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martz

Swoop cords

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I'm curious to know where the swoop cord is connected. I know one end on the thumb but the other end pass on the middle of the wing to attach to the jumpsuit (hip) ???

Thanks for help !

Martin



I was instructed not to put swoop cords on the thumb due to the possibility of a dislocation in the event of some kind of hang-up.
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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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On my Merlin suit, the swoop cords are about 6 inches long, and run from my thumb to the top of the leading edge of the wing, right where it meets my arm.

Pulling the swoopp cords has the effect of straightening the wing.

_Am
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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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I was instructed not to put swoop cords on the thumb due to the possibility of a dislocation in the event of some kind of hang-up.



The issue is that like almost everything else about camera flying swoop loops are another element to think about and can cause a couple of problems. It's a matter of how you personally want to think and deal with the problems.

For instance, at Perris, a loop going over the palm might not be such a great idea because of the way the handles are set up. The handles on the aircraft are more or less vertical posts and we've seen more than a couple of camera flyers hook their palm loops on them. Sometimes they're left dangling in-flight and I can only imagine what a hassle it is to get out of that situation.

I -personally- think a well fitted and sewn thumb loop is safer in this situation.

Other people have decided to wear gloves OVER their palm loops, but a couple of years ago a camera flyer went in at another drop zone because he couldn't reach up and deal with a malfunction.

Personally, loops under gloves gives me the heebee-jeebees, but I know at least one very old-time camera flyer at Perris that does it.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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I use palm loops over my gloves. I tried thumb loops, but they hurt cause I really muscle my wings.

I've never caught them on anything, but I think that's cause I really tighten them down before I exit the plane.

Their snag potential had never occured to me. Thanks for the head's up.

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I tried thumb loops, but they hurt cause I really muscle my wings.



That's why mine are sewn to a fixed size. That way I can actually put tension on it and it doesn't become a tourniquet!
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Q, you know I read your stuff and copied your camera suit:P.

Even sewn, the pressure on my thumbs was too high. My cords are now sewn to some 1" webbing with a loop, so they can tighten and loosen as I increase and decrease the pressure. I use the wings on my belly, in a sit, and on my back filming a tandem and it just creates too much tension on my thumbs. My flying is improving, and I don't have to muscle the wings as much, so I might be able to downsize to thumb loops eventually.

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I wear gloves over my loops. I have the length of the swoop cord set so that I can reach up to full arm extension and take care of anything I have to. It still provides me with enough wing tension to be able to stay with a 150 pd t/m and a 145 pd student with that big ol strong drouge trailing behind them.

I weigh 210 and have a camera suit the i cant hardly zip up its so tight. ( aint nobody gonna get away from me either!)
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"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

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Hey guys good job on making the point that camera flying is not a normal skydive. We are adding weight to our heads and 50+ hook points that can kill us. Plus changing our awarness to filming and less on the skydive.

I now wear a free fly suit to do tandems. I prefer this for the simplicity of not having a camera wing to misroute among other things. I need to fly my ass off but it has really improved my flying ability.

Every new gidget and gadget should be examined under every situation before being but in the air.
www.canopyflightcenter.com
www.skydivesac.com
www.guanofreefly.com

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