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BrianSGermain

Safety First TV: "Pulling the Slider Down"

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Good stuff. As a student with only 20 jumps I'm still a bit hesitant to adjust my chest strap under canopy, but it can be something to work on as I progress. Definitely something to practice while on the ground while waiting for a load to get together. Just have to remember to tighten it up before getting on the plane.

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One way to generate a malfunction under a perfectly good canopy is to be playing with it and do some thing to... unload it. At that point if you pull on a toggle you can turn the canopy above your head into line twist with out rotating your body. At that point you can be cought with one toggle all the way down, the line traped in the line set, with the canopy pinwheeling above you. It will sort of be stalled out in a flat spin. This is most easily done with a relitivly high performance canopy at a relitivly low wing loading. I've seen it a number of times with young jumpers, and I seem to recall at least one fatality.

Pulling the slider down lets the risers spread making you more stable. Always a good thing.

Lee
Lee
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www.velocitysportswear.com

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why is this called safety first? What part about pulling the sider down makes things safer?? Not diss'n the video or the concept, just wondering?



Fabulous question. Safety can either be compromised or increased markedly by opening up the risers, which is the whole point of pulling the slider down or removing it. On many parachutes, almost all of the canopies I have flown, including the big ones, fly better an safer when they are big and flat.

Here are a list of benefits:

-Stronger flare.
-Increased roll axis stability, especially on canopies with relatively short lines.
-better visibility in the up and to the side quadrant.
-more possibilities when using risers, such as spreading read risers outward to reduce the anhedral arc of the second half of the canopy to improve the glide ratio in many bad spot situations.

These are the reasons why I teach that pulling the slider down, for many people, is a step toward safety.

Any questions?
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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These are the reasons why I teach that pulling the slider down, for many people, is a step toward safety.

Any questions?



So what about a removable slider for everyday jumpers?

Or does the benefit start to get outweighed by the increasing complexity of the system?
"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

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How about a list of ways pulling the slider down can hurt or kill us? How can we make an educated decision as to whether the risks are worth the rewards if we don't know the risks?

If I'm getting a great flare on my 150 loaded at 1.0, have no interest in going any faster and can make it back from a bad spot in deep brakes, why do I need to bring my slider down? Doing so adds one more thing I have to think about - not just when I'm doing it, but also if it comes back up or if I find myself needing to cutaway after bringing it down.

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These are the reasons why I teach that pulling the slider down, for many people, is a step toward safety.

Any questions?



So what about a removable slider for everyday jumpers?

Or does the benefit start to get outweighed by the increasing complexity of the system?



I use a removable slider for everyday jumping. I love it. However, it adds up to five minutes to my packing. There is also a chance I, or a packer will miss-rig it, causing a malfunction. Removable sliders cost between 2 and 300 dollars, which is also prohibitive for many. I suggest waiting until you have several hundred jumps, but everyone is different.
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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How about a list of ways pulling the slider down can hurt or kill us? How can we make an educated decision as to whether the risks are worth the rewards if we don't know the risks?

If I'm getting a great flare on my 150 loaded at 1.0, have no interest in going any faster and can make it back from a bad spot in deep brakes, why do I need to bring my slider down? Doing so adds one more thing I have to think about - not just when I'm doing it, but also if it comes back up or if I find myself needing to cutaway after bringing it down.



All valid questions. Here are some of the risks:

1) Reduced visibility unless you stow it completely, especially up and back, this is only a concern when you hit the takes in traffic, when someone is following too closely.

2) Chance of inadvertently unstowing a toggle when you pull stage slider down, causing a spin. This can be a corrected by a cool character who has lots if altitude, but may result in a cutaway.

3) Getting the slider grommets down to the toggles and having the grommets lock on a toggle preventing you from unstowing the toggle. I have never seen this result in a malfunction or injury, but it is possible.

4) Getting your slider caught in your helmet or camera, making it hard or impossible to cutaway safely.

These risks may seem unreasonable at first, but each can be confronted in a preventative manner, one by one. Testing the system on the ground is the first step. Making sure you have no hang-up (snag) points is another.

Regarding your point about getting back from a bad spot. Holding deep brakes only works if you are up wind of the target. If you have no assistance from the atmosphere, you need to glide home. This means rear risers.

Keep in mind one more thing. When your slider is at the top of the risers, it is vibrating on your lines, wearing them down. Often we see lines breaking at the bottom. This wear-point is eradicated completely by puling the slider down.

Glad you are thinking this through.

-Bri
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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Split sliders are an option, but they are no longer in production as far as I know. The removables took over since they reduce the drag as well as increasing the riser spread, something that was not an concern in the 1980's when we were using split sliders. If you can find one, be sure it is the correct size. Improperly sized sliders can make for some very unpleasant openings, or none at all.
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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Split sliders are an option, but they are no longer in production as far as I know. The removables took over since they reduce the drag as well as increasing the riser spread, something that was not an concern in the 1980's when we were using split sliders. If you can find one, be sure it is the correct size. Improperly sized sliders can make for some very unpleasant openings, or none at all.



Para Gear still advertises them in their catalog. Any size or color you want for $105. I think that is the way I will go. I used them in the 80's and 90's and never had any problems. Just pay attention when you put them back together before packing.

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Split sliders are an option, but they are no longer in production as far as I know. The removables took over since they reduce the drag as well as increasing the riser spread, something that was not an concern in the 1980's when we were using split sliders. If you can find one, be sure it is the correct size. Improperly sized sliders can make for some very unpleasant openings, or none at all.



Para Gear still advertises them in their catalog. Any size or color you want for $105. I think that is the way I will go. I used them in the 80's and 90's and never had any problems. Just pay attention when you put them back together before packing.



OK, let us know how it works out. Last stop before ordering it, be sure the manufacturer of your canopy approves of the change.
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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Split sliders are an option, but they are no longer in production as far as I know. The removables took over since they reduce the drag as well as increasing the riser spread, something that was not an concern in the 1980's when we were using split sliders. If you can find one, be sure it is the correct size. Improperly sized sliders can make for some very unpleasant openings, or none at all.



Para Gear still advertises them in their catalog. Any size or color you want for $105. I think that is the way I will go. I used them in the 80's and 90's and never had any problems. Just pay attention when you put them back together before packing.



OK, let us know how it works out. Last stop before ordering it, be sure the manufacturer of your canopy approves of the change.



I jump a Pilot, so will give Rob at Aerodyne a call and run it by him first.

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How about a list of ways pulling the slider down can hurt or kill us? How can we make an educated decision as to whether the risks are worth the rewards if we don't know the risks?


You saw his list. He missed what is probably the most important one....housekeeping detracts from your proximity awareness. How many videos have you seen that when the guy opens, his immediate concern is the housekeeping and doesn't bother to look around until maybe after the h'keeping.


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If I'm getting a great flare on my 150 loaded at 1.0, have no interest in going any faster and can make it back from a bad spot in deep brakes, why do I need to bring my slider down?


You don't...just like thousands of us. You do, BTW, have that extra benefit of not being distracted by housekeeping.


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Doing so adds one more thing I have to think about...


Exactly.

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...not just when I'm doing it, but also if it comes back up or if I find myself needing to cutaway after bringing it down.


...and the host of other potential gotchyas that aren't really necessary for the average jumper.

One thing he didn't mention about collapsing the slider is the extra little benefit you get for long spot recovery. Reducing drag/air resistance helps. You may have heard, "Get small"? Collapsed slider helps a little too.


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

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You saw his list. He missed what is probably the most important one....housekeeping detracts from your proximity awareness. How many videos have you seen that when the guy opens, his immediate concern is the housekeeping and doesn't bother to look around until maybe after the h'keeping.



+1

Brian I think your videos are incredible and I really enjoy watching them. But please keep in mind that for many people -- even some of us with more than 1,000 jumps -- the mental workload of skydiving is pushing our limits of situational awareness. I think it's easy for those of you who do this full time to forget that. And while I would never argue with you about canopy aerodynamics, I personally prefer to focus as much of my attention as possible on what's going on in the airspace around me.
www.wci.nyc

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Slider. I love it. I like to pack it neatly and I like to watch it handle lines as intended to.

After opening - it's a nuisance ONLY.

I am looking forward to a day when it will somehow disappear after opening. On it's own.
What goes around, comes later.

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I am looking forward to a day when it will somehow disappear after opening. On it's own.


You can make that happen today if you want.
Think about it.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

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I am looking forward to a day when it will somehow disappear after opening. On it's own.


You can make that happen today if you want.
Think about it.



On it's own?

Not following you on that one.
"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

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On it's own?
Not following you on that one.



Yes, collapsible PC collapses on it's own. Upon opening, you don't need it anymore so it doesn't drag you.

Some ARS I hope to see - Auto Removable Slider.
On my own, I'll figure it out in... 20 years.. in my dreams
What goes around, comes later.

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