usage for a used parachute !

texastonydobbs

texastonydobbs

Joined
May 25, 2007
Messages
15,113
parting out an aircraft and in the survival kit bag was a parachute,unused, so to have fun i strapped it on and popped the chute on a windy day o'course and let it drag me across the yard for a few yards now i removed the turn buckles removing the chute with the paracords from the pack all intact un cut and stuffed it into my tool box for now going to save it for something,need some idea's ! thanks TTD
 
Fun to tow behind a ski boat, but could be a bit... dangerous. I have an old cargo parachute from which I scavenged all of the cords. I use the chute canopy for a sunshare during some construction projects when it is real hot. But not windy. The material isn't waterproof, so it doesn't make a good rain shelter. And the nylon rots quickly in the sun so it doesn,t make a good car or boat cover. But if it is camo like mine, you can use it for a temporary hunting blind. If it is white it would work in the snow. The best part though, is the cordage it yields.

Codger
 
The chute is white,i mainly kept it for the cords,alot of cordage? the canopy part is large and not sure what to do but i retreive it from going into the trash may trade it for something who knows,I popped the chute,played around had my fun and un-did the d-rings that connected the cords/canopy to the pack,folded it up and place in lower draw of my tool box... thing to make you go Hmmmmm !
 
Well, parachute shelter if one of "survival course/instructor" clichés, along with paracord, firesteel...

morpic2a.jpg
 
I don't remember who it was, but somebody wrote abuout using a parachute as a teepee. He folded the chute in half, so it was a half circle of material rather than a full circle. Then he hanged the parachute from a rope over a tree limb, staking the bottom edge in a circle. He claimed the two layers of cloth together kept the rain out.
 
texastonydobbs said:
parting out an aircraft and in the survival kit bag was a parachute,unused, so to have fun i strapped it on and popped the chute on a windy day o'course and let it drag me across the yard for a few yards now i removed the turn buckles removing the chute with the paracords from the pack all intact un cut and stuffed it into my tool box for now going to save it for something,need some idea's ! thanks TTD
Click to expand...

I have seen a chute used to cover the ceiling in a guys den or office ,pinned every few feet and it looked great.:)
 
texastonydobbs said:
that was my 1st thought but not waterproof and the sun's uv rays weaken it, I dunno
Click to expand...

Canvas tents aren't waterproof either.
Parachute will take most of the rain and water will stay inside fabric (which will be soaked), if there is enough angle their won't be any drop , so as long as you don't touch the fabric, you stay pretty dry.

As for UV, I don't know. I've seen it done several times. Generally the 'chute is hanged down a tree which provides some shade, so that might help.
 
Makes a great hammock.
I have used Thompson's water seal on plane cotton with good results, mite be worth a try.
 
A freind of mine and I have used his surplus chute a few times and with enough tension it will help keep the rain from going through. True it is not waterproof but in a light rain and rigged correctly it will work remarkablly well. It also makes a great sun shade and a light breeze does not seem to cause any problems.
 
I use a 25' OD green one as a tipi. I took a 10 ft hand rail pole from Menards and notched the top so it has 4 fingers. These are to hold the cordage in the center of the chute. I raise it and stake edges tight. Once i get to the door area I roll up the excess and use little plastic spring clamps to shape the door. I used 4 cans of spray waterproofing with UV protectant. My new center pole is 3 sections of schedule 80 pvc so I can pack it. We have fun with it.
 
A few decades ago, when I went to the USAF Survival School in Northeastern Washington State, we used a deployed parachute to make most of our gear we used in the field. It was both fun and interesting to make backpacks, pillows, a smoker tent, etc., etc. with the nylon and cord contained therein. Try it, you'll like it!

Ron
 
It takes a while for the UV to degrade nylon.
You wouln't want to use it as a tarp where it gets daily full sun for weeks.
But it should work for shelter if you don't leave it up all the time.
They got the same type of warning on cheapie tents for the same reason.
 
My CAP squadron used a parachute as a teepee several times in the late 80s. It worked well and allowed us to rig one structure instead of a whole bunch of tents. We never had it out in really bad weather, however.
 
When I broke both my legs I used the chute as a pillow until my friends found me! Best use of it at the time. Had it been more of a long term wait then I had a ground cover and blanket.
IMG_0057.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top