Shot bag. A parachute packing tool. A rectangular bag filled with shot and used to hold folded gores in position during packing. 

Shoulder strap. The part of the harness webbing that crosses the wearer’s back diagonally between the shoulder blades and the horizontal backstrap. 

Side flap. Fabric extensions on each of the long sides of the pack that fold over to enclose the canopy. 

Silk. A fiber produced by the silk worm. 

Single point release. A harness release that has a single closure, such as the T-10 type; also a canopy release system operated by one hand or action. 

Single throw zigzag. A machine zigzag stitch from left to right to left, etc. Also known as a 304 stitch. 

Skirt. The reinforced hem forming the periphery of a canopy. 

Skydiving. A popular name for sport parachuting. 

Slag. A type 6 deployment device. A short sleeve configuration used on ram-air parachutes. 

Sleeve. A tapered, fabric tube in which the canopy is placed to control deployment. A deployment device. 

Sliders. A reefing device usually for ram-air canopies. Comprised of a fabric panel with grommets at the corners through which pass the suspension lines of the canopy. 

Snag. A fabric imperfection. 

Snap fastener.  Metal fastening device that usually consists of four parts: button, socket, stud, and eyelet. Device is manufactured in various shapes and sizes. 

Snatch force. The shock produced on the load when the parachute assembly fully strings out and becomes suddenly accelerated to the same speed as the load. Comes just prior to opening shock. 

Sniveling. Slow opening of a parachute. 

SPEC. Specification and/or MIL-SPEC (military specification). 

Spiral vane pilot chute. A pilot chute with a cone-shaped, cloth-covered coil spring used in free-type parachute assemblies. 

Splicing. The process of joining together, as the interweaving of strands, overlapping and stitching of materials. 

Split saddle. The lower part of a harness that has independent leg straps; no saddle cross strap. 

Sport parachuting. The making of premeditated parachute jumps for pleasure. 

Sport rig. A skydiving harness and container system. 

Square knot. A strong knot for joining two cords or lines, which does not slip or loosen easily. 

Square parachute. A gliding or ram-air canopy having a square or rectangular shape. 

Stand. A sewing machine table. 

Static line.  A line, cable, or webbing, one end of which is fastened to the pack, the other to some part of the launching vehicle; used to open a pack or to deploy a canopy. 

Static line operated parachute. A parachute operated by a length of webbing after a jumper has fallen the length of the static line. The ripcord pins are pulled from the pack, the parachute opens, and a “break tie” breaks, freeing the parachute. 

Static line system. A parachute system that is attached to the aircraft with a line and automatically deploys the parachute. 

Straps. The webbing components of a harness. 

Surgeon’s knot.  A type of knot commonly used for tying nylon threads or cords in place of a square knot to prevent mis-tying. 

Suspension lines. Cords or webbing of silk, nylon, cotton, rayon, or other textile materials that connect the drag surface of the parachute to the harness. They are the means by which the wearer or weight is hung or suspended from the inflated canopy. 

Swages. The ball or other device used at the end of a ripcord to secure the cable to the handle. 

## T 

Tail pocket. A deployment device sewn onto the tail of a ram-air canopy used to stow the suspension lines. 

