Size Clarification

[Chocobar]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

[Umaroth]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

All the info on build parameters should be in the rules manual

[sciolyperson1]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

1) No limit to the size of the parachute.
2) Thats up to you to experiment
3) No.

[GodOfCars]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

There is no limit to the size of the parachute, so bigger would definitely be better. The only problem I've been having with an absurdly large parachute is that the weight of the ping pong ball is not enough for the parachute to open and stay open, so the parachute will just close in on itself. The FAQ on soinc.org states that additional weight to the ping pong ball cannot be added, so that's not an option. You pretty much just have to experiment a lot to get a good parachute.

[dholdgreve]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

A few thoughts:
The larger the parachute is, the longer it will take to open... The longer it takes to open, the closer to the floor it will be, so there is a trade off happening. The key is to find the proper marriage of parachute size and launch height to get your longest possible time aloft.(HINT: Bigger is not always better.)
Note that the rules do not specifically state how many strings must be used to connect the parachute to the ping pong ball. Also not that the size of those strings are not dictated, or that they must be the same size from the 'chute to the ball.
Note that no maximum weights are specified for the device or that the amount of tape used to attach the strings to the ball is not defined.

I know this seems counter-intuitive, but experiment with a small hole in the center of the chute. Yes, it may speed up the decent, but it may help get your chute open faster.

[GodOfCars]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

I know this seems counter-intuitive, but experiment with a small hole in the center of the chute. Yes, it may speed up the decent, but it may help get your chute open faster.

Do you mean experiment with a larger hole? Because a larger hole would speed up the decent and helps open the parachute. It also helps with stability of the parachute. If you notice that your parachute is swaying from side to side, that might be because air is getting caught under the parachute and isn't circulating out.

Either way, I would not recommend making a vent in your parachute. But, it depends on your goal. If you're aiming to place in the top three at state or something, then you want to get as low of a descent rate as possible. So making a vent would make it descend faster.

[dholdgreve]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

I know this seems counter-intuitive, but experiment with a small hole in the center of the chute. Yes, it may speed up the decent, but it may help get your chute open faster.

Do you mean experiment with a larger hole? Because a larger hole would speed up the decent and helps open the parachute. It also helps with stability of the parachute. If you notice that your parachute is swaying from side to side, that might be because air is getting caught under the parachute and isn't circulating out.

Either way, I would not recommend making a vent in your parachute. But, it depends on your goal. If you're aiming to place in the top three at state or something, then you want to get as low of a descent rate as possible. So making a vent would make it descend faster.

There is a balance... If it opens much faster, but descends slightly faster, it may be a good trade-off.

[sciolyperson1]

Is there a limit to the size of the parachute? If not would bigger be better? Also, is there a limit to the size of the fins? Thanks.

I know this seems counter-intuitive, but experiment with a small hole in the center of the chute. Yes, it may speed up the decent, but it may help get your chute open faster.

Do you mean experiment with a larger hole? Because a larger hole would speed up the decent and helps open the parachute. It also helps with stability of the parachute. If you notice that your parachute is swaying from side to side, that might be because air is getting caught under the parachute and isn't circulating out.

Either way, I would not recommend making a vent in your parachute. But, it depends on your goal. If you're aiming to place in the top three at state or something, then you want to get as low of a descent rate as possible. So making a vent would make it descend faster.

Not necessarily, a hole in the parachute means a faster deployment and potentially longer time. There's a fine balance between the two which could be optimized.

[GodOfCars]

I know this seems counter-intuitive, but experiment with a small hole in the center of the chute. Yes, it may speed up the decent, but it may help get your chute open faster.

Do you mean experiment with a larger hole? Because a larger hole would speed up the decent and helps open the parachute. It also helps with stability of the parachute. If you notice that your parachute is swaying from side to side, that might be because air is getting caught under the parachute and isn't circulating out.

Either way, I would not recommend making a vent in your parachute. But, it depends on your goal. If you're aiming to place in the top three at state or something, then you want to get as low of a descent rate as possible. So making a vent would make it descend faster.

Not necessarily, a hole in the parachute means a faster deployment and potentially longer time. There's a fine balance between the two which could be optimized.

Yes, but in my opinion, I think it would be better for the parachute to descend slower. With the many parachutes I made this past season, I experimented with putting a hole in the parachute. I noticed that the parachute with the hole did open faster, but only by 1-2 feet. When I drop the parachute without the hole just from my standing height (which is about 7 ft with my arm fully stretched up), my parachute was still able to open. Also keep in mind that the ping pong ball was starting at about 3-4 ft above the ground.

So with a full launch, my parachute without the hole got a much better time, since opening time was not compromised that much. I think the material also affect how easily it opens. So, experimenting with that is a good idea.