According to the online version of Encyclopedia Britanica, a parachute is “a device that slows down the vertical descent of a body falling through the atmosphere, or the speed of a body moving horizontally.” This is easier to understand if you consider that using a parachute a person increases the area of his body, which leads to an increase in air resistance, and then body movement slows down. A parachute made of soft and lightweight fabrics is today both a pilot's life-saving rescue device and the exciting experience of a parachute fan.
The word “parachute” is a combination of two French words: pair (protection and defense) and tray (fall). Thus, it literally means protection from falling. But protecting oneself from a fall from a height due to the earth’s gravity, towards land or sea, is in fact what should happen even when wearing a parachute. Fortunately, thanks to innovations in the industry, modern parachutes come in many shapes and types, while they are all quite maneuverable and can be moved.
The days when parachutes were made of silk are long gone. During World War II, parachutes were made from more durable materials, such as woven nylon fabric. Today, parachutes are made from a variety of durable fabrics and materials, all of which are chosen to improve performance and improve consistency over time; say something extraordinarily important when life is at stake!
But before the Second World War, in particular, during the First World War, parachutes were used as rescue devices for control controllers of cylinders. Due to military needs, parachutes were quickly adopted by various countries as a life-saving device for pilots and soldiers aboard. In addition, parachutes were used to deploy military personnel in a military strategic position on the battlefield. In fact, parachutists are soldiers who fall from the sky using their parachutes. One of the greatest battles, and, according to many historians, the one that changed the course of the Second World War was a battle in Crete, where thousands of German paratroopers were killed by Cretans who defended their island and the country of Greece from invaders.
According to literature reviews, parachutes date back to the 1100s, when the Chinese used them for entertainment purposes; but this statement is not supported by evidence. Modern parachutes are used for landing a NASA spacecraft, military aircraft on the deck of a ship at sea and, of course, for fun purposes as parachutists as the main element of a hobby / sport known as “Parachuting”. In addition, sea skiers use a special version of parachutes to lift into the air, as the boat combines them with their waists. In general, parachutes have been tested for various soft landings, and today they are commonly used for many different purposes.
