Ambidextrous deployment question

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

Read a thread about a guy who dislocated his right shoulder in freefall, the guy in question deployed his main with his left hand, whether he did right or wrong is not what I want to discuss (use the thread in safety & training if you do).

My question is couldn't we have a main deployment system that could be deployed from either side?

What would be the drawbacks of a PC with the handle in the centre of the BOC pouch?

I haven't learnt to pack yet and am not 100% on bridle routes, but would this be possible?

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[piisfish 135]

some student rigs have a PC pouch release on the left side, but it's still better to throw the PC by hand, just opening the pouch would let the PC on the persons "burble"

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Liemberg 0]

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My question is couldn't we have a main deployment system that could be deployed from either side?

It exists already, on lots of AFF student equipment. It is a handle in the lower left corner that can be used to open the pouch completely. Airflow along the bottom of the container almost always is enough for a deployment.

No reason why you couldn't build it on a private rig.

That said, the disadvantages (complexity of the system, more things to check) probably outweigh the advantages.

"Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
A thousand words...

[mr2mk1g 10]

That's why the reserve and main handles are on different sides.

As for having the hackey in the middle... I suppose it could be done fairly easily... there are possible freefly issues... issues with having significantly different kit to everyone else, and the benefits are fairly limited to the 1 in how many thousands of jumps? where it might actually be needed.

[Stumpy 256]

Can you reach the middle of the bottom of your rig easily? i can just about do it but its a stretch, and i should imagine bigger rigs are even harder.

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[Tonto 1]

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Can you reach the middle of the bottom of your rig easily?

I can, but it may dislocate my shoulder!

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

I know about the student rigs, although I believe they are for reserve side instructors to deploy students rather than the student to deploy themselves.

And of course the reserve handle being on the opposite side makes a lot of sense and I was aware that is what the guy should have done in this situation (and of course is the same reason i said that discussion was best left for a different thread).

I can reach the centre of the bottom of all the containers I have used so far, although I suppose not everyone can.

I suppose it's something that could be done, but isn't really needed and thus not implicated.

Was just wondering if there were technical reasons for not doing it.

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[councilman24 36]

The handles weren't always on opposite sides. Probably more due to both handles on front when they were both ripcords. But until about the mid 80's reserve and cutaway handles were not always where they are today.

Since they weren't standard, I decided that the reserve and cutaway would be better off switched. They made the use of the handles usually alternating hands and put the reserve in my right hand, the stronger one. So I ordered a rig with right leg strap throw out (BOC didn't exist) left cutaway and right reserve. They sent me a complete reversed rig with a left hand throw out. Jumped it for about 6 years alternating with a "normal" throw out rig and a right hand ripcord. Gear check at the nationals boogie thought I was going to kill my self.

Actually a main ripcord might come closest to an ambedexterous deployment. We reach out reserve with both hands, we could reach a main with both hands. And yes a few people still jump a ripcord.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[riggerrob 558]

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Read a thread about a guy who dislocated his right shoulder in freefall, the guy in question deployed his main with his left hand,

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I have equipped a handful of rigs with left-handed BOCs.
Note: I only did this for guys who suffered arm/shoulder wounds during the the Viet Nam War.

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[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Terry,

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Since they weren't standard, I decided that the reserve and cutaway would be better off switched. They made the use of the handles usually alternating hands and put the reserve in my right hand, the stronger one.

If find this interesting since all of my person rigs have had the cutaway on the left and the ripcord on the right. I argue the same as you, my right hand is dominate.

I contend that the reserve ripcord being on the left is because when the X-BO came out there was no hand deploy system; since they needed two handles they merely put the main on the right (outboard) and the reserve on the left (inboard) and it has been that way ever since.

I think that if they had a hand deploy in '64 you would see the handles reversed from what is 'standard' today.

Just my worthless $0.02.

Jerry

PS) Your comment about a ripcord being ambidexterous was my first thought also.

[diablopilot 2]

I think that there's not enough of an issue out there to require such a design.

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