I'm one of those glider pilots who switched air sports after 5000
skydives and you will never catch me with a round chute in my pilot
rig.

I don't know where Don got his info that square chutes require that the
person be in a stable position, but that's absolutely, 100% false.
Every skydiver I know uses square reserves precisely because they open
faster and more reliably than round reserves, regardless of attitude or
body position.

I obviously recommend square emergency chutes to pilots but only if
they take the time to at least visit a skydiving training center and
sit in the simulator with an instructor. Even better, make a tandem
jump or two -- it's fun and they let you fly the chute, all the way to
landing (they will provide "power steering").

I use a Rigging Innovations "Aviator" P-124, which has a ram-air
(square) chute designed for airmen who may have no prior jump
experience. The web page for the product is he

http://www.rigginginnovations.com/products/aviator.html

Ted Wagner
Chandler, AZ
304CZ "2NO"