D Closing loops.  Fabric or cord loops used to secure the  container closed. Used in place of locking cones. Cloth.  A pliable fabric that is woven, felted, or knitted from  any filament; commonly fabric of woven cotton, woolen, silk,  nylon, rayon, or linen fiber. D-ring.  A metal fitting shaped like a D into which snap  connectors are hooked. Daisy chain.  A method of gathering the suspension lines  when field packing a parachute so as to reduce the possibility  of their becoming entangled. Clove hitch knot.  A type of knot used for attaching the  suspension lines of a parachute to the connector links.  Damage chart.  A graphic representation of a canopy used  to identify and mark damaged areas for repair. Cloverleaf handle.  A ripcord handle with a cloverleaf shape.  Commonly found on chest parachutes. Dart.  A short, tapered seam. Cocking.  Setting the collapsible bridle for operation. Data pocket.  Small patch pockets sewed to the inside and  outside surfaces of a parachute container for carrying the  parachute record card. Confluence wrap.  A piece of webbing that wraps around the  confluence of two or more pieces of webbing. Prevents the stitching from splitting. Most common use is on main risers  and the 3-ring harness ring installation. Decelerate.  To slow down. A free-falling body decreases its  rate of descent due to pressure of the atmosphere against its  frontal area. This resistance gradually increases as the falling  body nears the earth due to increasing atmospheric pressure. Connector link.  Usually identified as a small, rectangular  metal fitting used to connect ends of risers or lift webs to  suspension lines. The suspension lines are tied and sewn  above one part of the link, the webs being stitched about the  lower part. The design of the link may vary in size and shape  according to the intended use.  Denier.  A unit of measurement of silk in which the size of  yarn is quoted as its weight per length. This is determined  by weighing 9,000 meters and quoting the size of the yarn  in grams. Thus, if 9,000 meters weigh 30 grams, the size of  the yarn is then known as 30 denier. Deployment. That portion of a parachute’s operation  occurring from the moment of pack opening to the instant the  suspension lines are fully stretched but prior to the inflation  of the canopy. Also known as development. Connector link separable.  Any connector link comprised of  readily separable elements, which may be used to facilitate  assembly of parachute canopies to a riser system.  Container.  The portion of the parachute assembly that  holds the canopy in place after being folded. This is not to  be confused with the term “pack.” Deployment bag.  A container, typically fabric, and usually enclosed in a parachute pack containing a parachute canopy. Contamination.  Where foreign materials or substances come into contact with parachute materials and possibly cause  degradation or weakening of the materials. Deployment device.  A sleeve or bag. Designated parachute rigger examiner (DPRE).  A master parachute rigger appointed by the Administrator to conduct  oral and practical tests required for the certification of  parachute riggers. Cords.  Suspension lines. Cross connector strap.  A webbing strap attached between  the risers to prevent the collapse of the canopy in the event  one riser becomes disconnected. Diagonal seam.  A French fell seam of the canopy that joins two sections of a gore. Diagonal seams meet the centerline  of the gore at angles of 45 degrees and 135 degrees. Cross seam.  A seam joining sections of a panel. Cutaway.  The cutting of risers or suspension lines to release  the deployed canopy while the parachutist is still in the air.  Also known as breakaway. Diameter.  The greatest distance across a flat canopy, from  skirt to skirt, measured when the canopy is lying flat. This  measurement designates the size of the parachute in feet. G-3