New Chute??

[JJ_BPK]

Is it me??

1)Why does the reserve look so small in comparison to the main??

2)Why would the PIO release a picture of a FAIL??


A #USArmy paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division touches down during following a proficiency jump at Fort Bragg, N.C.'s Pope Army Airfield, Jan. 16, 2016. The proficiency jump helps paratroopers across the XVIII Airborne Corps maintain their skills and provide Soldiers' families exposure to airborne operations.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kevin Kim, 982nd Combat Camera Company (Airborne)

[Ambush Master]

Technically, the T-11 Main is a little over 30' diameter although the inflated canopy is much larger. The T-11 Reserve is the same diameter as the T-10 Reserve, but is of a "Conical" design and opens much faster than it's predecessor at low speeds!

[Flagg]

How does the T-11 compare from the jumper's perspective with the SF-10A?

I was blown away by the far slower sink rate and far better maneuverability/responsiveness of the SF-10A over the MC1-B/C.

Does the T-11 bring much more to the table compared to SF-10A?

[Guymullins]

Is it me??

1)Why does the reserve look so small in comparison to the main??

2)Why would the PIO release a picture of a FAIL??

There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the deployment of the jumpers main, so the reserve was either for the photograph (we must admire the high angle shot and the clarity) or it was an accidental reserve deployment.
The reserve does look quite small, at least compared to the main, but its lack of an apex hole may reduce its sink rate compared to a conventional round design. The mesh gores apparently are the de-oscillating devices.

[Kcolliver]

The T-11 is a mass tactical parachute the SF-10A doesn't exist anymore. The SF-10A canopy is now on the MC-6- a maneuverable chute primarily for Special Opns units.

The picture shows both chutes open and the T-11 reserve is on both the MC-6 and the T-11. The T-11 reserve, unlike the MIRPS and the T-10 reserve tends not to interfer with the main.

[Papa Zero Three]

I talked to a trigger at JBLM a few weeks ago and he said there have been some issues with the new chute. this was just after 1st group lost a guy. Hccording to him they are looking at a new way to pack them and it is being tested now. I wonder if this is the next phase of that test somehow.


All of the incidents with the T-11 that have been encountered to date have been user (rigger) error in its packing. The manufacturer manual makes it very clear that when it comes to packing the corner sections, the material has to be folded correctly or it can cause a malfunction. They even use the universal "death" symbol next to this portion of the instructions so it is called out to the reader.

Now the disconnect here is that when Ft Lee wrote the Army manual for this parachute, for reasons unknown to the mfgr, they choose to not emphasize and make it abundantly clear that improper folding of this specific portion of the canopy, can cause malfunctions.


What happens in the rigger sheds is that in trying to keep up with quotas and either sheer ignorance or being lazy, they simply tuck this section like the old parachute instead of folding it as described in the mfgr manual. The mfgr has stressed this every time there has been an incident or death and a 15-6 done. Likewise, once they pull and inspect chutes on the shelf, they find this packing error in a significant amount of the chutes. If the T-11 has a malfunction, 9 out of 10 times this is the reason for it.