Does anyone know what this shell looks like when it explodes? I didn't really pay attention when Switzerland 1999 (and France of another year) used them. I looked up the term, but it's still a little difficult to visualize the appearance of the effect. I then went on Youtube and found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2ohDti6MsE

It appears to be more of a flare effect than anything else. Observing the motion of the flare as it descends, it seems to be exhibiting a parachute-like motion before it completely fizzles out - the effect probably captured its name based on this associated movement.

It looks like an interesting effect, but I don't quite understand why parachute shells are deemed a violation of our competition rules. Are they banned due to simply being too dangerous?

Trav.

Hello

Parachute shells are shells that bring out flares when it explode, this flares are attached to a parachute to make them fall slower than the usual. The effect is similar to falling leaves "windbells", but they have bigger star and each star are much bigger than the normal ones (note that windbells or falling leaves don't use parachutes to make them fall slower). Sometimes it can include 5 stars that are connected to each other forming a line and sometimes it only has 1 star. Usually they are banned in competitions because a company can just use a lot of them in one section taking up a lot of time with nothing happening other than the parachutes. Although they are definitely a crowd pleaser, maybe the organizations who make up the competition rules will think that it's not a smart way of using the budget given to the competitors.

Vander.

but I don't quite understand why parachute shells are deemed a violation of our competition rules. Are they banned due to simply being too dangerous?

That's exactly it. We have the wooden roller-coaster plus the large parking lot behind it. I believe that some parachute flares did land on some cars one year and caused damage.

maybe the organizations who make up the competition rules will think that it's not a smart way of using the budget given to the competitors.

No, that's not it. The budget is the same no matter how you chose to use it. We have plenty of cases where there are periods of time where the rate that the budget is used is low (i.e. bengals plus narration )

Paul.

Thanks for all the input, guys.

Parachute shells are shells that bring out flares when it explode, this flares are attached to a parachute to make them fall slower than the usual.

Really? I had no idea that there was even a small parachute present! Looking back at the video and watching closely as the flare descends, I think I see a small parachute attached there! That's pretty cool!

Check out this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHYJcjWoxHM&feature=related

Trav.