Historical question?

I know that we have some pretty good historians of the sport here. When did we start using hanging harnesses for training? The question came up today of how long have skydivers been using hanging harnesses for sex. As improvised sex swings. I was guessing around ww1 but I was trying to remember the details of early harness design. Does any one know how far back the practice goes?

Lee

I started sport jumping in '73 using surplus military rigs. I vaguely remember seeing some old pictures or films of military trainees in a hanging harness. So it was probably WWII or Korea era film. I was trained in a hanging harness in '73.

As far as sex swings, you could do far better back then making your own(not speaking from experience, mind you). The harnesses did not have individual leg straps like we have now. There was a full saddle under your butt and 2 straps came off of that to snap in the front. Also, the webbing was heavier and stiffer than you are used to today. I personally had several rides with my nuts stuck in that crap. So I applaud anyone that was determined enough to have sex with one. :-)

Don't know if that helps you, but it's a little of my history.

(This is probably sexist, but...)

I would imagine that the first hanging harness was used when the first FJC was taught. I would imagine that the first time one was improvised for sex was when the first female took an FJC.

Sex swings are more often solid saddles then split saddles. Both exist but split saddles are much harder to climb into and almost guaranty a face plant if you fall forward out of them. So I don't think it would be limited by that otherwise it would push the date up to the 70s. There have been female jumpers forever. At least back to the barn stormers in the 20s.

Lee

Perhaps Tiny Broadwick snagged one of her students in one.

During World War 2, the British paratrooper school at Ringway used suspended harnesses. Students exited an airplane mockup - near the ceiling - and a fan slowed their rate of descent. Then they practiced PLFs on a padded hangar floor.

I have never seen photos or film of their German predecessors training with suspended harnesses.

On 5/10/2020 at 11:20 PM, riggerrob said:

During World War 2, the British paratrooper school at Ringway used suspended harnesses. Students exited an airplane mockup - near the ceiling - and a fan slowed their rate of descent. Then they practiced PLFs on a padded hangar floor.

I have never seen photos or film of their German predecessors training with suspended harnesses.

I found those German training on youtube, it looks a lot like the allied training
I didn't find anything on sex swings from that era though 

Dear Tabouare,

I stand corrected.

Those videos show early war German paratroopers practicing in hanging harnesses.

Thanks for sharing these rare videos.