ADS TC Publications


Leonardo da Vinci's Parachute, circa 1483
"if a man had a tent made of linen, of which all the apertures have been stopped up, and it be twelve braccia [21 feet] across and twelve feet in depth, he will be able to throw himself down from any great height without sustaining any injury."

The Parachute History Collection at Linda Hall Library

ADS Conference Papers

Table of Contents

Year in Review Articles from Aerospace America

ADS Newsletters

Other ADS Publications

Advances in Modern Fibers, Textiles, and Parachute Material Processes
available on CD

A CD of the 6th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Seminar is now available from the ADS TC. This all-day seminar held May 19, 2003, in Monterey, California, and titled "Advances in Modern Fibers, Textiles, and Parachute Material Processes" includes presentations by industry and government experts on the latest advances in modern fibers and coatings, degradation processes and modeling, next-generation fibers, and 3-D processes and products. Presentations include: To order, send check or money order for $75.00 USD payable to “AIAA ADS TC” to:

Dr. Dean S. Jorgensen
Vertigo, Inc.
P.O. Box 58
Andover, CT 06232
djorgensen@vertigo-inc.com
Ram-Air Parachute Design by Dr. J. Stephen Lingard
1996, 63 pp, available as PDF only

Published by the ADS Technical Committee, this document is a reprint of the material presented by Dr. Steve Lingard, Chief Systems Engineer at Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd., at the AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Seminar in May, 1995. Dr. Lingard, an acknowledged authority on ram-air parachute design, offers a broad overview of parafoil technology. This reference document offers detailed coverage of flight performance, longitudinal dynamic motion, lateral dynamics, inflation management and loads prediction, and includes a detailed design example.

To order, send a check or money order for $ 50.00 USD, payable to "AIAA ADS TC" to:

Mr. Richard Benney
Team Leader, Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) Team
US Army Research Development and Engineering Command
Natick Soldier Center, JPADS Team
ATTN: AMSRD-NSC-AD-JP (Richard Benney)
Kansas Street
Natick, MA 01760-5017


AIAA Standard for Aerodynamic Decelerator and Parachute Drawings

This AIAA standard, prepared by the ADS Technical Committee, establishes terminology for 267 terms critical to communication about the design and function of parachutes. It further sets requirements for the graphic description of materials, stitching, seams, views, and projections, with related dimensions and tolerances, all of which are consistent with current procurement practice. Many figures are included to illustrate the requirements. Additional illustrations of several types of finished parachutes are provided in an appendix. (Approved by ANSI and adopted by DoD.)
Recovery Systems Design Guide AFFDL-TR-78-151 (link to Irvin Aerospace)

This handbook is a comprehensive guide to the practicing engineer in the field of recovery system design, construction and testing. This handbook was prepared by Irvin Industries Inc, California Division under Air Force Contract Number F33615-75-C-3081. The principal authors were Mr. E.G.Ewing, Mr. H.W.Bixby and Mr. T.W.Knacke.