Bruce Goldsmith Design Link pilot User manual

1
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Version 1.0 January 2021
PILOT + PASSENGER

2
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Contents
Contents
Welcome
LINK PILOT diagram
Specications
Protectors
Reserve
Use: adjustment and pre-ight checks
Maintenance / Inspection
Warranty
3
5
6
7
10
13
15
17

3
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
LINK PILOT Owner’s Manual
Tandem Pilot Harness | EN1651 and LTF 91/09
Welcome to Bruce Goldsmith Design
Thank you for choosing a BGD product. We love ying and our goal is to make paragliding equipment that others will
enjoy as much as we do. We build products with personality, exceptional equipment with the rened handling and
innovative qualities that Bruce Goldsmith Design are renowned for.
Introduction
The LINK PILOT is a lightweight and comfortable split-leg harness for tandem pilots. It provides an elevated seating
position behind the passenger. The inbuilt reserve container has a 210cm webbing bridle, and the reserve handle can be
positioned on either the right or left side. There are interchangeable and removable underseat protectors – an airbag
and a foam version – which attach to the base of the harness using Velcro straps. The protectors are very quick and
easy to attach and remove. The harness is only certied with one of the certied protectors in place.
The LINK PILOT is a tandem harness for non-motorised paragliding. It should not be used for skydiving, Base jumping
etc. It is suitable for towing if a certied tandem towing release is used. There are no separate attachment points to
mount a towing release. Before mounting a towing release, please check the towing release manual.
Please read this manual before using the harness. Paragliding is a potentially dangerous sport that can cause serious
injury and even death. The use of BGD equipment is undertaken with the full knowledge that paragliding involves
risks. Inappropriate use of your equipment will increase these risks. The pilot takes exclusive responsibility for all
risks associated with the use of this equipment. Any kind of physical modication to the harness will invalidate the
certication.
Welcome

4
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Emergency situations
Following a water or strong-wind landing, the pilot and passenger should disconnect as quickly as possible from their
harnesses. If necessary, leg straps can be loosened before landing. The chest and leg buckles should be opened on
landing. We recommend carrying a webbing cutter for fast extraction in emergency situations.
Following a tree landing, the pilot and passenger should secure themselves to the tree and wait for help.
There will be circumstances when these are not the most approproate prpocedures. The pilot should alwaus assess
the situation and decide on the most appropriate action to safeguard themselves and their passenger.
Welcome

5
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
LINK PILOT diagram
Diagram
Channel for reserve
bridle
Protector
Shoulder strap with adjustment buckle
Main suspension point
Reserve container
Chest strap
Zipped pocket
Lateral strap
Reserve release handle
Fixation for protector
Back storage pocket
Connection ring for
mousse protector
Connection ring for
airbag protector

6
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Specications
Size unique
Maximum clip-in weight (kg) 120
Pilot height (cm) 160-195
Harness weight without protector (kg) 1.8
Hangpoint height (cm) 37
Mousse Protector weight (g) 890
Airbag protector weight (g) 390
Maximum reserve volume (cm3)8600
Certication without protector EN1651
Certication with protector EN1651 & LTF91/09
Specications

7
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Protectors
Two types of protector are available for the LINK PILOT harness: a mousse protector and an airbag. The harness
complies with EN1651 and LTF 91/09 when used in combination with either of the dedicated protectors.
The protectors can be easily tted to the harness using the 6 Velcro connection points, marked with in the
pictures below, and mounting rings .There are two mounting rings. The lower pair should be used to mount the
mousse protector, and the upper rings are for the airbag protector.
There should be a small gap between the mousse protector and the harness to avoid restricting leg mobility, but the
airbag should be attached as closely as possible to the base of the harness.
Protectors
MOUSSE PROTECTOR AIRBAG PROTECTOR
Lower ring
Upper ring

8
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Fitting the protectors
Protector pre-ight checks
The foam protector is compressed when the protector is packed, and needs to be allowed to fully regain its volume
before launch. In cold temperatures, or if it has not been used for some time, it may ll more slowly.
The airbag, it is designed to partially inate before launch. The pilot should ensure the air intake is clear and the check
valve working.
The protectors attach via 6 Velcro straps. The airbag, pictured, clips onto the upper of the two mounting rings on each
side; the mousse protector uses the lower rings.
Protectors

9
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Protector maintenance and service life
After a hard landing, or if any damage is visible to the protector, it should be checked by a qualied person and
repaired or exchanged if necessary.
In principle, both the airbag and mousse protectors work in the same way: during a seatboard landing, the air in the
protector is compressed and deated via the seams to the outside. The resulting deceleration distributes the impact
energy over a longer period, thus reducig the forces on the spine.
The certication test results were very good, but no back protector can guarantee to prevent back injuries. For this
reason, the protector should not be used for unnecessary seatboard landings. Every time the protector is used for a
seatboard landing the protector will become less efcient, even if no damage is visible. If there is any visible damage,
the protector should be checked by an expert before being used again, and repaired or replaced if necessary.
Protectors

10
LINK PILOT manual EN Version 1.0 January 2021
Reserve
Fitting the Reserve
Before using any harness and reserve together for the rst time, it is essential that a compatibility check is carried out
by a qualied person. The compatibility must be conrmed in the parachute repack log book.
The reserve handle can be tted on either the right or the left side of the LINK PILOT harness. The photo sequence on
the following pages shows how to install the reserve in the harness.
It is important to perform a test throw after every installation of a rescue system in a harness. It should be easy to
extract the reserve from the container with an opening force of between 2daN and 7daN.
Throwing the reserve
The rescue sytem is activated by pulling the release handle outwards. It will be more difcult to extract the parachute
if pulling from other directions. The pull will snap the light thread (see image 11), extract the yellow cable from
the loop, and release the deployment bag of the rescue system attached to the handle. Throw the handle and
deployment bag powerfully into open air. Depending on the emergency situation, the best throwing direction may
vary for a quick opening of the rescue system.
Reserve