leg strap scare

[storm1977 0]

Last weekend while making a jump I had my first scary situation. It turned out to be nothing at all, but it freaked me out anyway.

It wass my first "non-belly jump". We did a horny Gorilla exit, held it for about 4K started to tumble, so we broke at about 8.5K. I stayed on my back and watched my friend go inot a sit. Once we were separated (at about 7K) I flipped to belly and observed him. Did a couple foward flips, and then something felf strange on my right side. The rig felt loose, and I felt something hitting my leg and ass. My first thought was a leg strap.

On the gear I was renting, the leg straps do not feed straight into the harness. THey feed through a clip which attaches to the harness. I was afraid the clip had come undone. So, I freaked out at 6K. Tried to see if I could find the problem, but tumble when trying to look. So I flattened out and thought what to do. I figured I would pull at 4K like i planned, and just hold on for dear life to the shoulder part of the harness. At 4500 I waved and with my left hand grabbed the rightside of the rig, threw the PC and grabbed the left side with my right hand.

It opened, and everything was fine. In talking to my friend, he said it was probably from the horny gorilla exit. The strap probably had worked down my leg, and when I went back to belly, and moved back up.

I haven't cut away yet (knock on wood) and this was my first real "stressed situation up there. I felt I handled it fine, but I have to say at the time it really fucked with my head. At 5K I remember thinking that I was going to fall out on opening, and that this was going to suck!!! I can laugh now...

My question is, what do you do if a strap does come off? Are you likely to fall out, or can most people hold themselves in if they know they are detached?

Answers please... I may be able to sleep better then.

Chris

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Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[BMFin 0]

I cant imagine this happening to me since I dont have B-12´s.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"Are you likely to fall out, or can most people hold themselves in if they know they are detached?"

This is quite common, the leg strap slipping around, a butt strap will prevent it. On hire gear just tie a pull-up between the straps, ask a freeflier to show you.

I've never seen or heard of a leg strap failing, or as you suggest coming disconnected mid flight. So the following is kinda what I might expect to see in this very rare situation....
I'm not sure if you'd fall out, but the harness being unevenly loaded would make steering the canopy awkward to say the least. You may even spin up the main on deployment. Which might be difficult to kick out. A quick cutaway to a reserve might help, but if it spins up you are on your last chance....

Edit to add...I don't like B12's either (this is the name for those hook things you described).

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[ChileRelleno 0]

BUT! Did you need a change of underwear? Thats how I gauge true fear

I'm glad it was just a legstrap being a nuisance and not real trouble.


"SWEET"

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[storm1977 0]

I didn't need a change!!!!! Ironcally in the plane on the way up though I had to piss so f***ing bad too. Surprizingly it stayed in the blatter!!!!

-----------------------------------------------------
Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[councilman24 36]

Millions of jumps have been made with B-12 snaps and quick ejectors. I've got hundreds of jumps on both. Quick ejectors have a lever that you pull to "push" the ring out of the snap. Both do require maintenance to ensure the gate is funtioning properly and closed. But for use fat old farts it's a lot easier to snap a B12 then step through a legstrap. That said I do have thread throughs on my rigs for resale value. I honestly don't remember ever hearing of a leg strap unhooking (and I've read every Parachutest every printed) but I'm sure it must have happened.

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

[skybytch 259]

Quote

I honestly don't remember ever hearing of a leg strap unhooking (and I've read every Parachutest every printed) but I'm sure it must have happened.

I don't remember ever hearing about one either, but I'm missing a few years of Parachutist in my collection

I had a legstrap go all the way out to the stop on opening this weekend (see "chest strap or chin strap" thread). It was rather unnerving, but as emergencies go it was relatively easy to handle. The thought that I could fall out did go through my mind briefly though.

[storm1977 0]

Yeah, I read that thread, that is what made me post this one. I figure Falling out is not an option. or at least one I wasn't willing to accept. I did a gear check, but I think because of this, I will be double checking the straps!

-----------------------------------------------------
Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[nightjumps 1]

If its any consolation, I think most folks who have done Horny Gorillas or Meat Missiles have had something flapping on their legs.

If you put the gear on right and got a gear check; no matter if its thread thrus or B-12s, they ain't coming undone.

You'll double, triple, quadruple check that area for awhile and eventually, it will become a distant memory. Its kewl. Check it all you want till the memory fades.

[councilman24 36]

[dbattman 0]

What probably happened is the legstrap loosened up just a little bit in the plane. I don't mean lotsa slack loose, but just not as snug as when you boarded. The freefall can cause the straps to flap around just a little bit against your legs and it does feel like one of them has come undone.

I used to get the same thing back when I first started. Snug them up just a bit on jump run and you'll get used to it.

[jbrasher 0]

many years ago (mid-late 70's) I was JMing S/L students and we used quick ejector type hardware on the leg straps.

We had a student who had a leg strap come undone on opening (after he'd gone into his pants for a cigarette after the last equipment check).

Scared the hell out of him.

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[FreeFlyASC 0]

I dont think you would have any chance of falling out of the harness but the lossened leg strap could cause a turn with the canopy that could making landing a slight bit difficult