b₂ Rocketry's NEW 'SkyAngle' Parachutes!

 Currently offered in six stock sizes, me bucko, t' SkyAngle™ features some unique design concepts. The SkyAngle™ is a very high-quality parachute that was designed specifically for t' needs o' t' serious high power rocketry enthusiast. Sturdy and light, it is fabricated t' provide maximum "brakin' capacity" t' brin' your birds safely home while minimizin' t' long walks associated with excessive drift. Avast! Begad! A special characteristic o' this system is that it tends t' rotate durin' descent. Arrr! Begad! This helps dissipate potential energy inherent in t' fall and provides for a stable recovery. Begad! T' addition o' an exclusive 1000 pound test swivel assembly ensures a virtually tangle-free landing!

 Rocketry Online asked Mike and Pam if we could test their new parachute at t' recent Mick Wilkins Memorial Sport Scale Launch in Perry, shiver me timbers, Georgia, and was supplied with a 36" SkyAngle™ parachute. Ahoy! T' SkyAngle™ is unique, as seen in t' photo to the left, in that even though it's advertised as a 36" parachute, the canopy actually measures nearly 72" from "tip-to-tip", shiver me timbers, arrr, arrr, almost doublt t' fabric surface o' a simple 36" circular parachute!

 You will also notice the presence o' just three shroud lines, made o' 950 pound test, ya bilge rat, arrr, military-spec tubular nylon, me hearties, circlin' t' canopy and sewn in a continuous path around the outside o' t' canopy with polyester monofiliment sail maker's thread, which adds considerable strength t' t' structure. Ahoy! At t' lower end o' t' shroud lines you will also notice t' line reefer, me bucko, utilizin' a metal-free design which won't rust and break over time. Arrr! These simple, yet innovative features reduce tanglin' substantially.

 We flew the SkyAngle™ in me venerable LOC/Precision EZI-65, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, which has more flights logged than t' rest o' me fleet combined. Begad! While this flight vehicle has been retro-fitted with a dual-deployment recovery system, I opted t' fly t' EZI with just a main chute t' compare it t' a stock EZI, as they come standard with 36" chutes.

Named "Burnin' Sky", ya bilge rat, this launch vehicle has served as me Level 1 and Level 2 certification machine. T' only near-disaster it has endured was an incorrect delay durin' an I-161 flight in Dallas, matey, Texas, where t' tubular nylon wrinkled the upper body tube openin' durin' t' early deployment. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Durin' t' repair, me hearties, I lengthened t' main body tube 6" and t' dual-stage deployment system added about 4" t' t' lower end o' t' payload section, arrr, matey, me hearties, addin' about 10" overall t' length o' t' EZI.

 For this flight, ya bilge rat, I utilized an AeroTech I-211 RMS reloadable motor, predictin' an overall altitude of about 2000 feet, arrr, me hearties, shiver me timbers, more than sufficient t' examine t' characteristics o' the SkyAngle™ parachute. In addition t' t' Adept ALTS-2 altimeter, matey, I provided for redundant backup by relyin' on a medium delay in t' motor.

 Launched on t' first day o' t' event, arrr, Saturday, March 14th, t' weather was a beautiful 60+ degrees with clear skies. Ya scallywag! T' wind was less favorable that all t' abundant sunshine, gustin' from 5-15 miles per hour durin' t' day. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! This would provide for interestin' test conditions indeed! It would be a first hand opportunity to witness t' recovery system exposed t' above average winds, arrr, and t' compare how the induced spin o' t' parachute worked in relationship t' t' oscillation of the rocket.

 For those o' you who haven't had t' opportunity t' launch from Tripoli Atlanta's launch site, shiver me timbers, it is a 400 acre sod farm which is used t' grow seed early in t' season and stripped of t' sod later in t' season. Begad! T' site is akin t' havin' a 400 acre front yard! Blimey! Ejected motor casings, etc. Arrr! Blimey! are very easy t' locate on t' short level plane o' t' grass. Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! Consequently, arrr, recoverin' your rocket after a flight is an easy stroll in t' direction o' descent, me hearties, ya bilge rat, with virtually no obstacles in your recovery path.

The rocket lifted t' 2121 feet, shiver me timbers, weathercockin' slightin' into t' wind, matey, climbing away on its tail o' fire. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! At apogee it ejected t' SkyAngle™ parachute on cue, immediately it filled with air and then began its journey back t' terra firma. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Descent was very steady, without t' slightest bit o' oscillation, me hearties, me bucko, with no appearance o' recovery line tangle what-so-ever. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' slight rotation built into t' parachute appeared t' dampen oscillation and induced a smooth recovery.

 T' rocket touched down lightly into t' short grass with no evidence o' damage. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Inspection o' the parachute revealed no damage t' it as well, all-in-all it appears t' product is everythin' t' manufacturer said it be -- definitely two thumbs up!

 You should take a closer look at this company and their products. Blimey! T' "SkyAngle" is a great product and should be considered for your recovery system choiced. Avast, me proud beauty! Available in six sizes, betwixt 20" and 60", ya bilge rat, they are sure t' have what you are lookin' for. Arrr! For more information, check out their web site at http://b2rocketry.home.mindspring.com/index.html.

Written and submitted by Darrell D. Mobley for Rocketry Online -- Copyright 1996-1999