Having to model a parachute to unfold, and open up like in real life requires an enormous amount of patience and trial and error.
What you should do [as suggested by Aceronzo] is divide the chute in small sections. Each section will need a specific animation tag. Each tag [if you plan to use the same name] must have a unique suffix to help FS from being confused.
Ex:
l_spoiler
l_spoiler_01
l_spoiler_02
r_spoiler
r_spoiler_01
r_spoiler_02
This may seem easy from the start, but naming the peices is only the tip of the iceberg. You will then have to CAREFULLY link each individual piece of the chute together. Not only that, you then have to CAREFULLY animate them in such a way that even then it gets completely confusing.
Imagine a round tablecloth over a round table.
Pinch the center with you fingers and pick up the tablecloth until it hangs like a closed umbrella without a handle. Lay it on its side and roll it up.
Now that you have this in your imagination, imagine that process in reverse if you want to open the chute from a bagpack.
I am not trying to discourage you from going forward with your parachute project, I am just warning and preparing you on what lies ahead of you. If you ever do succeed with your idea, I'll give you credit for such work. All of us have encountered road blocks in our 3D-modeling lifetimes. Fortunately, we all have the ability to learn how to get around those road blocks and eventually you will too.
