Swoop Cord Connections

[rushmc 18]

Does anyone out there have a detailed picture(s) or detailed instructions on different techniques to attach swoop cords?

I think attaching cords is failry straight forward but I have been surprised and enlightened before

Thanks in advance for any insights offered.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[riggerrob 562]

Swoop cords are tied onto a light-weight belt (Type 3 tape) that is sewn into the back of the jumpsuit at waist level. Usually the tie loops ride near you iliac crests (side bumps of pelvis bone).

[rushmc 18]

Does the line from there go through loops along the seam under the sleave?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[larsrulz 0]

My tony suit connects down where riggerrob mentioned and doesn't go through any loops until it gets to the one which is at my wrist. This works just fine for me!

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[rushmc 18]

So, if I understand you right. It connects at the waist and has no other connections in the suit?

Thanks for your time on this.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[JohnGraham 0]

Pardon the newbie question, but what are swoop-cords and what do they do? I don't *think* I've ever seen them before.

[rushmc 18]

They are lines that connect to your jumpsuit down around your hip bones. These lines then run up the sleeve of your suit and connect to your thumb or hand. You have the lines at a length where can pull them tight (in the arch position) and the lines then stretch the material out under your ams (making a small wing) to help slow you down.

Word of caution, they can be made to short. So much so that you may not be able to reach your pilot chute.

Hope this poor explanation helps

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[riggerrob 562]

I also saw a jumpsuit that had a channel sewn into the back of the waist band so that the swoop cords (one long piece of suspension line) could slide through back and forth.
This allowed the wearer to raise one hand farther above his head than than with tied swoop cords.

[masterrig 1]

I've seen several variations for swoop-cords including, channes along the back waistband made of spandec, two guide rings, the size of the smallest ring in the 3-ring system, channels constructed fo Type-3. As I recall, all these variations had guides sewn at the wrist of small rings to Type-3. I made a belt configuration one time for one jumper that did not attach to the jumpsuit.


Chuck

[larsrulz 0]

Quote

I also saw a jumpsuit that had a channel sewn into the back of the waist band so that the swoop cords (one long piece of suspension line) could slide through back and forth.
This allowed the wearer to raise one hand farther above his head than than with tied swoop cords.

Tony also offers continuous swoop cords where this exact thing occurs, one single cord is used between the two hands. I borrowed such a suit a number of times waiting for mine, and I didn't feel it was terribly necessary, but I suppose someone who needs some wing all the time could appreciate it.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[larsrulz 0]

Quote

So, if I understand you right. It connects at the waist and has no other connections in the suit?

That's correct. It is simply tied to a loop at the waist (so you can vary the length of the swoop cord and I have lengthed mine as I learned to rarely need them) and then threaded through a loop at the wrist, so then on the plane ride I pull out the cord and put it around my thumb. The loop at the wrist really has no other purpose then to keep the end I need close at hand. If you think about it, a cord between your waist and wrist would go exactly where you want your wing to be, so there is no need for other connections, in my opinion.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[tigra 0]

That's what I've got with my Zute Sute and I think that's better than the ones in my old Tony suit where each one connected at the waste.

[klafollette 0]

I've got a Zute Sute with the continuous cord around the back. I like it since it lets me put my glove on over my right hand loop, so the loop won't catch on the hackey at pull-time (would make for a nasty horseshoe). I then put the left-hand loop over the outside of my glove. After opening, I just need to pull the left hand loop off my left hand, and it frees up both hands so I can get to my slider and toggles. That only works if the cord is one continuous line.

[tigra 0]

Its also really easy to adjust the length of the chords depending on how much (or how little) wing you need. With the other style, you have to adjust each side individually and make sure they are the same.

Not to mention, I got serious bruising on my arm when my altimeter got ripped off my hand in freefall and pulled the swoop chord with it. (Of course, the swoop chord "saved" my altimeter, but my entire forearm was black and blue for several weeks!)

Just a much better design all around!