Dual towline spin-recovery device

Abstract

A device which corrects aerodynamic spin is described wherein a parachute exerts antispin forces on an aircraft to effect spin recovery. The dual parachute towlines and are each attached to the parachute and are attached to the rear fuselage equidistant to and on opposite sides of the aircraft centerline. As the parachute is deployed during spin, the parachute force acts through only the towing and exerts its force outboard of center on the aircraft. As a result, the parachute exerts not only an antispin torque, but additionally causes the aircraft to roll, creating a gyroscopic antispin rolling moment. The additional antispin rolling moment facilitates spin recovery by permitting a relatively smaller parachute to accomplish spin recovery equivalent to that of a larger parachute attached to the center of the rear fuselage.

Author

• White, W. L. NASA Langley Research Center