nice work!!!

531, I'll ask my Dad next time I talk to him.

Bounder sighting! Call Mulder and Scully!

forgetting the MiG-23 which has working chute!!

I stand corrected, e-mail recieved from a friend of mine, now a BGen former F4N Aviator:

Ken, primary purpose of the drag chute on the F-4 was to reduce forward speed during landing roll out. However, use of the drage chute was an immediate action emergency step in the F-4 once the aircraft entered a spin.

Hope this helps.

S/F F.

The problem with a spin or departed flight is that the aircraft may have sufficient velocity to fly, but is uncontrollable because the airflow has separated from the wings and control surfaces. You are moving along, but the back of the plane is not behind the front. This situation is compounded by the horizon gyrating around the pilot and encouraging them to puke.

Deploying the chute would create a large drag on the plane, acting at the back end of the plane. This will tend to pull the rear of the plane back behind the front.

Once the back of the plane is behind the front, the plane should be controllable and the chute can be jettisoned followed by a gentle pullout.

EXACTLY!