Thermalling, Anyone!

On Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:01:11 -0800, Eric Greenwell
wrote:

On 3/2/2013 5:31 PM, Chris Nicholas wrote:
If you have not already seen it, you might learn something from
this:

http://uras.gliderpilot.net/?op=s2&id=35764&vt=

(You may have to register and log in to read the explanatory text,
but I think you can click directly onto the related video without
that if you wish –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kx-b...LQPQ nZBqf_Ih

I've never heard of the "undo the chest strap first" rule. Must not be a
very important one, if it's that much work to get into trouble.

Seeing this happen to a paratrooper puzzles me. At least in the
American military, parachutes have quick-release latches (called
Capewells) that connect the two main suspension straps to the harness.
Just grab either one, squeeze, pull, and one whole side of the canopy
goes free.

I was trained to use those as an Air Force cadet. We would put on a
harness and attach both ends of a rope to it with the Capewells. A
towline would snap onto the rope, and we'd jump off a moving boat and
get dragged at a pretty good clip; releasing one Capewell ended it.