Deploying in a sit

[ladyskydiver 0]

This weekend while tracking off from an awesome jump, I got to watch someone deploy in a sit after having flat tracked a distance from the group. I didn't get a chance to track him down and ask why so I'm going to ask here out of 100% curiosity.

Why would someone flat track and then when they go to deploy go into a sit? And, it was a controlled sit, it wasn't like they had done it accidentally.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[Nutz 0]

Some people like to "pop up" at the end of their track as they deploy. Suppossedly it makes the shock of going into a feet down position less. I don't know, I do know not to open in a track as I did that Saturday and am still damn sore this morning.

[yoink 321]

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Why would someone flat track and then when they go to deploy go into a sit? And, it was a controlled sit, it wasn't like they had done it accidentally.

they needed to get out of work today and decided that whiplash is a good excuse... ?

[f1shlips 2]

They want their main to rip out the bottom of the reserve container?

Deploying in a sit is dangerous because you aren't using your equipment as it was designed (opening belly to earth and stable).

I think you should ask him, because I'm curious to know myself.

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

[ladyskydiver 0]

If I see him the next time I'm at SDC, I will definitely ask him.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[dragon2 2]

Your equipment is not designed to be opened belly to earth, but rather, belly to relative wind (think about a hop'n'pop).

But as long as the speed isn't too high, you can deploy head-up (think about skysurfers).

So if you just pop-up to cushion opening shock a bit, i don't see the problem. Just don't go in a sit and just... sit there for a bit before pulling, letting your speed build up. That's not a good idea of course...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[pajarito 0]

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So if you just pop-up to cushion opening shock a bit, i don't see the problem.

I don't really understand this reasoning. If you're sitting, you're vertical speed is typically faster than if you were belly to relative wind using the entire surface area of your body for drag. Faster vertical speed = harder opening shock. I wouldn't think that going into a sit would "cushion" your opening shock. Maybe I'm wrong.

[PhreeZone 20]

>That's not a good idea of course...

Might not have been a good idea but I've been there and done that when I was a lot dumber . Issue with sitting up is that with the lines deploying above you if a line group gets caught on the corner of your reserve container it can sheer it off from the rest of the rig.

Skysurfers try to lean over as much as possible to try and present the main deployment so it does'nt have the possibility of hitting their reserve or their board. Another issue is that entanglement risk goes up since as you are reaching and pulling the hacky the bridle can pass infront of your arm leading to a PC going there and that will lead to the deplyment happening there too.

I'd love to know how much experience this jumper has and his reasoning for doing it that way. On something like a ripcord rig kneeflying leads to extremely clean deployments since there is almost no burble for the PC to fall in. Mike Michigan still deploys that way.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[dragon2 2]

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So if you just pop-up to cushion opening shock a bit, i don't see the problem.

I don't really understand this reasoning. If you're sitting, you're vertical speed is typically faster than if you were belly to relative wind using the entire surface area of your body for drag. Faster vertical speed = harder opening shock. I wouldn't think that going into a sit would "cushion" your opening shock. Maybe I'm wrong.

If you sit up after throwing, you won't gain much vertical speed, and you won't get flung upright by your canopy. Hence the cushioning. Some of us do something like that when jumping a birdman suit, when if you're not careful beeding enough forward speed, you get flung round until your feet are just about touching your slider (ouch, from personal experience ).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[f1shlips 2]

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but rather, belly to relative wind (think about a hop'n'pop).

Good Point!

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

[pajarito 0]

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If you sit up after throwing, you won't gain much vertical speed, and you won't get flung upright by your canopy. Hence the cushioning. Some of us do something like that when jumping a birdman suit, when if you're not careful beeding enough forward speed, you get flung round until your feet are just about touching your slider (ouch, from personal experience ).

I was under the impression that she meant that the person tracked off, went into a sit, and then deployed. Not sat up while deploying. I understand the whole sit up while deploying thing to maybe increase airflow over the back as well as to put your body into a vertical position. Maybe I just read it wrong.

[ladyskydiver 0]

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I was under the impression that she meant that the person tracked off, went into a sit, and then deployed. Not sat up while deploying.

The person was throwing out the PC and while they were in process of deployment went into a sit.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[pajarito 0]

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I was under the impression that she meant that the person tracked off, went into a sit, and then deployed. Not sat up while deploying.

The person was throwing out the PC and while they were in process of deployment went into a sit.

Ok...That's different. Still don't like the idea for comforts sake but hey... I stand corrected.

[BBKid 0]

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...I stand corrected.

...said the man in the orthopaedic shoes.

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

I've actually heard of loads of people dropping their knees to cusion the deployment, never the 'going into sit' technique - other than BirdPeople, of course.

Nick
---------------------------
"I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!"

[pajarito 0]

[BillyVance 35]

I had an old friend years ago have an accidental deployment while in a sit position (PC wriggled out). He had nasty bruises up both sides of his torso leading to the armpit areas. Not to mention a torn reserve packtray that needed mending.

That said, we've already learned the other dude transitioned into a sit position as the deployment sequence started pulling him into a vertical position. That's understandable. I do that sometimes. Not a full sit, more like half-way. My Tri 120 snivels a good bit so it's really no big deal.

Blue Skies
Billy

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[EricaH 0]

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I was under the impression that she meant that the person tracked off, went into a sit, and then deployed. Not sat up while deploying.

The person was throwing out the PC and while they were in process of deployment went into a sit.

Ok...That's different. Still don't like the idea for comforts sake but hey... I stand corrected.

I'm a total NOB when it comes to remembering specific items; however, a friend of mine has a main that is ment to be dumped whilst in a track or in a FF position (not FF terminal however)... I want to say the canopy has 2 diamonds on the bottom skin; but I can't remember the name.
When she opens in a more typical pull position, she has almost 2k of snivel & a more rough (turny, choppy, rotating) type opening - almost like the canopy needs the extra speed to open smoothly.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[PhreeZone 20]

Two diamonds is a Cobalt. I put 200 jumps on one. 2k snivel Most I ever got on mine was about 500-600 feet. Its not meant to open in a track, it just tolerates it better then other canopies.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[f1shlips 2]

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Its not meant to open in a track, it just tolerates it better then other canopies.

From their faq:
3) What is your body position at deployment? Are you cupping air in place to slow down or are you going faster and deploying in a track?

Cobalts open best in a forward track. Generally the slower you go, the faster a Cobalt will open. Deploying in a track keeps your vertical speed at optimum for a slow 2-stage opening.


Atair's statement would seem to me to indicate that they are meant to open in a track.

I recently saw an australian base video (Plz chime in if you know this) where somebody dumps (what looks like a cobalt) head down and has a decent looking opening.

I'd be curious to know if anyone else has tried this with a cobalt?

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

[jumperconway 0]

From my bad experiences with Cobalts, they open MUCH better in a forward track than slow. I got slammed so hard deploying right out the door subterminal it almost knocked me out! As for tilting head up after tracking and deploying, you are getting your chest into the relative wind and in doing so are reducing some of the pendulum effect. I do it often on my Xaos.

[Jimbo 0]

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Generally the slower you go, the faster a Cobalt will open. Deploying in a track keeps your vertical speed at optimum for a slow 2-stage opening.

Aren't these two statements contradictory? The slower you go, the faster the canopy opens. A good horizontal track will definitely slow your vertical descent. Maybe I'm just tired, but this makes no sense at all to me.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[PhreeZone 20]

Don't get me going about Atair's marketing...

But lets just say that.. its marketing. I never changed my deployment style from a full on track deploy for my Spectre, Cobalt, Jedei or my Samauri. The Spectre was'nt happy, but was ok. The Cobalt was'nt picky and neither are my airlocked canopies.

Ask one of the boy's in TX about his opening HD on a Cobalt. I think Moffit was the one that did it.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[f1shlips 2]

I didn't make the statement, atair did.

I think a track just allows you to deflect the relative wind so that you move forward. The wind forward speed plus the wind from your decent creates a relative wind much greater than a stable, non-moving, belly to the relative wind, position.

I would assume a detailed pro-track dump would give meaningful data (using Skydiver's Air Speed).

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Maybe I'm just tired, but this makes no sense at all to me.

I thought it made sense, but you've got me thinking...

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

[Tonto 1]

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Mike Michigan still deploys that way.

That's what I was thinking when I started reading this thread. He was in... Traveling 2 - By Patrick Passe, right? White/Green/Blue suit.. Racer?

He made those deployments look REALLY clean.

I think if the jumper really knows what they're doing and are using the right gear - there's no problem with it.

t

It's the year of the Pig.