seat belts and restraints

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
I believe that the shoulder restraints are recommended to be anchored
no more than 5 degrees below the shoulder and 30 degrees above the
shoulder in a vehicle IIRC.

In a glider I would think that the reclined position would change the
dynamics of the restraint. Because of the reclined position I would
think that there would be less of a tendency to compress the spine
when the shoulder straps are under a load. Is the 5th strap and
submerging the issue?

Would a low anchor point help with the upward motion of the pilot? How
would a low anchor point respond with a reclined seating position in a
crash?

Sounds like keeping your head intact is a primary concern and spine is
secondary?

So I am thinking 2nd set of straps with a low anchor point (for head
to canopy interference) and the standard straps to keep from
submerging (family jewels to 5th strap interference).

Steve

snip some stuff

Okay, how about this:
Below the adjusters on each of the shoulder straps, sew an extra strap.
They should be long enough to go over your shoulders and Y together
somewhere in the vicinity of the small of your back.
A single strap continues down from there, through a slot in the seatpan, to
a low anchor point. It continues through the rear low anchor point to a
front low anchor point, where it becomes the crotch strap.
Now tightening the crotch strap will also pull down on your shoulders. The
low anchor point shouldn't compress your spine, because the rear low anchor
point should be in front of your shoulders.
Because the additional straps pull your shoulders down and forward, you
can't slide up and back along the normal shoulder straps to bump your head.
Because it's adjustable, it should fit more than one pilot. There's extra
strap, but the same number of adjusters, so it shouldn't be too expensive.

Obviously, a similar scheme could be used with two straps under the seat pan
in a 6-point harness arrangement.

Tim Ward