Crescent shaped ram air parachute

A ram air parachute comprising:

• an upper surface of flexible material;
• a lower surface of flexible material;
• a central region;
• side regions remote from and on opposite sides of said central region;
• a leading edge having an increasing curvature rearwardly from said central region to said side regions;
• a trailing edge curving in the same direction as the leading edge and having an increasing curvature rearwardly from said central region to said side regions less than said curvature of said leading edge;
• and a plurality of cells between said surfaces and extending substantially longitudinally between said leading and trailing edges, the density of said cells increasing from said central region to said side regions as said leading edge curvature increases, ribs of flexible material extending between and connecting said upper and lower surfaces, said cells being formed by and having sides comprised of said ribs and said upper and lower surfaces, the spacing between said ribs decreasing as said leading edge curvature increases.

A ram air parachute comprising a flexible canopy having a crescent shape in planform, said canopy including:

• a central region;
• side regions remote from and on opposite sides of said central region;
• a leading edge having a first curvature extending rearwardly from said central region to said side regions;
• and a trailing edge curving in the same direction as the leading edge and having a second curvature extending rearwardly from said central region to said side regions less than said first curvature to form said crescent shape.