Hi All, My neighbour told me the following story which you may find interesting. He is also very interested in what would have happened if he hadnt have removed the belt when he did. I said I'd post on here to see if any experts knew, or could offer a best guess. If you need any more information I can get it for you. What follows is my neighbour's account. ------------------------- In 1945, during army (Airborne) manoeuvres, I did a routine parachute jump over Salisbury Plain. Opening procedure was automatic, as our chute static lines were attached to a cable inside the plane. I had foolishly fitted a belt around my waist after connecting up my chute, not realising that I had trapped the static line, with the result that the tightening of the static line could only attempt to pull the canopy out of the pack, down between my belt and my body. Not the way it was supposed to go. In the event, I was just able to release the belt in time, with the result that my chute opened correctly. I am very keen to know exactly what would have happened if I had failed to release the belt? Clearly, the canopy would have tried to feed itself in between my body and the belt, and this would have been impossible. My recollection of the parachute operating procedure is that, in addition to First Ties, (or Primary Ties? I don't remember the proper name) which would snap at the first pull, thereby opening the envelope of the pack, there was a "Final Tie" attaching the very tip of the canopy to the end of the static line. This Final Tie was only intended to break at the point when the canopy had left the pack, followed by the rigging-lines, and only when the whole length of canopy and rigging lines were extended and taut, that is when the final tie was intended to snap, at which point the canopy would open.. I have heard tell of parachutes of that type which did not release, (although I don't understand how this could happen, since the final tie had a breaking-point measured only in pounds) and the jumper dangled behind the plane until he was either pulled back aboard the plane (by at least two very strong guys!) or having the static line cut with a knife, from inside the plane, whilst passing over a lake. I never came across this first hand, but I understand that survival rate in this sort of incident is extremely low. I really want to ascertain just what WOULD have happened, step by step, if I had been unable to release the belt in time. Is there anybody out there who knows?
