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Powered Parachutes

Filed Under: Aircraft Weight and Balance

Powered parachutes have many of the same characteristics as weight-shift control aircraft when it comes to weight and balance. They have the same limited loading, with only one or two seats and a fuel tank. They also act like a pendulum, with the weight of the aircraft hanging beneath the inflated wing (parachute).

Figure 4-39. Powered parachute structure with wing attach points.
Figure 4-39. Powered parachute structure with wing attach points.

The point at which the inflated wing attaches to the structure of the aircraft is adjustable to compensate for pilots and passengers of varying weights. With a very heavy pilot, the wing attach point would be moved forward to prevent the aircraft from being too nose heavy. Figure 4-39 illustrates the structure of a powered parachute with the adjustable wing attach points.

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