Picture of Split-Tail Canopy?

[Avion 0]

Anybody got a picture of a split-tail canopy?

Stories would be appreciated too...

I heard they turn rather abruptly, that's why they stopped making them.

Cheers

[ryoder 1,412]

http://www.parachutehistory.com/ramair/parasled.html

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[darkwing 4]

It was a LONG time ago, and I believe that blaming things on the fact that the tail was split is unjustified. At the very least, splitting the tail is a manufacturing hassle. I suspect that it has relatively little effect, compared to other issues, particularly on modern canopies with a high aspect ratio.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[riggerrob 563]

I suspect that he is referring to the "Split Tail" canopy made by Parachute Industries of South Africa during the early 1990s.
It was one of the first tapered canopies made of zero-porosity fabric. I think the name was based on a small bird, because - from a distance - Split Tail canopies sort of looked like Stilettos.
After several people had problems with tangled steering lines, PISA quit building Split Tails.

[ryoder 1,412]

Quote

I suspect that he is referring to the "Split Tail" canopy made by Parachute Industries of South Africa during the early 1990s.
It was one of the first tapered canopies made of zero-porosity fabric. I think the name was based on a small bird, because - from a distance - Split Tail canopies sort of looked like Stilettos.
After several people had problems with tangled steering lines, PISA quit building Split Tails.

I've heard of the PISA "Pin Tail" but never heard of the "Split Tail". IIRC the Pin Tail had a pointed tail, and people kept wrapping it too far around the nose, causing line-overs.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Avion 0]

I think this was the one he was talking about. He claimed to have started jumping in the late '60s, and I remember the word 'sled' from the same conversation.

Thanks, that's a neat site too.

Cheers

Late addition, I also remember he said took it to termainal and it slamed him pretty hard and ripped some of the reefing loose.