The Best Way to Feel Relieved in Flight!
Purchase the Periscope in the Etsy Store
Why?
Paragliding flights can last hours. We fly from thermal to thermal hoping to set a new personal record or better. We bring food and water during our flight to ensure we stay focused. But after a few hours, we need to relieve ourselves.
Some pilots have rigged tubes routed through their harness. It works! Maybe not ideal though. the tube can move creating either a low point where fluids accummulate or worst, a pulling sensation on the other end.
The Periscope offers a means of securing the tube to the harness. This helps prevent entanglements. It has the added advantage of keeping the exterior of your harness nice and dry.
The Periscope is perfectly suited for submarins style harnesses. It seals the hole where it is installed, ensuring the submarin remains pressurized.
Video by Benoit Brunet-Poirier aka bravobravopapa
How to Install
Preparation
To install the Periscope, you’ll need the following:
- Pen (hobby) knife
- A working surface to cut. You’ll need to put your harness on this surface so, ideally, find one that will keep it steady
- A ruler. A 15 cm one is best. Longer will make it harder to work in the harness
- Optionally a harness hanger, gantry or simulator can help determine the preferred installation location
Determining the Location
The location of the Periscope depends on a few things:
- Your preferred routing for the tube connected to the condom catheter
- Example: slighly to one side between the legs to avoid safety strap
- The location of the seat plate
- The seams in the harness (you’ll want to avoid them)
- How high the harness rises while in standing position in flight i.e. after launch and during when landing
- The location of the speed bar
The location should avoid interference with the seat plate:
- When standing prior to takeoff and after landing
- When standing after takeoff and prior to landing
- When sitting during cruise
It should also avoid binding with the speed bar during cruise and at full speed.
Avoid the seams in the harness.
Once you’ve determined the location, use a pen to make a small “X” to mark it.
Cutting the Hole
Secure the harness on the working surface.
Using the ruler and pen, make a square approximately 9 mm by 9 mm. If the harness is made of rip-stop nylon, ensure the square is aligned with the rip-stop fibers.
Cut the square with the pen-knife.
Un-screw the Periscope’s nut. Insert the flanged end of the Periscope through the square hole from the outside of the harness. Screw the nut onto the Periscope, ensuring that the curved end points backwards.