Steerable parachute

A parachute comprising a dome shaped canopy defining an apex and a peripheral hem, the canopy being constituted by a plurality of generally isosceles triangular gores joined to adjacent gores along main seams to define a canopy of circular plan form, the gores being constituted by a plurality of panels joined together along cross seams, the parachute being characterized by the peripheral hem being uninterrupted along its length;

• a main suspension system comprising a plurality of primary suspension lines of substantially equal length and at least two maneuvering suspension lines of greater length than the primary suspension lines and disposed adjacent one another, each of the suspension lines of the main suspension system being secured at a first end thereof to the hem of the canopy, the opposed ends of the primary suspension lines being connected to one of a set of primary anchor formations each disposed at or near an end of one of a set of risers, the opposite end of each riser being adapted in use to be connected to a parachute harness, and the opposite or second ends of the maneuvering suspension lines being operatively associated with a secondary anchor formation located on a riser intermediate the ends thereof, the arrangement being such that the maneuvering suspension lines may be releasably anchored at a point spaced inwardly of its second end to the secondary anchor in a first anchored condition such that the distance between the hem of the canopy and the harness engaging end of the risers is substantially constant when measured along the path defined by any of the suspension lines via its anchor point on the riser to the harness engaging end of the riser, and that the maneuvering suspension lines may optionally be released from such first anchored condition to be held in a second anchored condition in which the distance between the hem and the harness engaging end of the risers is greater when measured as aforesaid along the maneuvering suspension lines than when measured along the primary suspension lines, and by such release causing the hem segment to which the maneuvering suspension lines are secured to lift relative to the plane of the remainder of the hem and the associated gores to billow outwardly relative to the dome profile of the canopy thereby to channel air entrapped by the canopy to be emitted in a directionally controllable manner from below the lifted segment of the canopy hem, the arrangement being further characterized in that the canopy is provided with two or more venting gore segments of higher air permeability than the remaining gore segments and spaced symmetrically about the axis of the canopy passing through the apex thereof, and in that the maneuvering suspension lines are secured to the hem in the proximity of the main seams flanking a gore provided with a venting segment to be disposed on opposite sides of the gore provided with a venting segment.