6
Position for belly flight. Palm rests against arm wing end cell.
Gripper provides structure. Hand “palms” arm wing end cell.
GRIPPERS
Holding your grippers correctly is an important part of controlling your SWIFT 3. It is
NOT
necessary
to hold the gripper itself, tightly. Here are some examples of good and bad positions:
GOOD:
Pilot’s fingers are all on the top surface (back side) of the gripper, resting against the arm wing end
cell. The grip is somewhat relaxed, with the thumb in front and the top of the gripper nestled gently in the palm
of your hand. Note that the gripper itself is not being held tightly.
BAD:
All of these positions are very wrong. Please note how they deform the shape of the leading edge and
twist the zipper into a non-straight line. The leading edge is rolled forward, the sweep of the wing is changed,
and the bottom surface is not clean. All of these positions will result in decreased performance and control.
NOTE:
It is
NOT
necessary to hold the grippers tightly in flight. You can comfortably fly your suit
from exit to landing with a very light touch on the grippers. It is better to
NOT
hold the grippers
than it is to hold them wrong, or to hold them too tightly.
