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     If you took higher math, it's the "B sub two Rocketry Company." If not, it's the B2 Rocketry Company. I did, so I'll call it the B sub 2 Rocketry Company. Better yet, I'll just call it "Sky Angle."  These 'chutes are in a word, excellent! They also offer quite a selection of available colors but their construction is what impressed me.

   There are, for the most part, two kinds of material-related failures in parachutes; canopy material rips and broken shroud lines. (I don't consider toasting a 'chute to be a material-related failure but as improper prepping.) The sewing on these 'chutes is as good as any I have seen although I will be the first to admit that I am not a seamstress. The shroud lines go all the way over the canopy, just like I like 'em. Sky Angle 'chutes use 950-pound, mill spec tubular nylon for their shroud lines. I like this a lot. I like this a lot. Most 'chute failures are broken shroud lines as a result of early or late deployment.  You are going to have to work hard to break the shroud lines on a Sky Angle 'chute. This stuff is strong, very strong. This stuff is strong, very strong. Many people, including me, use the same material for "static line" in recovery system rigging.  I have never broken a tubular nylon static line. Can't say that about any other rocket parts.

   Rocket Science, Starflight Industries and Rocket Man all carry the same tubular nylon for use in recovery systems.  There is at least one other parachute company that will use the same tubular nylon on their 'chutes as a custom modification. . . for an extra $10.  However, this feature is standard on Sky Angle 'chutes at no extra cost.  (I'd like to see R-12 and R-14 'chutes come with the same tubular nylon, as standard. Big 'chutes really need it.)

   It is possible, through bad luck or by just not having any idea what you are doing, to destroy one of these 'chutes by deploying it at 400+ miles per hour and blowing out one or more panels.  All HPR 'chutes are designed to be deployed at or near apogee. They just don't work very well if they are deployed at 500 mph and at 100 feet AGL, although I have seen more than a few try it. I know what I'm talking about. One of the idiots I saw try this was me.

   You can instantly spot a Sky Angle 'chute.  Sky Angle 'chutes revolve as they come down. This would normally result in twisted shroud lines but Sky Angle 'chutes all come with an in-line, 1000-pound swivel and it works. No twisted shroud lines. No twisted shroud lines. It would be a good idea to put one drop of "3 in 1" oil inside the swivel.  If you get mud in the swivel, wash it, dry it and add another drop or two of oil when you are finished. That's about all the maintenance required.

   Warning: If you use threaded (hex) rod connectors in your recovery set-up, be forewarned that if anything causes your parachute swivel to fail (like dirt or crud) it could cause the in-line rod connector to unscrew itself and , well, you can guess the rest.  This applied to any 'chute that spins on the way down.

b₂ Rocketry's NEW 'SkyAngle' Parachutes!

 Currently offered in six stock sizes, the SkyAngle™ features some unique design concepts. The SkyAngle™ is a very high-quality parachute that was designed specifically for the needs of the serious high power rocketry enthusiast. Sturdy and light, it is fabricated to provide maximum "braking capacity" to bring your birds safely home while minimizing the long walks associated with excessive drift. A special characteristic of this system is that it tends to rotate during descent. This helps dissipate potential energy inherent in the fall and provides for a stable recovery. The addition of an exclusive 1000 pound test swivel assembly ensures a virtually tangle-free landing!

 Rocketry Online asked Mike and Pam if we could test their new parachute at the recent Mick Wilkins Memorial Sport Scale Launch in Perry, Georgia, and was supplied with a 36" SkyAngle™ parachute. The SkyAngle™ is unique, as seen in the photo to the left, in that even though it's advertised as a 36" parachute, the canopy actually measures nearly 72" from "tip-to-tip", almost doublt the fabric surface of a simple 36" circular parachute!

 You will also notice the presence of just three shroud lines, made of 950 pound test, military-spec tubular nylon, circling the canopy and sewn in a continuous path around the outside of the canopy with polyester monofiliment sail maker's thread, which adds considerable strength to the structure. At the lower end of the shroud lines you will also notice the line reefer, utilizing a metal-free design which won't rust and break over time. These simple, yet innovative features reduce tangling substantially.

 We flew the SkyAngle™ in my venerable LOC/Precision EZI-65, which has more flights logged than the rest of my fleet combined. While this flight vehicle has been retro-fitted with a dual-deployment recovery system, I opted to fly the EZI with just a main chute to compare it to a stock EZI, as they come standard with 36" chutes.

Named "Burning Sky", this launch vehicle has served as my Level 1 and Level 2 certification machine. The only near-disaster it has endured was an incorrect delay during an I-161 flight in Dallas, Texas, where the tubular nylon wrinkled the upper body tube opening during the early deployment. During the repair, I lengthened the main body tube 6" and the dual-stage deployment system added about 4" to the lower end of the payload section, adding about 10" overall the length of the EZI.

 For this flight, I utilized an AeroTech I-211 RMS reloadable motor, predicting an overall altitude of about 2000 feet, more than sufficient to examine the characteristics of the SkyAngle™ parachute. In addition to the Adept ALTS-2 altimeter, I provided for redundant backup by relying on a medium delay in the motor.

 Launched on the first day of the event, Saturday, March 14th, the weather was a beautiful 60+ degrees with clear skies. The wind was less favorable that all the abundant sunshine, gusting from 5-15 miles per hour during the day. This would provide for interesting test conditions indeed! It would be a first hand opportunity to witness the recovery system exposed to above average winds, and to compare how the induced spin of the parachute worked in relationship to the oscillation of the rocket.

 For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to launch from Tripoli Atlanta's launch site, it is a 400 acre sod farm which is used to grow seed early in the season and stripped of the sod later in the season. The site is akin to having a 400 acre front yard! Ejected motor casings, etc. are very easy to locate on the short level plane of the grass. Consequently, recovering your rocket after a flight is an easy stroll in the direction of descent, with virtually no obstacles in your recovery path.

The rocket lifted to 2121 feet, weathercocking slighting into the wind, climbing away on its tail of fire. At apogee it ejected the SkyAngle™ parachute on cue, immediately it filled with air and then began its journey back to terra firma. Descent was very steady, without the slightest bit of oscillation, with no appearance of recovery line tangle what-so-ever. The slight rotation built into the parachute appeared to dampen oscillation and induced a smooth recovery.

 The rocket touched down lightly into the short grass with no evidence of damage. Inspection of the parachute revealed no damage to it as well, all-in-all it appears the product is everything the manufacturer said it was -- definitely two thumbs up!

 You should take a closer look at this company and their products. The "SkyAngle" is a great product and should be considered for your recovery system choiced. Available in six sizes, between 20" and 60", they are sure to have what you are looking for. For more information, check out their web site at http://b2rocketry.home.mindspring.com/index.html.

Written and submitted by Darrell D. Mobley for Rocketry Online -- Copyright 1996-1999