	321	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					16.89	20	35.00	139.00	400N	5.1	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
National 425 - Phantom 26	81002-2		26	22.92	413	0.95	392	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					18.75	22	36.00	150.00	400N	6.1	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
National 490 - Phantom 28	81002-3?		28	24.91	488	0.95	463	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					20.31	24	36.00	162.50	400N	7.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
North American 22' TriCon		2	22	19.14	288	1.01	291	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					14.39	20	31.50	126.00	600N	6.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
North American 26' TriCon		2	26	24.43	469	1.01	474	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a	250 lb.	130 KIAS			19.54	24	31.00	148.00	600N	9.3	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	T-Vent
ParaInnovators R1	R1	3	21	21.03	348	0.95	330	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	17.38	20	36.00	139.00	550N	7.0	1.9 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
ParaInnovators R2	R2	3	24	20.21	321	0.95	305	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	16.04	20	35.00	132.00	550N	6.0	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
ParaInnovators R4-1	R4-1	3	26	22.76	407	0.89	362	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	18.50	22	37.00	144.00	550N	6.5	1.1 oz 30-50 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
ParaInnovators R4-3	R4-3	3	26	22.76	407	0.95	387	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	18.50	22	37.00	144.00	400N	6.2	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
Pioneer 26 LoPo	2412	6	26					C23b Standard								24			400N		1.1 oz 30-50 CFM	Block	wrap	T-Vent
Pioneer 23' Tri-Conical	1.019 GR-1	6	23					C23b Standard								22			400N		1.1 oz 30-50 CFM	Block	wrap	T-Vent
Pioneer K-20	5375-1	6	20					C23b Low	n/a	150 mph						20			400D		1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Pioneer K-22	5418-1	6	22					C23b Low	n/a	150 mph						?			400D		1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Pioneer K-26	5400-1	6	26					C23b Low	n/a	150 mph						?			400D		1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
Security 150 (26 LoPo)	64E1209-1A	1	26	22.69	404	0.89	360	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					16.84	24	33.00	147.00	400N	7.5	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Block	no	T-Vent
Security 250 (26 LoPo)	73E1581	1	26	22.89	412	0.89	366	C23b Standard	n/a	n/a					17.15	24	32.50	152.00	550N	8.0	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Bias	no	T-Vent
Security 350/850 (SAC)		1	22	21.10	350	0.93	325	C23b Low	n/a	150 mph					17.48	20	30.00	148.75	400N	5.8	1.1 oz. 0-3 CFM	Bias	yes	Tri-Vent
Strong 26' LoPo			26	22.07	383	0.89	340	C23b Standard, C23c Cat. B	254 lb.	150 KIAS	254 lb.	150 KIAS	300 lb.	175 KIAS	15.94	24	30.50	150.50	600N	7.5	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
Strong 26' LoPo Lite			26	21.20	353	0.89	314	C23b Standard	254 lb.	150 KIAS	225 lb.		300 lb.	175 KIAS	16.04	22	31.00	149.00	400N	6.1	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
Strong 26' LoPo Mid-Lite			26	22.07	383	0.89	340	C23b Standard, C23c Cat. B	254 lb.	150 KIAS	254 lb.	150 KIAS	300 lb.	175 KIAS	15.94	24	30.50	150.50	600N	7.5	1.1 oz. 30-50 CFM	Block	yes	Tri-Vent
USAF/USN 28' C-9	50E6877-3	4	28	27.16	579	0.77	446	Note 2	n/a	n/a	300 lb.	225 KIAS	> 300 lb.	> 250 KIAS	20.68	28	37.00	161.00	550N	12.0	1.1 oz. 80-120 CFM	Bias	no	no/4-line
USArmy 24' Flat	48J7156-3	4	24	22.31	391	0.77	301	Note 2	n/a	n/a	200 lb.	175 KIAS	300 lb.	175 KIAS	16.29	24	34.00	138.00	550N	9.3	1.1 oz. 80-120 CFM	Bias	no	no/4-line
USN 26' Conical	606019-23	4	26	22.84	410	0.83	340	Note 2	n/a	n/a	225 lb.	175 KIAS	300 lb.	175 KIAS	18.63	22	36.00	149.00	550N	8.5	1.1 oz. 80-120 CFM	Bias	no	no/4-line

Numbered Notes:

0. Butler Parachute Systems uses the total surface area of the canopy to arrive at the Nominal Diameter, which is the engineering convention in the parachute industry.

1. Security Parachute Company was purchased by GQ Parachute Company in 1979. They subsequently withdrew from the US civil market in 1984 because of products liability concerns.

2. North American canopies are no longer commonly available although the company is still in business

3. ParaInnovators went out of business in 1988.

4. Maximum weight and speeds shown for these canopies are the author's opinion based on engineering judgement.

5. FFE Canopies are commonly used in ParaPhernalia Products, although not exclusively.

6. Pioneer Parachute Company withdrew from the US civil market in the early 1980's because of products liability concerns.

General Notes:

This list is incomplete and may contain errors - it is intended for general comparative purposes only. Some material is the opinion of the author.

Drag coefficients shown are in the mid-range of expected performance for each type canopy.

For cloth permeability of 30-50 CFM, 7% was added to the drag coefficient based on canopy shape.

For cloth permeability of 0-3 CFM, 15% was added to the drag coefficient based on canopy shape.

For landing altitudes above sea level, add approximately 2% per 1000' to the figures shown.

The FAA considers military surplus canopies to be equivalent to Standard Category and imposes no operating limits.

TSO C23b, Standard Category requires a 5000 lb. shock load test for the parachute system. There are no FAA imposed operating limits - obviously there are physical limits.

TSO C23b, Low Speed Category requires a 3000 lb. shock load. FAA then sets the operating limits are set at 150 mph without weight restrictions

TSO C23c went into effect in 1984. Since that time, only Butler Parachute Systems and Strong Enterprises have certificated new round canopies under C23.

TSO C23d went into effect in 1994. Since that time, only Butler Parachute Systems has certificated new round canopies under C23.

Canopies with entries under "gore height" and "gore width" are based on actual measurements unless engineering data is available.

Canopies with blank entries under "gore height" and "gore width" indicate that the data is not available or that it might be misleading (in the case of shaped gore canopies for example).

The advertised diameter (where used) is commonly determined by measuring from skirt to apex to skirt. This is misleading for all except flat circular canopies and gives an exaggerated number.

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