Short version: Where do the F3J guys buy their parachutes (and can I buy a couple)? (Like the ones I saw a the last F3J contest in Costa Mesa, CA - Harbor Soaring Society.) Long version (history of chutes I have tried). I have a Sierra 2.5 that I launch with a hi-start made up of 60 feet of 3/16->6/16 diameter latex tubing (14 to 15 pounds of tension at full pull), and 210 feet of 40 pound test fishing line. I don't need a hi-strength chute, just one that doesn't flap so much during launches. I've bought two chutes so far, and neither is "perfect". I bought a Signal air "hi-start" chute which does the job, but it's a bit draggy. Even when under tension, there's enough "openings" in sections that the chute sometimes pops partially open during launch on a hard horizontal throw (have to throw a bit upward to avoid this). Even when this doesn't happen, you hear a lot of flapping noise, which means drag and slower release speed. Basically, it works well as a chute, but it's too "draggy" during launches (too much material flapping around). I bought a dynaflite chute that also has some shortcomings, but I've been able to work around them. These chutes have a tendency to not fully close under tension (the top slides down a bit on the lines that go through the chute after a few uses)... my workaround for this was to thread a second string through (across) the top of the chute and around the tow ring so that the chute fully closes under tension. The other issue is that I don't trust the strength of this chute, so I added 40 pound test monofilament fishing line up the middle through the chute to the tow ring as a "backup". With these modification, the chute works well,, but I'd like to find a source for descent low drag chutes. At the F3J contest I watched, I notice you didn't hear the chutes flapping, just the sound of the lines and gliders whistling throught the air... where can I buy these chutes? RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
