AdrianMF Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 I’m just making two Luftwaffe flight crew to go with a Henschel 126 and after a fair amount of googling, I am left with a question. So the observers didn’t have a nice comfy seat with a parachute tray, were expected to move around, and wore back pack parachutes. You jump out, pull the ripcord, and the parachute deploys behind your back, above your centre of gravity. You descend feet first. Lovely. If you are a pilot and have a seat parachute, you are sitting on it, so it’s below your bottom. So when the parachute deploys, it deploys from below your waist and centre of gravity. So how does that work, because I don’t think you’d want to be descending head first! Confused, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 The risers (straps between the harness and the cords) run up the back straps of the harness to the shoulders and are held in place by press stud covers. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Hello Adrian, we were taught to dive head first when leaving the airplane (Fouga CM.170 Magister). Then spread one's legs and pull the rip chord spreading both arms simultaneously. All this was done to prevent any tendency to spin as this could be very dangerous while the chute is exiting the bag. The risers are attached to two "straps" that in turn are attached to the shoulders of the harness. The parachute turns you automatically in correct position once the main chute is fully deployed. Cheers, Antti 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 From somewhat leaky memory of wearing a seat pack parachute whilst flying as a cadet in Chipmunks when the ripcord is pulled it withdraws a pin holding four triangular flaps over the drogue 'chute closed. The drogue is now free to deploy and is assisted to do so by a small spring. The drogue is attached to the apex of the main canopy and pulls it from the pack which is now free to open as the drogue leaves. The main canopy pulls out the shroud (technical term,?) lines and these then pull out the webbing straps which are routed up the wearer's back and through buckles at or near the shoulders, thereby ensuring that he or she is more or less the right way up as the canopy fully inflates, unless he or she has gone out like a bag of laundry from a tenth-floir balcony and now has the rigging lines going through his/her crotch or via an armpit. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Thank you John_W🙂 I messed with risers and cords in my reply. Although trying to explain the same thing. Cheers, Antti 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 21, 2022 Author Share Posted May 21, 2022 Thanks for such prompt and informative answers! I think I get it now. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Actually, quite a few of the older aerobatic light aircraft are set up for seat type packs - Tiger Moth, Stampe and Jungmann aircraft typically had seats with deep buckets to allow for the parachute pack. As well as avoiding fore and aft squash, it makes emergency exit easier, since the pack will be last out, not tending to jam your exit. Like Antti K, I was taught to dive out head first and splay arms and legs if any delay in opening was likely. Look down. pull D handle and in theory hang onto to handle and ripcord for maximum boasting points ! The chutes typically have a spring loaded drogue chute which pops out first. dragging the rest of the canopy with it and the cords follow., They are generally stowed in horizontal zigzags on the back of the pack, held in by rubber bands, and as said by others they feed out to join into the risers which end up either side of your head. John B 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Having done a couple jumps 39 years ago, I can confirm everyone's reply as to how the chutes work. Chris 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTheBear Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 @dogsbody gotta ask. Do you still rock that awesome 'stache?🥸 DennisTheAweful'stache 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 1 hour ago, DennisTheBear said: @dogsbody gotta ask. Do you still rock that awesome 'stache?🥸 DennisTheAweful'stache I look like this now: Chris 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 20 minutes ago, dogsbody said: I look like this now: Never mind the 'tache, check out the stash 🤣 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 22, 2022 Author Share Posted May 22, 2022 I’d say delivered on all fronts! How many Liberator kits? Your den looks like rocking horse poo storage central!! Regards, Adrian 🤪 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, AdrianMF said: How many Liberator kits? Your den looks like rocking horse poo storage central!! One Hasegawa, 4 Academy and one old Revell. Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTheBear Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Damn distinguished, both your appearence and the stash! Alas when I grow my full beard the only thing you can see of my face is a pair of beady eyes peering out of a mibile hedge, thus my moniker. DennisTheBear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 On 21/05/2022 at 14:09, John B (Sc) said: . . . it makes emergency exit easier, since the pack will be last out, not tending to jam your exit. . . . I was taught to stand up, turn, chute/bottom out of cockpit first, step out onto wing root and then step off into nothing. Only ever got as far as stepping out to wing root when pilot recovered control Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 3 hours ago, Black Knight said: I was taught to stand up, turn, chute/bottom out of cockpit first, step out onto wing root and then step off into nothing. Only ever got as far as stepping out to wing root when pilot recovered control Yep, I agree that's fine if there is time and room to do all that. Might be possible in a Chipmunk or a Bulldog. In, say, a Stampe, there is not enough space available to get the chute out first - and I am fairly slim. The only way is to ditch the straps (both sets - the ones attached to the seat and the ones attached to the airframe) and push yourself out head first, as hard and fast as you can. Of course the really cool way to do it would be to roll inverted and push the stick forward to bunt yourself out, but that sort of implies a working aeroplane, and why leave that? I haven't had to bail out from anything yet, fortunately. though have come near it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted May 23, 2022 Share Posted May 23, 2022 Having worn both back and seat types I concur with all of the above. Never had to use one in anger. But a friend of mine did after a mid air at low level approximately 300 feet. It was a modern seat type and opened almost instantly. His view on the exit technique 'Get out any way you can'. Like @dogsbody , Chris that was the rig I wore for my first jump. A round chute. When it came to the reserve the memorable advice was 'If in doubt, whip it out' I had no impressive moustache though, too young to grow one.😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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