Patent ID: 7252315

Claim:
A method for transferring personnel comprising: providing a base; providing a top: providing a hoist connection coupled to the top; extending a plurality of concentric lacings between the base and top, the lacings including: a set of outer lacings comprising at least three flexible lacings of substantially equal length attached to the base and to the top at corresponding spaced apart locations and being attached toward the periphery of the base and the periphery of the top so that tension in the outer lacings causes the top to be substantially parallel to the base; and a set of inner lacings comprising flexible lacings attached to the base and the top at corresponding locations being spaced toward the center of the base and the top, and each inner lacing having a length between the base attachment location and the top attachment location that is at least as long as the substantially equal length of the at least three outer lacings so that the base and the top remain parallel when any of the set of inner lacings is also placed in tension; coupling an expander post between the base and top; expanding the expander post, whereby expansion of the expander post puts the plurality of lacings in tension; coupling a hoist to the hoist connection; situating at least one personnel on the base; and moving the hoist.