Lucky to be alive…

[Martin]

Lucky to be alive and a good lesson for us all…

https://youtu.be/csDRdqMH3Kk

Can't help but thank the pilot for posting, I'm sure posting will result in plenty of comments.

To the pilot, Yes! you should be replacing/simplifying your hang strap. Thing is, I can't help but notice what appears to be a side conversation during the "hook-in". Perhaps even an ongoing conversation well heading out to launch? On a great looking flying day with friends and fellow pilots around, its easy to get distracted. Conversations with other pilots or spectators during critical phases of your setup and pre-flight can kill. Your hang strap was a hazard but the distraction is what nearly got you killed.

To all pilots, new and old, distraction kills. Lack of focus during even the simplest of tasks can cascade into bad day in a real hurry. The simple task of connecting to your wing might seem impossible to mess up but still we do it (and yes, this particular hang strap configuration had its challenges).

In 2012 a tandem pilot forgot to connect their passenger, the passenger died. I investigated that accident, plenty of stuff was wrong but the ultimate cause boiled down to distraction. What amazed me was the communities reaction at that time with many seemingly in denial that something as simple as distraction could lead to disaster. Since then, the sport of hang gliding and paragliding have lost many more to this same disease.

So the next time your "going flying", your talking with your friends, thinking about the day, stowing your gear, turning on all of electronic gadgets and toys… remember, distraction kills.

Fly safe.

Martin

[Ksykes]

Wow! lucky to be alive is right.

Strong argument for the Aussie method, hook in the harness before getting in the harness.

[BilleFly]

Really GOOD post , "Martin" !!! :thumbs up:

And Yes , "Ksykes"
i went with the Aussie method ; after loosing both legs , because
i forgot to hook-in , (one Bad day).

Bille

[Vrezh]

Not that i am against Aussie method,
but not sure how it would undoubtedly prevent this.

[Tormod]

Not that i am against Aussie method,
but not sure how it would undoubtedly prevent this.

True, but it's much easier to inspect the connection if you hook in prior to putting on the harness. This type of dodgy connections were all to common before, nowadays there's no reason for doing this, at least not as a permanent solution.

[Blindrodie]

…I am the guy helping at launch. I've ALWAYS made it my personal creed to make sure that if it's ME helping launch I do as complete a hang check and inspection of gear that I can.

I would be very -very -very horrified, depressed, guilty, and feel partly responsible if it was me that let any pilot launch into the wild blue to die…

For me it's always been a part of the sport. I accept it but would never expect it from anyone else. Protect your fellow pilots and (maybe) they will protect you one day.

8)

[Ksykes]

Not that i am against Aussie method,
but not sure how it would undoubtedly prevent this.

Undoubtedly, no. But much better to be able to look at it clearly and thread things through the right hole.
Nothing is perfect, but this is about risk mitigation. I could tell what was going to happen in the video as soon as I saw the guy walking around in his harness. I used to walk around in the harness a lot back in the '80's and walked up to the launch at Lookout unhooked, fortunately I did a hang check and belly flopped on the ground. Sometime after that I read about the Aussie method and have never put on my harness before hooking it into the glider and checking the connection as part of the preflight.

[Ddreg]

I checked this after getting a new sport 3. In Wills Wing accessories page it only shows extensions. The don't show the primary hang loop that attaches to the king post.

https://www.willswing.com/product/exten ... y-color-2/

And in their PDF explaining how to use it, the say to bend it over the primary hang loop and it's not necessary to use a back up because you are hanging from 4 strands. I don't see custom size primary loops on their site, just extensions.

[Mike B]

I checked this after getting a new sport 3. In Wills Wing accessories page it only shows extensions. The don't show the primary hang loop that attaches to the king post.

https://www.willswing.com/product/exten ... y-color-2/

And in their PDF explaining how to use it, the say to bend it over the primary hang loop and it's not necessary to use a back up because you are hanging from 4 strands. I don't see custom size primary loops on their site, just extensions.

https://www.willswing.com/how-to-get-th ... -height-2/


"Note that hang loops must be ordered through an authorized WW dealer – they cannot be ordered for retail direct sale."

[Richard]

Not that i am against Aussie method,
but not sure how it would undoubtedly prevent this.

Undoubtedly, no. But much better to be able to look at it clearly and thread things through the right hole.
Nothing is perfect, but this is about risk mitigation. I could tell what was going to happen in the video as soon as I saw the guy walking around in his harness. I used to walk around in the harness a lot back in the '80's and walked up to the launch at Lookout unhooked, fortunately I did a hang check and belly flopped on the ground. Sometime after that I read about the Aussie method and have never put on my harness before hooking it into the glider and checking the connection as part of the preflight.

I don't even know why it should be called the 'Aussie method'. It should be 'THE METHOD', why ever do it any other way?