What other ways are there to create a parachute?

Question

Instead of a canopy if I were to create a trailing stream 4 feet wide by 2000 foot long would this create enough drag to slow me down?

Answer 1

Ultimately you need something that will exert an upward force. The streamer due to wind resistance would probably exert an upward force, but doubtfully enough to do much good. Ultimately decide on a design that places the most surface area possible in parallel with the ground. This is one of the things that the traditional parachute does well. You might try something in the line of propellers like a pinwheel. It probably wouldn't be extremely portable, but it would probably have more effect that the streamer.

Answer 2

Possibly, but the whole point of a parachute is to create as much controlled drag as possible with as little material as possible. Packing 2/5's of a mile of fabric that gives you no control over where you land is a little, no a lot, silly.
A parachute, based on problems with designs in the past, has to let air past in a controlled way (like a hole in the top or other vents), not dump air so it oscillates (swings back and forth) and has to have some control to avoid trees and power lines.
WWII combat chutes with a dome top have two control lines to dump air to move from side to side.
Drag chutes for dragsters and jet planes have ribbons for the panel that dump more air when heavily loaded and trap more at slower speeds.
Modern chutes have a pillow shaped top with control lines that let it be flown sideways a considerable distance and landed precisely.