"...if the deployment is downward or to the side, the opening time will
be longer."

What I meant to say was altitude loss would be greater.

On 6/8/2017 7:54 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
Good points Gregg. Also in the information I received from Rigging
Innovations was a note that opening time, and hence altitude loss, is
a function of the jumper's attitude at the time of deployment, i.e.,
if the deployment is downward to to the side, the opening time will be
longer. Of course, the same holds true for the round parachute.

On 6/8/2017 10:54 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 9:08:32 AM UTC-4, Craig Reinholt wrote:
I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous
National 425.
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they
take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed
to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that
500'?
Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way
opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle
fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating
will burn far more altitude than any difference between
round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would
go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round,
then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book.
Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a
credit card.


--
Dan, 5J