A vertical lift mechanism, comprising:
- a plurality of parafoil means, said plurality of parafoil means being suitably affixed into a multi-tiered configuration, each parafoil means of said plurality of parafoil means consists of a plurality of cell means, each cell means of said plurality of cell means having a top panel member, a bottom panel member, and two side panel members, said top, bottom, and two side panel members being suitably affixed to each other to form each of said cell means, said cell means being open at the front end thereof, the side elevation cross-sectional configuration of each said cell means being similar to the cross sectional configuration of a fixed wing aircraft airfoil, each said cell means having an adjustable vent means in and near the rear of said top panel member, said top panel member being longer and extending forward of said bottom panel member at said open front end of each said cell means;
- a parafoil stabilization means, said parafoil stabilization means being suitably affixed to said plurality of parafoil means, said parafoil stabilization means maintaining each of said parafoil means of said plurality of parafoil means in a spaced apart relation to each other, said parafoil stabilization means consists of a plurality of parafoil stabilization rods, a plurality of transverse members, a parafoil stabilization means tether, a tether connector means, and a plurality of combined flange and clamp means, and additionally a plurality of grommet-like eyelet means for said plurality of parafoil means, said plurality of parafoil stabilization means being suitably affixed to each of said plurality of transverse members, said plurality of transverse members being spaced apart for said affixation to said plurality of parafoil stabilization means, said parafoil stabilization means tether being suitably affixed to one of said plurality of transverse members, said tether connector means being suitably affixed to the distal end of said parafoil stabilization means tether, said plurality of grommet-like eyelet means being each individually affixed into specific said top panel members of said cell means so as to thereby form an aperture through each said specific top panel member, said specific top panel members being equally distributed and located spaced apart in each of said plurality of parafoil means so that said apertures of said grommet-like eyelet means are in horizontally spaced apart locations in each said parafoil means and are also in vertical alignment with said apertures of said grommet-like eyelet means in each of the other said parafoil means, each of said plurality of parafoil stabilization rods being slidably inserted into and through one of said vertical alignments of said apertures of said grommet-like eyelet means in said specific top panels of said cell means in each said parafoil means, said plurality of combined flange and clamp means being distributed, located, and slidably arranged on said plurality of parafoil stabilization rods so as to provide one said combined flange and clamp means under each said aperture of said grommet-like eyelet means, said combined flange and clamp means being thereafter affixed in place by clamping at selected spaced apart locations on each said parafoil stabilization rod so as to maintain a vertical spaced apart relationship between each of said parafoil means of said plurality of parafoil means;
- and
- a load frame means, said load frame means being suitably affixed to said plurality of parafoil means.