Basejumper.com - archive

In the Soul Flyers movie there is video footage of a bridge jump where a parasail is draped over the bridge railing, at full line extension. The jumper is at this point above the canopy (standing on the bridge). The jumper then jumps out and makes a full front tumble so that he’s “in the saddle” at the point he’s below the canopy at nearly full line extension. The jumper is wearing what looks to be a huge backpack or container that appears to be stuffed full of something. What’s in the bag, some type of reserve system? Maybe lots of clean underwear?

Thats a Paraglider and thats the harness system for them. They are designed to be more of a chair you lay in and some padding more then anything else.

And that move is a McConkey (sp?)

Who knows what paragliders call that move (after all they were the first to do it).

It might be named after a BASE jumper but the first person to do it was a paraglider, not a BASE jumper. Or did that jump make him a BASE jumper?

I've also heard it referred to as a "roll over".

Rickfry59,
This is the paraglider harness system which has also ( usually ) round reserve connected with the pulling rocket (makes extension of the round reserve faster) and the tick back protection ( usually made from few layers of foam - neoprene and kevlar cast.
Purpose of that chair is to protect the pilot's back and especially lower back on emergency landings.

So far that system kept many pilots away from wheelchair.
ciao
Robi