PhreeZone 15 #1 June 17, 2011 I received this last night from UPT and wanted to pass it on: Attention all Tandem instructors please review this before making your next Tandem jump. A similar notice was sent out last year and being that is the beginning of the season for most TI's, and because of a recent incident that has been reported to us we are sending this notice once again. The incident that occurred is as follows: An experienced TI was in the process of fitting the student harness onto a 85-year-old woman. He thought that he would do her a favor and leave the harness a bit loose. The TI thought that she was frail and did not want to make her uncomfortable or hurt her. The result of this was that while they were exiting the aircraft she slipped down in the harness. This might have resulted in her being ejected from the harness. The fact that this harness had a Y-Strap, and that the TI managed to control the passenger by grabbing her, may have prevented a fatality. What can we learn form this? 1. If you think you are doing your student a favor by doing something outside of your normal or recommended procedures you could be making a fatal error in judgment. Make sure the harness is fitted correctly. 2. Not everyone is capable or physically suited to make a tandem skydive. You can say no. 3. Always have the student harness fitted correctly and in a jumpable configuration before boarding the aircraft. No exceptions. It is important to note that by not following the manufacturers and USPA's guidelines you could have your TI rating revoked or suspended. It is apparent that on occasion the Sigma student harness is not fitted correctly during the initial gear set up prior to boarding the plane. It is then extremely difficult to correctly fit the harness once in the aircraft, as the passenger will not be in an upright position. If the student is 'wide', it is important that the main lift web be moved further to the sides of the passenger - if the main lift web is too far forward then it leaves a bigger hole for the butt to slide out. Make sure that all straps are tightened including the horizontal back strap and the diagonal back strap. It is imperative that the harness is fitted correctly prior to boarding the aircraft. No parachute harness can safely contain all body types. The Sigma student harness is no exception. Certain body types require careful evaluation and extreme care before the decision to let them jump is made. These groups include but are not limited to: the frail, woman with a high body mass index, extremely large or small people, amputees and paraplegics etc. The Y strap does increase the utility of a poorly adjusted harness somewhat but there will still be body types that cannot safely make a tandem jump. The complete assembly of the Y-Strap mod is available from UPT for $120, or you can manufacture it yourself using the attached work instructions. We highly recommend that each dropzone using our systems have a least one of this type of harness. Download the Student Harness Y-Strap Retrofit Modification Please see the Sigma Student Harness Adjustment Guide Please also see our guide on wheelchair dependent students. Mark Procos General Manager uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLCYesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rover 9 #2 June 17, 2011 Quote woman with a high body mass index PC for fat 2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #3 June 18, 2011 I like this part most: "leaves a bigger hole for the butt to slide out" Huhu, they said "butt"! back to topic: Thanks for sharing this article. The harnesses we use here are slightly different but most tips/hints given also apply and be it only to re-think the whole matter again.The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #4 June 19, 2011 Quote I like this part most: "leaves a bigger hole for the butt to slide out" Huhu, they said "butt"! back to topic: Thanks for sharing this article. The harnesses we use here are slightly different but most tips/hints given also apply and be it only to re-think the whole matter again. Warning and waiver DVD are in German? "I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #5 June 19, 2011 I referred to the article that started the thread. Most people here jump Next rigs (from Paratec, a German company) which are Vector-style. Thus, the abovementioned hints are worth a thought. And since most people here understand English fairly well, we do not have that many problems if a manual is provided in English. I dare say it's not that easy if vice versa? The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 126 #6 June 21, 2011 so let me get this straight. two people have fallen out of tandem harnesses and yet, tandem instructors still need to be reminded that the harness should be snugly fit? I guess it is true - you can't fix stupid. Start saying NO. Stop chasing the dollar. raise the bar a little for yourself and your dropzone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyhays 86 #7 June 21, 2011 That's a nice list...thanks for sharing. Years ago, I heard a TI say "If someone can't stand on an office style chair, jump off, and land standing...they have no business jumping". Maybe a bit extreme...but definitely food for thought.“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobMoore 0 #8 June 22, 2011 QuoteYears ago, I heard a TI say "If someone can't stand on an office style chair, jump off, and land standing...they have no business jumping". I just went to my office and tried this. Damn, I twisted my ankle. I should have locked the wheels so it couldn't move."For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #9 June 25, 2011 Quote I just went to my office and tried this. Damn, I twisted my ankle. I should have locked the wheels so it couldn't move. The best test of skydiving ability is how well you can fall off a bar stool. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feuergnom 22 #10 June 27, 2011 just curious: since when are UPT tandems retro-fitted with the y-strap?The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle dudeist skydiver # 666 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #11 June 27, 2011 It is an option, not mandatory. The Option came out about the same time Strong came out with their mandatory "Y" strap. MattAn Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 1 #12 July 18, 2011 "The complete assembly of the Y-Strap mod is available from UPT for $120, or you can manufacture it yourself using the attached work instructions. " Does UPT actually provide these instructions, or are they expecting riggers to look at the pictures in the installation instructions and guess the best way to make these, guess how long the webbing should be, etc.? I had no instructions or template attached to the e-mail I received... if anyone did, please post them here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 1 #13 July 18, 2011 UPT e-mailed these instructions to me, but the file's too big to upload here. I submitted a copy to Parachutemanuals.com. so it may be there soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
