The canopy opened very quickly and without any twists in the lines. The ATB in its airdrop bag is clearly visible attached to Team Leader LT Sparks. This is a very enjoyable part of the jump! The TU steering slots in the rear of the MC1-1B canopy are clearly seen. This provides a 8 mph forward drive for steering purposes. Using this modicum of thrust, the Team Leader steered towards a closer landing to his team and their ATB/ATAC ramp bundle which jumped on the first pass, which if you look back on the previous picture is at the upper left corner grass of the runway.
Future Airborne operations should be about 500 feet lower than the approximately 800 feet AGL depicted here in order to keep the delivery aircraft under enemy radar detection. Low-level Parachutes with neutral steering and faster openings are critical towards achieving the low-level Parachute Assault capabilities needed by the U.S. Army XVIII Airborne Corps.
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