[Merlin]

Ask yourself this: have you ever left the house with your sneakers on the wrong feet?

To prevent this, do you -

• use a checklist
• cultivate a permanent state of swapped footwear anxiety
• paint "CHECK YOUR SNEAKERS" on the door threshold
• come up with ritualized behaviors because nothing else seems to be working

DId you ever put the wrong shoe on a foot, say in the dark? Kinda instantly, painfully obvious.

The problem: harnesses in the"wrong" configuration "feel" very similar to those in the "right" configuration. If harnesses felt almost painfully awkward misconfigured, this would be an exceedingly rare problem. It would be interesting to see designers pay some attention to this.

With my cacoon, I used to pull the suspension lines tight across the front, passing the 'biner thru the boot loop and attaching it the shoulder loop. This would both keep the lines from fouling and create such a twisted feel to the harness (also leaving the 'biner in plain view) - I could never quite forget about it.

[Free]

My bad. The title of this thread may mislead people to think a ~hook in~ check before launching is a mandate of lift and tug. Not so.
It's about a mindset that says you don't go out the door without your pants on.

The problem: harnesses in the"wrong" configuration "feel" very similar to those in the "right" configuration.

Yes, if you screw up the ~hang~ check then a lift and tug ~hook in~ check is not going to be as effective as any other method you may use to verify that you are still hooked in.

[Merlin]

It's about a mindset that says you don't go out the door without your pants on.

Exactly. That's how you want your harness to feel unhooked.
But it's quite easy to walk out with a t-shirt inside out. (feels right).

There are various methods to check your hook in status. Lift 'n Tug has been around for forty years. (It was a lot easier with a 35 pound standard). If it was going to work, it would have by now. Time to recast the problem.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Ask yourself this: have you ever left the house with your sneakers on the wrong feet?
  :
With my cacoon, I used to pull the suspension lines tight across the front, passing the 'biner thru the boot loop and attaching it the shoulder loop. This would both keep the lines from fouling and create such a twisted feel to the harness (also leaving the 'biner in plain view) - I could never quite forget about it.

This is one of the best ideas I've heard. I usually hook my 'biner onto my harness through a loop that's attached to the front to keep the lines straight. That configuration is actually quite comfortable on my harness, so your post got me to thinking about a less comfortable place to attach it. I don't know if this would work for all harnesses, but what about connecting the 'biner to your chin strap? It's not only somewhat uncomfortable, but also really really obvious to yourself and anyone watching. If it can't reach, then maybe add a brightly colored extension that connects to the chin strap. I may experiment with this idea a bit.

Great idea Merlin. Thanks for sharing it!!   

[Free]

This explains Rob Kells, view on hook in checks:

From Tad Eareckson: http://www.kitestrings.org/post7371.html#p7371
~To Bob K.~
Who the do you think you are? You were never even a certified instructor - for whatever that's worth - and have never signed off a single rating.

Check out Rob's record:
http://willswing.com/flystrong.asp
Wills Wing, Inc. - Rob Kells, In Memoriam

Hang Glider Pilot since 1973 - Master Rated by United States Hang Gliding Association
- 2100 hours
- 5000 flight operations
- Tandem Hang Glider Instructor - 200 flights
Production and Developmental Test Pilot for Wills Wing since 1977
Paraglider Pilot since 1986
Weight Shift Ultralight Pilot - 70 hours
Fixed Wing Ultralight Pilot - 200 hours
FAA Private Pilot
- Airplane Single Engine Land and Sea ratings
- Airplane Multi Engine Land
- Instrument Airplane
- Glider Aerotow
-- Total Time 1700 Hours
Head of Sales for Wills Wing since 1978
Competition Achievements
- US Team Member - FAI Hang Gliding World Championships - 1985
- Major Competitions Won:
-- Grouse Mountain Championships 1980 and 1986
-- First World Speed Gliding Championships - Telluride 1997
-- Chattanooga Great Race - 1984
-- Morningside Glide Angle Contest - 1994 and 1997
-- Chelan Classic
-- Telluride Aerobatic Championships
Professional Associations:
- Member United States Hang Gliding Association Board of Directors (Honorary Director) - 1980 through 1998
Professional Awards:
- Presidential Citation - United States Hang Gliding Association - 1998
- Order of the Raven - Grandfather Mountain
- Rogallo Foundation Hall of Fame - May 20, 2007

Whatever yours is, it totally sucks by comparison.

Here's Rob's statement on this issue:
Rob Kells - 2005/12

Following a recent fatal accident caused by the pilot launching unhooked, there has been a discussion on how to guarantee that you are hooked in. The two main methods are:

1. Always do a hang check before launch, and/or

2. Always hook your harness into the glider before you get into the harness.

Interestingly, NEITHER of these methods GUARANTEES that you will not launch unhooked some day. Let's add a third one:

3. Always lift the glider vertically and feel the tug on the leg straps when the harness mains go tight, just before you start your launch run. I always use this test.

He says he ALWAYS uses it and makes ZERO mention of any of the myriad problems and hazards you invented. Is he LYING to us? Deliberately concealing the deadly associated side effects? If so, can you quote anyone criticizing or denouncing him or his position?

User avatar Tad Eareckson Posts: 5581Joined: 2010/11/25

[Free]

It's about a mindset that says you don't go out the door without your pants on.

Exactly. That's how you want your harness to feel unhooked.
But it's quite easy to walk out with a t-shirt inside out. (feels right).

Not exactly.
What I was saying is that you don't launch without some way of confirming you are hooked in.
Hang checks don't count because of your short term memory.
Are you really sure you want to make the commitment of hucking yourself off a cliff without testing this deadly short term memory?

There are various methods to check your hook in status. Lift 'n Tug has been around for forty years.

Yes.

(It was a lot easier with a 35 pound standard).

Telling your age.

If it was going to work, it would have by now.

It does work.

Time to recast the problem.

The problem of launching unhooked is as old as hang gliding.
The plaster set way back when, and now signs of crumbling.

This is not rocket science.
I think it's more a mental issue.
We are not robots. We are not computers.
Our minds are not infallible.
There is no pill that I know of that will fix this problem.
A lift and tug greatly lessens the pain.

Don't leave your house without your pants.
Don't start your launch run without a last hook in check.

[Bill Cummings]

Bill Cummings 1 second ago
On high wind launches rather than do a, "Lift and Tug," hook in check I do a genuflect with one foot on the basetube before picking up the glider to launch. Once the down tubes leave your shoulder you can no longer hold the nose down as effectively.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Once the down tubes leave your shoulder you can no longer hold the nose down as effectively.

Concise and to the point.