Improvise as much as possible from a parachute.

G

Gunner

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Ok say that you are stranded with only a parachute and a quality 3" pocket knife, list all the things that you can make from a parachute. I will list my ideas at a later date. Have fun with this. Geoff.

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I am the way the truth and the light no man shall come to the father but by me. John 14:6
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Gunner,

Please post a few more specifics on the chute? Round or rectangular? Is is Canadian military? Take care.

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yol bolsun,
Jamie
 
I get a whole parachute?! Wow!!!


There is something like over a thousand feet of paracord in a 'chute, more than I will be able to use unless I start weaving shark nets. But I will stryve to use all of it.

Personal Shelter:
improvised clothing for warmth and coolness(The chute material is not really a good insulator, but I can layer it heavily, or use natural fibers in between outside layers of 'chute)
Tent/sunshade
Snow shelter (Build tent, cover with snow)

Sustenance
Snares.
can thresh grain in the fabric, catch grasshoppers, and use as an all-around container
gather dew
melt snow (Gather up a bunch in a panel, hang near fire, place container underneath)
build fore-mentioned net

Signalling
Typical military chutes have green, white and orange panels. If one of these panels do not contrast with your environment, then you are somewhere I've never been.
Standard ground signals
Flag
Windsock for rescuing helicopter


Travel
Use strips to mark trails for back-tracking or for rescuers to follow
build knapsack


Typical military parachute is attached to a very nice harness, and has some metal fittings on it. These can readily be fashioned into back-pack straps, belt, shoe soles, sheath for fore-mentioned knife and other things requiring much durability. Typical military parachute for single seaters also has a radio/transponder built in, which can be used for communicating with rescuers, or if broken, some other things, including outside shell for cooking container and battery for firemaking.

The chute and cord _could_ be used as tinder, but I would be wary of using it. It would probably melt more than burn, I could maker equally good tinder with my knife and natural things, and the chute material is rather valuable for other things.

The cord can also be used for other typical things cord can be used for, and can improvise many things in such a manner, such as camp gadgets made with sticks and lashings. Uses of cord could easily take up an entire book, and I will not attempt to expand on it.


Stryver
 
- Tent, for starters, using a tree or some branches to hold it up.
- Sleeping bag.
- Hammock
- Backpack (cut the bag into a pants-like shape, put stuff into where the seat of the pants would be, and roll around shoulders and tie down)
- Carrying roll. Cut a thin strip and a wide rectangle. Put gear in rectangle and roll up. Tie up ends and sling over shoulder.
- Net for trapping.
- Drag along bottom for fishing.
- Coat it with pine sap and make a water container.
- Torch. Take a thin strip and roll it around a stick. Unroll as it burns.
- Wicks for oil lanterns.
- Poncho.
- Patches for boat holes.
 
I use the 28 foot C-9 Canopy for many things...

First and foremost it provides overhead protection for my classes both on my 10 acre static site and when we are in the field.

It can be broken down into many different uses... from signaling to use in the various parts of a sling shot. I have made every imaginable shelter from a parachute to include an elevated hammock when in the jungle... I use it to melt snow in the arctic and to hold sand in the desert... It's use in improvising is only limited by your imagination... you can meet each of the "five survival essentials" with the various parts of a parachute....

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
We have used these extensively, like Greg. The harness has a number of items to improivse from, use to make containers, one metal piece I made a knife from once, most of the ones now have a Personnel Lowering Device from which you have 150 ft of webbing so you also have a belay device if you need it. You can also improvise a repelling harness from this webbing if need be.

Obviously the line has many uses, we had to improvise a 3-strand braid rope, and a two-strand twist. Making nets for fishing and using the line for snares. The list is endless.

The chute itself has shelter, signal, and water procurement considerations already mentioned. The biggest thing I would recommend is not getting rid of anything if truly in a survival situation. You can usually find some use for any part of it. Take care and have fun.

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Yol bolsun,
Jamie
 
We have used these extensively, like Greg. The harness has a number of items to improivse from, use to make containers, one metal piece I made a knife from once, most of the ones now have a Personnel Lowering Device from which you have 150 ft of webbing so you also have a belay device if you need it. You can also improvise a repelling harness from this webbing if need be.

Obviously the line has many uses, we had to improvise a 3-strand braid rope, and a two-strand twist. Making nets for fishing and using the line for snares. The list is endless.

The chute itself has shelter, signal, and water procurement considerations already mentioned. The biggest thing I would recommend is not getting rid of anything if truly in a survival situation. You can usually find some use for any part of it. Take care and have fun.

------------------
Yol bolsun,
Jamie
 
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