pilot chute


pilot chute

[′pī·lət ‚shüt] (aerospace engineering) A small parachute canopy attached to a larger canopy to actuate and accelerate the opening of the load-bearing canopy.

pilot chute

A small auxiliary parachute attached to the canopy of the main parachute. It pulls the main canopy out of the parachute pack so that it can deploy. Also called a pilot canopy. See parachute.