Hold tandem student during opening?

[whoremonkey 0]

I usually wrap my legs (backs of my ankles) around their legs (front of their ankles) to keep their body from slinging forward during the opening. This helps control their body just in case I have to cut away following the opening, almost guaranteeing a pretty stable dual body position following cutaway and reserve deployment. I also do this following exit (if able) to prevent the possibility of side spin.

WhoreMonkey

[riggerrob 558]

I only leg wrap students who are flailing their legs bad enough to affect stability (i.e. reverse arch). Half of them respond to my digging my heels into the tops of their knees. The other half, I try once, then just extend my legs as far as possible to slow our spin.
When she sees the video, our manifestor is frequently amazed at how stable I can get with badly flailing students.

[USPA 0]

I answered yes to that too, don't think of it as a serious option, so no serious answer was needed. Only signal I give them are 2 taps on the shoulder, for them to grab the harnas. Keep them away from my handles.

(But what do I know, only 10 commercial tandems so far... )

The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

[JJ269J 0]

Quote

You need an option for Leg Wrap. I pretty much as a matter of happy lock their legs with mine in the trap door. I've watched one too many videos of students kicking instructors in the head (or atleast almost). That make the trap door just too scary. So I try and control them that way. But I always keep my hands available for emergency or steering.

I also do this. I am a fairly new TI with less than 75 tandems, but after hearing of fatalities where students have fallen out the back of an improperly adjusted harness I don't want to take any chances. Its very easy to do in the "trap door" and makes for a smoother opening, so the students legs are not flying everywhere. Just my opinion though.

[mattaman 0]

Its to obvious insn't it John!

Those stuck in maya, seek to be seen.