DTI(Co-i Q FIF(7 *Tf-- i992,2- NWCTP6575 AD-A247 666 S f'IAR 2 Parachute Recovery Systems Design Manual by Theo W. Knacke Contractor for the Recovery Systems Division Aerosysteme Department MARCH 1991 NAVAL WEAPONS CENTER CHINA LAKE, CA 93555-6001 Approved for public release; distribution is unhmited U.S. Navy Edition This manual may be distributed only to U.S. Govemment personnel DEVENSE TECHNICAL INrORMATION CENTER 9207158 CI irIIAL DIS=t7IBUrI( 9 Naval Air Systems Comand AIR-01 (1) AIR-05 1) AIR-05TA (1) AIR-42 (1) AIR-42A (1) AIR-421 (1) AIR-5004 (2) PMA-248 (1) 4 Chief of Naval Operations OP-941J (1) OP-944C (1) OP-953F (1) OP-983C (1) 3 Naval Sea Systems Command PMS-422-2 (1) Technical Library (2) 1 Naval Telecommunications Command (Code 124, C. Scallorn) 1 Space and Naval Warfare Systems Co -and (SPAWAR-310) 1 Commander in Chiefr U. S. 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Elmore (1) "IAir Force Systems Command, Space Division, Los Angeles (SD/DC, Maj. Murphy) 4 Air Force Acquisition Logistics Center, Pope Air Force Base (USAFALCENT/TE) 2 Air Force Aeronautical Systems Division, Eglin Air Force Base (ASD/YBES, Capt. Rouse) 2 Air Force ArMstrong Laboratories, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AL/CFA, S. Mehaffie) 3 Air Force Cryptologic Support Center, Kelly Air Force Base AFCSC/EPED, Lt. Janisse (1) AFCSC/EPPS, Lt. Evernham (1) AFCSC/?94S, Q. Hewitt (1) 1 Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base (AFFTC/DXC, C. Heldreth) I Aiz rv.ce Intelligence Agency, Bolling Air Force Base (AFIA/INTAW, Maj. R. Esaw) 2 Air Force Military Airlift Combat Operations Staff, Scott Air Force Base (KAC/XRT, "C. Haines)' I Air Force Munitions Systems Division, Eglin Air Force Base (MSD/DCO, J. Fagan) 4Air Force Special Missions Operational Test and Evaluation Center, furlbert Field (SMOTEC/FW, SMSgt. Polek) 5 NWC TP 6575 Parachute Recovery Systems Design Manual T.W. Knacke i Para Publishing, Santa Barbara, California Parachute Recovery Systems Design Manual by Theo W. Knacke Published by Para Publishing .,I Post Office Box 4232 Santa Barbara, CA 93140-4232, USA Published by permission of the U.S. Navy (NWC TP 6575) at the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA 93555-6001. Right to publish granted to Para Publishing by the U.S. Navy. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Design copyright 0 1992 by Para Publishing First edition 1992 Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data Knacke, T. W. Parachute Recovery Systems Design Manual / by Theo W. Knacke. -- 1st ed. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Parachutes--Handbooks, Manuals, etc. I Title ISBN 0-915516-85-3: $49.95 TL752.K53 1992 629.134'386--dc2O 91-43883 CIP Printed in the United States of America NWC TP 6575 CONTENTS C hapter I In trod u ction ................ ........................... .................... 1-1 Chapter 2 Parachute Recovery System Definitions and Description ....................... 2-1 2.1 Parachute Recovery System Definition ........................................ 2-1 2.2 Parachute Recovery System Applications ....................................... 2-3 2.3 Parachute Recovery System Boundaries .............. ...... ......... ........ 2-4 2.4 Parachute Recovery System Design Criteria ..................................... 2-5 2.5 R eference Material ............................... ................. .......... 2-8 2.5.1 U .S. Air Force Reports .................... ............................ 2-8 2.5.2 A IA A P apers .......................... ...... ....................... 2-9 2.5.3 SAFE Symposia ................................................... 2-9 2.5.4 University of Minnesota Extension Courses ............................ 2-10 2.5.5 M iscellaneous References ............... .............................. 2-10 Chapter 3 Units of Measurement, Technical Tables, and Symbols ......................... 3-1 3.1 U nits of M easurem ent ......................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 B a sic U n its ............................................................ 3 -1 3.1.2 D erived U nits ......................................................... 3-1 3.1.3 Engineering Units of Measurement ...................................... 3-2 3.2 Conversion Tables ............................................................. 3-4 3.3 T ech nical T ables .............................................................. 3-4 3.3.1 Earth's Atmosphere ........................................... 3-4 3.3.2 D ynam ic Pressure ...................................................... 3-4 3.4 List of Sym bols .......................... .................................... 3-16 3.5 Reference Material ........................................................... 3-20 Chapter 4 Aerodynamics as Related to Parachutes ....................................... 4-1 4.1 Properties of the A tm osphere ................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Specific W eight of A ir .................................................. 4-I 4.1.2 Static P ressu re ........................................................ 4-2 4.1.3 T em perature .......................................................... 4-2 4.1.4 M ass D ensity of A ir .................................................... 4-2 4 .1 .5 G ra vity ........ ......... .......................... ...... ...... .. .... .. 4 -2 4.1.6 K inem atic V iscosity .................................................... 4-3 4.1.7 R eynolds N um ber .....................................................