chest strap release under canopy

[cucamber 0]

Hi everyone!

There is a habit in the sport to release the chest strap after opening the main in order to make the canopy spread more, but after thinking about it.... isn't it dangerous in case you need to chop it afterwards, in case of canopy collision for example?

Any more possible dangers in it? Do you do the same thing after opening?

[pilotsR4pimps 0]

i just loosen mine to the confluence fold. By that point it is already loose so it makes no sense to take it all the way off. That way just in case I have to chop. Although I do have a skyhook so it might not matter. Oh well. Talk to instructors or jumpers you know and see what they have to say.

[lowhook 0]

I think you mean "loosening" the chest strap as opposed to "releasing" the chest strap. At your 50 jump level I would just worry about safely entering the pattern and landing.

The loosened chest strap allows one to alter their center of gravity in the harness and affect the steering and recovery of the canopy with body movements.

[lippy 773]

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i just loosen mine to the confluence fold. By that point it is already loose so it makes no sense to take it all the way off. That way just in case I have to chop. Although I do have a skyhook so it might not matter. Oh well. Talk to instructors or jumpers you know and see what they have to say.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how a skyhook has anything to do with the state of your chest strap if you have to cut away.

I got nuthin

[NovaTTT 1]

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Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how a skyhook has anything to do with the state of your chest strap if you have to cut away.

I guess he's saying that if/when the time comes to breakaway, he's not going to worry about handle location because the SH will do the job of deploying the reserve for him.

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[pilotsR4pimps 0]

i said taking it off completely could be bad if you have to chop. but with a skyhook it's so fast that it might/might not matter

[lippy 773]

You mean as in you'll still be vertical from being under the main, so you won't need your chest strap to keep you in the harness during the belly-vertical transition?

Maybe I'm still not understanding correctly, but that still doesn't sound like a good idea.

I got nuthin

[pilotsR4pimps 0]

it probably is definitely not a good idea. Thats why I just always loosen my chest strap to the confluence fold. I was just guessing what it would be like without it hooked up and I chopped with a skyhook. I dont wanna find out though

[AggieDave 6]

You can loosen the chest strap. Seriously, you shouldn't take it off. You would be a canopy collision or a pond-skip away from launching out of your harness (assuming you don't run some sort of belly band setup).

Even loosing the chest strap is a moot point if you're not pulling your slider down to the bottom of your risers and running a collapsible PC.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Gary73 8]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3280048;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;

There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap until you approach the level of proficiency of a national-competition canopy pilot.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[daremrc 0]

Didnt something similar happen in Perris recently too? I seem to remember something about a jumper loosening his chest strap, then going to release toggles and having one side knot up. IIRC it was speculated that the harness was distorted after the cutaway due to the loose chest strap.

Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement.

[LongWayToFall 0]

Didn't the guy who died last year (at perris I think) have his chest strap loosened, and couldn't locate his reserve handle? He was really experienced, and wasn't jumping with an aad or rsl at the time.

[JohnRich 4]

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There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap until you approach the level of proficiency of a national-competition canopy pilot.

...or you're participating in a POPS hit-and-rock competition. That chest strap will seriously slow you down in getting your rig off after landing, so you can run to the rocking chair.

[tetra316 0]

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http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3280048;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;

There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap until you approach the level of proficiency of a national-competition canopy pilot.

I disagree. You should never unthread the chest strap but loosening it definitely has merit (if you pull down your slider) and not just for competition level pilots. Not only is it more comfortable but it allows your canopy to fly the way it was designed, not having the risers/lines compressed together by the slider and a tight chest strap. Obviously the larger the canopy size the less noticeable the effect is. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can expand on the technicalities.

[AFFI 0]

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There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap

I disagree. You should never unthread the chest strap.

[tetra316 0]

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There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap

I disagree. You should never unthread the chest strap.

Never means never and water landings are water landings...

With that line of thinking then there are no absolutes in skydiving. Including death if you jump without a rig. You could get lucky.

[AFFI 0]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1071076/posts

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[firstime 0]

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http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3280048;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;

There's no reason to loosen (much less unthread) your chest strap until you approach the level of proficiency of a national-competition canopy pilot.

ding ding

[skybill 19]

Hi cu,
To release or not to release, that is the ??? Keep yours hooked up or loosen it, it's up to you, risk or no risk! 'Been doin' it since the old round (5mph) canopy daze when we found that it allowed your canopy to spread a little more, catch more air and made for 2 or 3 fewer bruises when we landed!! 'Even used to unhook the left side of my chest mount reserve, hook my ripcord handle on the snap and swing it to the side so I could see where I was going. SOP in the old daze. Still undo the chest strap on my Mirage and have been thinking of doing the split slider mod on my slider to give my stiletto more spread. So there you have it. But just to give you a heads up on undoing your chest strap may save your life, back in the mid 80's at scare-us-valley one windy day, our otter pass got blown east to the corner of case rd. and the canal. I had my chest strap undone and my split slider on my Dragonfly undone and when I landed I was at least still on the DZ. By leaning forward with my chest strap un done I was at least able to stand up the landing without getting pulled over on my ass!! My toes touched, I turned 180* and burried a toggle to colapse my canopy only to see everyone else land on their butts and go for a sleigh ride!! One guy landed on the other side of Case rd. and his ride didn't fare too well, when the paramedics got to him, he was dead. Really Grim!! So there you have it. Skydivin' with all yer' straps wrapped, fish bowls on yer head, AAD's, AOD's (what we used to call AAD's), Skyhooks, hookknives (I do like those), Jesus cords, RSL,s and all the other gadgets strapped to yer carcass may come in handy but ain't no garauntee ya' won't get killed!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[mdrejhon 8]

I loosen mine, not release. Especially in a long spot where I also lift my legs to have a slightly more aerodynamic glide.

Canopy course tips.

[popsjumper 2]

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... it allows your canopy to fly the way it was designed, not having the risers/lines compressed together by the slider and a tight chest strap...

I'm having a hard time with this.
I have to assume that you are speaking about certain/specific canopy makes and models or does that statement apply to all canopies?

Not being a smart-ass....just asking.

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

[Tuna-Salad 0]

I don't even bother with my chest strap... my concern is looking for traffic and making it back to the ground safely...
I don't want to be fumbling around with stuff only to look up and have someone coming at me

.. not saying it will happen, but always assume that the person you see, does not see you...

Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night.

[JohnRich 4]

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I don't even bother with my chest strap... my concern is looking for traffic and making it back to the ground safely... I don't want to be fumbling around with stuff only to look up and have someone coming at me...

By all means, look around first. But once you've verified you're clear of traffic, then you can do lower priority tasks, like loosening the chest strap. And you can do it without even looking at it.

[tetra316 0]

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... it allows your canopy to fly the way it was designed, not having the risers/lines compressed together by the slider and a tight chest strap...

I'm having a hard time with this.
I have to assume that you are speaking about certain/specific canopy makes and models or does that statement apply to all canopies?

Not being a smart-ass....just asking.

I think it applies to all canopies. Think of what your canopy looks like with the slider halfway up the lines. The lines are squished together more than they should be thereby not allowing the canopy itself to spread out and fly like designed. If you've ever had a slider stuck anywhere up the lines you know how different it flies.

The same process is true having a slider above your risers and your chest strap cinched down tight after deployment. The lines of the canopy are squished together more than if you brought your slider down behind your head and loosened your chest strap. Obviously the larger/more docile your canopy the less noticeable difference this makes. I believe it was Brian Germain who said he recommends pulling your slider down and/or loosening your chest strap on all sub 150 canopies as it will make a difference in your flight characteristics.

Of course if you fly your canopy in any configuration long enough you get used to it and anything else feels different. I didn't used to bother with the slider and chest strap but once I started to do it I realized that not only does it fly different, it is also much more comfortable to me under canopy to do so.

[JanuszPS 0]

I have exactly the same experience. Loosing my chest strap improved my body position, wing characteristic and in consequences landings.
However I don't know if I would have trouble finding the handles if there was a need for that.
I loose my chest strap without looking at it. what for look at it??? I know where it is.
There is no doubt that loosing the chest strap improves flying. The question is if it decreases the safety.

Janusz

Back to Poland... back home.