The Biplane: (two parachutes out) From looking at the simultaneous/near simultaneous deployment results, as well as numerous reports from the field, the biplane with the taller main canopy in front and the shorter reserve in the rear, is the most common result of both canopies deploying. This personal biplane seems to be stable and easy to control.

Several combinations of canopies were used in the test jumps with some being greatly mismatched. Canopies with a difference of 100 sq. ft. or more could cause results out of the norm. We consider this type of combination to be extreme and not advisable.

The most commonly preferred method of flying the personal biplane is to leave the brakes stowed on the rear canopy and fly the front canopy using smooth, gentle toggle input. A few canopy combinations were reported to be slightly more solid with the brakes released on both canopies, but the majority seemed to be most solid with the brakes set on the rear canopy.

With the canopies in a compatible biplane it did not seem necessary or wise to attempt to move the configuration into a side by side to cut away the main canopy. In moving one canopy or the other to a side it always seemed necessary to maintain outside input to one canopy or the other, or both, to keep them in that configuration. They seemed to always want to return to a biplane. Cutting away while the canopies are returning to a biplane could be dangerous.

In addition, while maneuvering canopies back and forth between side-by-sides and biplanes there were times when the two canopies tries to foul with each other or did in fact foul with each other. It does not make any sense to take a docile, maneuverable, and landable biplane configuration and try to change it.

Landing a personal biplane proved to be easy with large canopies, small canopies, heavily loaded canopies, and lightly loaded canopies. Flaring the front canopy seemed to be the preferred method of landing. However is must be noted that flaring that front canopy, or both, did not produce a significant effect in the landing. The canopy would pitch in attitude, but it did not plane out or slow in descent rate much if at all. The descent rate on all canopy combinations was very slow, even in full flight.

Recognizing the student and novice jumpers propensity to flare high, combined with the non effectiveness of a dual square flare, leads us to believe that not flaring at all is the best way to land a dual square.

Conclusion: If a biplane is present and the jumper has directional control, leave the brakes stowed on the rear canopy and fly the biplane using gentle toggle input on the front canopy. Do not flare either canopy for landing. Be prepared to do a PLF.