Harness for training EPs

[jcbfly 1]

Some DZs use a suspended harness for training EPs and others use a "walk around" harness, which is basically a parachute rig with handles and no parachutes. I've also seen "leaning harnesses" which consist of handle-equipped webbing straps that extend from the ceiling to the floor at an angle, and the student stands on the floor and leans into the straps to practice EPs.

Are there other types of training harnesses in use? What type of training harness is considered to be "state of the art"? What does your DZ use?

Thanks for your answers.

[RustyOats 0]

I used a vest put on backwards with handles velcroed to it. Seemed like a waste of time. How hard would it be to have a dummy rig or two around that could be hung up that you could do real handle pulls on? I have this weird fear about not being able to the curtaway velcro undone because I have never done it and have read a lot of things on here that say you have to peel it not pull it but it's kinda hard to visualize without having done it.

[popsjumper 2]

Skydive the Farm has:

-Three retired rigs with dummy handles used for ground training.

-One hanging rig with real handles suspended from the hangar ceiling for more realistic practice.

-Very safety conscious DZO and rigger that allows students to pull the handles on real DZ rigs that are up for re-pack.

-Several Instructors that allow young jumpers to pull real handles on their personal rigs at re-pack time.

-One retired rig with a main for water training.

-One old fart EP Nazi.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[SEREJumper 1]

Quote

-Very safety conscious DZO and rigger that allows students to pull the handles on real DZ rigs that are up for re-pack.

Awesome, I hope other DZ's do this if/when possible.

We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

[SpringVark 0]

Colin Thompson, the rigger at Empuriabrava, insisted that I practice my EPs before he installed a Cypress for me to jump. I've made a point of doing so before almost every reserve repack since.

[fencebuster 7]

I work at a very busy East Coast DZ as an AfFI, Coach and TI. We use two very nice leaning harnesses (thanks Steve Hetrick and Kevin Gibson) -- two students drilled on EPs with a Coach and AFFI supervising the process. No student jumps at our DZ without going through the harness THAT DAY. Not . . . once per month, once per week, or otherwise. No harness EPs on jump day, no jump. We have not had alot of mals, but as one of the guys who had one on CAT C1 as a student, I can verify that the training came in handy.

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures