Torque and line length

[skyhighkiy 0]

We've been studying torque in physics and, as everything in my life relates to skydiving somehow, I began to think of a skydiver being a pendulum and swinging back under the canopy (axis point) for something like a swoop.

Now, according to the laws of physics, theh longer the radius (or length of thelines) from the axis, the further away the suspended object is from said axis. and the further away the object is from the axis, the more torque will be produced.

This being said (I have my own theories but don't know what to think) would longer lines produce more torque on the system and thus, more forward speed(on the entire system) and greater recover arc?

or would it merely provide more forward speed to the individual suspended from the axis and cause him to pendulum in front of the canopy?

BE THE BUDDHA!

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

I began to think of a skydiver being a pendulum and swinging back under the canopy (axis point) for something like a swoop. or would it merely provide more forward speed to the individual suspended from the axis and cause him to pendulum in front of the canopy?

I think we need to send you to the penalty box to ponder your actions for a little while. Swoopers use their front risers to dive their canopies towards the ground in order to increase speed and reduce the pendulum effect (otherwise we'd be a bunch of toggle whippers). So why would we want to increase the pendulum effect with longer lines when it's not what we want to do in the first place?

So off you go, 2 minutes in the penalty box for bringing up this thread.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[AndyMan 7]

To answer part of your question...

Independent of any other changes, longer lines do mean a longer recovery arc.

Longer lines also mean more drag.

It's important to remember that the physics of aerodynamics do not take place in a vacuum.



_Am

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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[skyhighkiy 0]

*looks at common sense of knowledge already attained*

*walks to the penalty box*

BE THE BUDDHA!

[Professor 0]

You're on the right track, but I'm not sure torque has anything to do with it. Swoop canopies often have longer line sets to slow down the pendulum effect (you probably learned about this as well). So as you come out of your dive, you swing in front of the canopy, then back behind it. When you start swinging back, you need to apply brakes to keep the canopy planed out. This kills your swoop. This is but one of the many different things that contribute to the way a canopy behaves.

Ted
Like a giddy school girl.

[Teixido 0]

I think that the main reason for cross braced canopies having longer lines (in general), than standard nine cell canopies, is because of their greater span. Cross bracing flattens the top skin of a canopy which results in a greater span. I suspect that the main reason for cross braced canopies having a large recovery arc is drag (or the absence of actually). Because of the closed off nose and the flat (low) profile these canopies have little drag causing them to dive long. But sure, long lines help. (this is all just my theory)

[diablopilot 2]

Longer lines are an advantage in the swoop game.


The longer linset will cause the suspened mass to take longer to travel back under the canopy after a hook turn, thus allowing more time to build speed.

It's why a jumper may select a bigger canopy and "weight up" to acheve a specific wingloading.

The recovery arc on a longer lined canopy will be longer than that of the same canopy with short lines.

In the "spiral" portion of a hook turn it will also take longer to get the canopy around the same degree of turn (90, 180, 270) also alowing for more time to build speed.

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