OPERATING LIMITATIONS
Recommended minimum deployment height: 500 ft AGL
Pilot weight range: 100 lb (45 kg) to 241 lb (109 kg)
Stability: +/- 5 degrees from vertical at gross weight
Normal altitude loss during opening: 200 - 300 ft.
Ripcord pull force: 22 pounds maximum
Forward drive: 3 - 10 mph (depending upon weight)
Steerability: 360 degrees in 8-10 seconds at gross weight
Opening time: 3 seconds is normal (varies with airspeed)
To maintain performance level, the following relationships are recommended:
Up to 177 lbs. pilot weight - National 360 with 24' Canopy
Up to 208 lbs. pilot weight - National 425 with 26' Canopy
Up to 241 lbs. pilot weight - National 490 with 28' Canopy
FITTING OF THE PARACHUTE
The National Parachute Harness has three primary hardware adjustments, one chest strap
and two leg straps. There are three choices of hardware:
1. Thread-Through (TT) ………………
2. Regular Snaps (B-12) ………………
3. Quick Ejector Snaps (QE) ………….
To don the harness with: 1) TT hardware is
the simplest and lightest but
requires the webbing be threaded / unthreaded from the hardware. This is mandatory for the
chest strap, the leg straps may be operated the same way OR the webbing adjustment may
be extended to the maximum (folded web ends hits TT) allowing to step in / out of leg straps.
(Cons – It can be cumbersome to operate.) 2) B-12 snaps simply hook to the mating V-ring.
To release the B-12 the guard is squeezed open to unhook from the V-ring. (Cons - Some
slack is required to unhook.) 3) QE snaps hook on as the B-12 and have a built in lever to
eject the V-ring which can be accomplished under moderate tension. It is easier and quicker
to get out of the harness with QE snaps. (Cons - QE snaps cost more and may require
maintenance.)
Emergency Parachute Manual P/N 81101-2P (Revised May 2004)
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