Jump to content

paramotor reserve location


Tricky

Recommended Posts

Hi all

 I have just purchased a reserve chute for my motor and wanted to get some feed back and thoughts on where would be the best location to mount the container..? i fly a pap 1400 so i have a few options on locations i.e behind the head mounted to the top part of the frame, on the side arms or on my lap? the behind the head gets it out the way but i don't think it would be to practical to grab the handle to throw it if you were in a hi G spin....... Any thoughts Guys...9_9

 

Edited by Tricky
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Tricky a few years back i had a reserve in a PAP container mounted behind the head on the frame i quite liked it there my thought process was in need its just a case of reaching back grab and throw. To me it made sense either hand or both I've heard others say that it might not be so easy whilst in trouble due to centrifugal forces etc, but for me i liked that position out of the way and easy to grab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first machine had it there, like Neilzy I thought it was tidy and out of the way. Never fancied trying to find it in a crisis though. I like the usefulness of a front mounted reserve but wouldn't want to connect it to the risers under any circumstances and the long routing of the bridle to the harness mounts puts me off that. So I'm a big fan of side mounting - I regularly reach down in flight and check everything is where it should be and it (to me) seems like the best compromise - compromise being what it's ultimately about with our merely partially designed machines. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've had top mount reserve on a Pap can't say if it would be like if you needed to throw it . But I did find if I wanted to look up to see if anyone was flying near me it got in the way couldn't tilt me head back . At moment I've a side mount on airconception and a front mount on a miniplane at first I preferred the side mount ' but I'm starting to like front mount ' it serves as nice cockpit also the bright red reserve handle is always insight.  

Cas. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello tricky,

as an emergency item, just remember that it shall be mounted not in the most confortable position, but in the most safe position.

It means that the possibility to deploy it with bot of your hands is a great advantage, so I would exclude the side mount.

The best safe potision is the front one, wich is not so confortable (you have to hook up the container every time that you wear the frame), but has the advantage of ambi-dextrous deployment and that you can use the container as cockpit.

If you don't have the possibility to mount it in the front, I would go with the behind your head that as you have correctly noted could be difficult (but not impossible) to be reached in the case of high levels of positive G force (spirals), but at least can be reached and deployed with both of your hands, and has an easier and shorter bridle routing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, calcifer said:

The best safe potision is the front one, wich is not so confortable (you have to hook up the container every time that you wear the frame), but has the advantage of ambi-dextrous deployment and that you can use the container as cockpit.

Important point here - To provide ambidextrous deployment by front mounting would mean that you have not attached the reserve to your harness reserve attachment points but to the risers.  

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Tricky,

I fly an Air Conception Ultra 130 and carry an Ozone Angel in an Evo front mount container (that also provides a small velcro area for use as cockpit).  The integral Y bridle end-loops connect directly to the main paraglider attachment points (so each carabiner has both reserve bridle and main wing riser loops attached, but there is plenty of space).  I could use a side mounting but prefer to be able to look easily and directly to the reserve handle and have the option to deploy with either hand; the clincher for me was that as an ex military parachutist I was trained with a chest mounted reserve and my muscle memory from training is such that I think I would automatically look and reach to the front.  I know that if a main attachment point/carabiner failed then my reserve would be about as much use as a chocolate fireguard,  but I'm happy to take the risk, given the very simple connection arrangements which I think has less risk of failure than an additional bridle mounted around the seat and onto the frame.

One thing that I wasn't prepared for was that the front container rises as the front arms rise with the wing (doh!  Obvious but...).I found that the container in flight was then too close for me to see map and GPS comfortably.  I resolved this by adding a 7mm maillon rapide and a Gin soft shackle to the end of each bridle loop; this makes the front container hang down a little lower before take off but at the perfect height for use in flight.  Plus it is the soft shackle that connects into the carabiner, so if there is any wear and tear it is easier/cheaper to replace a pair of soft shackles than a front container.

Just my tuppenceworth - each to his/her own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see what you mean Cas, and I could probably do the same with my set up.  My only minor concern would be the potential for metal to metal rubbing between the two carabiners in the same loop but I'm sure you're conscious of this and would notice any friction marks when you clip in.  I'll try to remember to take a photo of my connection next time I'm out (should the weather give us a break...). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys thanks for your help and thoughts, 

I  quite the like the idea of a side mount container, throttle on the right hand side reserve on the lower left, the only disability with this set up is it limits you to only use  your left hand to for deployment, A ambidextrous location would be best. just in case everything goes south and one hand is trapped least you still get a second chance, i think are do a hang test with the motor and try mounting it behind the head and on the side and try and get a feel for reaching around and grabbing the handle, but i have found that a hang test is quite different to flying, as when i strap my self in to the motor on a hang test i can easily reach the pull start handle which was located behind my left shoulder, but i soon discovered that once in flight i could not always grab it...:shock:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, I have always used a front mounted container on my Miniplane with it connected directly to the same Karabiners as the risers as Hamishdylan says. I can say, having thrown it from this position, in a high G spiral dive free flying, that it was very easy to look, locate and throw - and it saved my life so I'm sticking with it!

  • Upvote 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

wow, simonmarshall.... what a scary experience !  happy you are still alive !

This video shows why a reserve should ALWAYS be equipped on a paramotor !

Sorry but as I already have written, I personally don't think that the "behind your head" position is the BEST.... just because in the unlucky event of high positive G configuration (like a spiral) could not be so easy to rise your arms to reach the reserve pull handle...

Edited by calcifer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5-2-2017 at 20:51, simonmarshall said:

Here's my deployment of a reserve mounted behind my head on at PAP1400 frame.

It gets in your way looking-up to check your wing on take-off, but I think it's the best place for deployment, and still keep it mounted there.

Simon

 

What a scary looking video. And brave man you are for taking to the skies again!!

 

Below a video I made of me deploying my head mounted reserve during a training session (which I most certainly recommend to every student pilot (as myself)).

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Upcoming Events

    No upcoming events found
×
×
  • Create New...