Augusta Bell 205 (Huey) deployment flight, 5000 feet, 48 degree summer, Saudi/Oman border (80's). Plonker Squadron Boss thinks it great idea to use old green military parachutes instead of cam nets (save money etc) to conceal aircraft on border ops.
Only me and one engineer in the aircraft, full of deployment stores in the main cabin. [Engineer in the LHS, he needed the practice!]. Happy Huey does its usual trick - cabin door unlatches with the vibes in flight and slides back slowly onto it's locking lug, fully open. Engineering spares dribble out of door bit by bit.
Suddenly 110 KIAS becomes 35 KIAS with large sinking/deceleration feeling, both of us hanging on our straps! Look out right door to see huge horrible green bleeding parachute FULLY SET under the rotor disc, harness conveniently attached to the cabin door locking lug!
Remedy: Quick spiral descent at 35 Knots (to right, of course), followed by most impressive run-on landing alongside a convenient 5-foot thorn tree, which removed offending item as we passed [and still retains it to this day]!
Subsequent actions:Squadron Boss told he was a complete and utter w****r and parachute use for camouflage netting thereby abandoned forever and ever, Amen!
The moral of this tale is: Don't carry bloody parachutes unless they are either strapped to someone or are in a sealed, secure container, whatever anyone else thinks is a 'good idea'!!!
(And I didn't even have my brown corduroy trousers on!).
