From: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: Re: how often does this happen?
Date: 31 Aug 92 15:41:09 GMT
Organization: UMIACS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

In article <1992Aug31.124308.14389@zia.aoc.nrao.edu> dbriggs@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Daniel Briggs) writes:
>
>Many DZs also use SOS systems for students.  I know my DZ does, though it
>sounds like Tim's doesn't.  (Not necessarily a problem -- SOS systems are a
>bit out of fashion now?)  

Huh?!

>There is a trend towards hip mounted ripcords for
>students, to ease the transition to throw-out pilot chutes later.  Such
>systems usually have separate cutaway and reserve handles in the normal
>places.  Of course, in that system, handle confusion is less of a problem.

You might think so, having some experience jumping.  But a student who
sees a rig for the first time only a couple hours before they put it
on and must be able to operate it in a high pressure situation with
extremely short time tolerance and with NO previous experience, its
a different story.

Hip mount ripcords are normally the International Orange pvc handles.
THis is good for future transitioning.  But IMO, as the student looks
down, they see their red (or orange) cutaway handle first.  If they are not 
paying attention, or if they don't look at all, they frequently go for
the first object resembling the r/c.  The orange/red cutaway may
be that object.

Perhaps a lime green ripcord or some other neon, contrasting color 
would lessen this type of confusion (if they look:-).


>It's a trade off between adding to the student workload initially vs.
>retraining later.  

If the student fails to deal with the extra complexity, the retraining 
issue becomes moot.  The overall objective for early level students
should be *safety*, NOT transition convenience some 15 jumps down the road.


>With an RSL making the cutaway handle functionally
>equivalent to an SOS handle in many situations, I don't have much problem
>with separate cutwaway & reserve handles for students.  

An RSL only works if there is enough drag on the main risers to release
them after a cutaway.  Cutting away a pilotchute in tow or a conatiner lock
will NOT deploy the reserve.


>Remember also that a cutaway handle is
>generally a pud.  Not only a different color, but a different shape than a
>ripcord handle.  Just to get a grip on it, you have to move your arm in a
>quite different manner than sticking a thumb through a ripcord handle.  

Most hipmount ripcords (in my experience) are not the classic handles, 
they are small segment of pvc pipe with the teflon coated cable attached.  
This type of handle more
closely resemble the gripper of a throwout pilot chute.  Also, 
students wearing gloves will not immediately feel the difference.  
Close colors (red and orange)can be confused if the student is not "all there".


>would take some doing to pull it accidentally, though obviously some
>students have managed it.

Expect the unexpected.  This thread recognizes that students (and JMs) 
are not perfect.  I would simply like to minimize the possibility
of a mistake occuring.

BS 
Jerry



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