Question. What was I feeling during my tandem?

[niolosoiale 0]

So we're falling right... wind.... wind more wind... obviously. But at one point the wind got quieter than I would have expected it to, then a slight falling feeling in my stomach appeared, and then just like that we're under a canopy. All of this occured within 3-5 seconds.

I didn't expect to have any sensation of falling after being out of the plane (save some hard canopy turns). So I'm a bit confused.

[MB38 0]

This is my understanding of what you might have been feeling, I may be mistaken.

Tandems are effectively "supported" under a drogue. The drogue slows the pair to about 120mph instead of ~180mph. This drogue is released to deploy the main canopy.

When the drogue is released and the main is being pulled out of the container to linestretch, the tandem pair will suddenly accelerate. Because there is no longer a drogue slowing them down [as it is busy pulling the canopy out], the pair will accelerate and appear to drop. This acceleration is probably what caused that feeling you're reporting.

The acceleration only lasts a moment, as the time from when the drogue is released to canopy linestretch is minimal. The next thing you would feel after the acceleration would be sudden deceleration as the canopy snivels and inflates.

I could be mistaken but this is my guess.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[slotperfect 7]

Exactly! It's called the "trapdoor effect" and how much/how long varies based on system type.

Arrive Safely

John

[niolosoiale 0]

Quote

This is my understanding of what you might have been feeling, I may be mistaken.

Tandems are effectively "supported" under a drogue. The drogue slows the pair to about 120mph instead of ~180mph. This drogue is released to deploy the main canopy.

When the drogue is released and the main is being pulled out of the container to linestretch, the tandem pair will suddenly accelerate. Because there is no longer a drogue slowing them down [as it is busy pulling the canopy out], the pair will accelerate and appear to drop. This acceleration is probably what caused that feeling you're reporting.

The acceleration only lasts a moment, as the time from when the drogue is released to canopy linestretch is minimal. The next thing you would feel after the acceleration would be sudden deceleration as the canopy snivels and inflates.

I could be mistaken but this is my guess.

See that was my initial idea, but I wasn't 100% sure on how the drogue worked. Makes sense.

[Skymonkey13 0]

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This is my understanding of what you might have been feeling, I may be mistaken.

This drogue is released to deploy the main canopy.

When the drogue is released and the main is being pulled out of the container to linestretch, the tandem pair will suddenly accelerate. .

A drouge on a tandem is NOT to deploy the main.
The main is pulled seperatly.
It is to keep the tandem stable in freefall and it also helps the cameraman to be able to stay right in front of the tandem.

[MB38 0]

Correct, perhaps I wasn't clear enough. Its purpose is exactly as you described it up until deployment. As soon as deployment is initiated, the drogue effectively becomes a pilot chute for the main. This is what I meant... the drogue is released [meaning it is released from its stabilization duties] to deploy the main [it magically becomes a PC]. For my posts' sakes, "drogue release" is when the ripcord is pulled, not when the drogue is pitched just after exit. I could be using incorrect terminology.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[DAMO 0]

A drouge on a tandem is NOT to deploy the main.
The main is pulled seperatly.
It is to keep the tandem stable in freefall and it also helps the cameraman to be able to stay right in front of the tandem.***

The tandem master should keep the tandem pair stable, not rely on the drogue. When it is time to deploy the drogue is used to deploy the main by pulling the drogue release, the drogue then works like any normal pilot chute pulling the main bag out of the container and to line stretch.

So the main purpose of the drogue is to keep the tandem at a reasonable freefall speed so openings don't damage gear or bodies.

[koppel 4]

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When the drogue is released and the main is being pulled out of the container to linestretch, the tandem pair will suddenly accelerate

this is correct unless it your jumping a Strong which has no trapdoor effect.

I am still trying to get used to that falling feeling after drouge release

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[MB38 0]

From a technical perspective, how does the Strong rig avoid the trapdoor effect as compared to RWS?

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[DAMO 0]

When you pull the drogue release on a vector the drogue collapses straight away, the drogue on a strong doesn't collapse untill the canopy comes out of the bag, just like a normal pilot chute.

[Skymonkey13 0]

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Correct, perhaps I wasn't clear enough. Its purpose is exactly as you described it up until deployment. As soon as deployment is initiated, the drogue effectively becomes a pilot chute for the main. This is what I meant... the drogue is released [meaning it is released from its stabilization duties] to deploy the main [it magically becomes a PC]. .

You are correct Sir