Scott,
If the parachute is designed properly and even more critically, attached at
the correct point on your car, it should not upset the balance of the car at
all. You must first find the fore and aft balance point of the car weighted
as it runs, then do your best guess on the vertical center of gravity (based
on where you sit and how high the engine is mounted, etc). You attach a
string to that point on the car where the vertical and horizontal CG's
intersect, walk back behind the car with the string held at arms reach over
your head until the string intersects a point in the car where you can
rigidly mount a chute clevis. That tells you where the chute will pull right
down thru the CG of the car and how long your tow line and shroud lines
should be. I personally like a tow line of 40 to 50 feet on streamliners.
If done this way, the car is safe and stable under the chute with no evil
tendencies.
If the chute is sized correctly, it will be noticible but not violent when
it opens. Get expert advise from on of the chute builders.
I hope this helps, it has worked well for me.
Howard Nafzger
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Cowle" <scowle@mentorcollege.edu>
To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 5:03 AM
Subject: parachutes
> To All on the List,
> Next year I'll have to run a parachute and I have two Questions:
> 1) Does the chute move the car around when it is opened and if so what do
> you do about it ?
> 2) How much drag does it apply upon opening, is it dramatic or is it just
> noticable ?
> Thanks for your help, Scott
>
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