elups182 0 #1 September 7, 2004 How high of a building would be needed to ground launch a Raven 2. Would a 7 story building be tall enough? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ImagethisPhoto 0 #2 September 7, 2004 My advice, Get a Paraglider Josh Morell www.imagethisphoto.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #3 September 7, 2004 Honestly, it sounds to me like you're in way over your head, and potentially about to do something really foolish. I'd recommend contacting some paragliders for advice on ground launches. I'd probably also learn to do ground launches with wings intended for such before trying to launch anything else. And I'd definitely practicing kiting and launching from a gently sloping grassy hill before I tried launching off a building. Slow down there. You could really get hurt trying some of that stuff.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alien 0 #4 September 7, 2004 Depends on the wind and what type of building. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chachi 0 #5 September 7, 2004 QuoteHow high of a building would be needed to ground launch a Raven 2. Would a 7 story building be tall enough? Hey Troll, I think you should do it, but make sure you get video. ~Chachi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkey1031 0 #6 September 8, 2004 lives in a cave.... style of fishing.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabre210 0 #7 September 8, 2004 I'm with tom. You're literally one step from getting busted up at best or killed at worst. Having said that, if you watch that awesome film "terminal velocity" , Charlie Sheen's bad ass character Ditch pulls off a ground launch with his reserve from a factory tower which would be about that height so it MUST be possible. Like Phil Nike said. Just do it. ps. if you're quick you might make the next Darwin Awards book. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fruers 0 #8 September 8, 2004 I would like to hear why everyone thinks this is so dangerous, if you can get a fully inflated canopy to the edge of a drop (a building doesn't seem good for that), what things would you be worried about going wrong? I can imagine dropping a few feet before the canopy starts flying properly and maybe having a 180 in the meantime. What other dangers can you think of? I would like to do some ground launching too, for "free" canopy/accuracy practise. Definitely go from a grassy hill first, it's a lot harder than it looks. I had an x228 (7 cell) out last week trying to launch it from a hill but no luck, i was getting it inflated but even on a hill with about a 45 degree slope i couldn't get it to launch, i concluded that it's useless without a bit of head wind to help with the pressurisation (not ideal for this location). I was talking to a guy about bladerunning, where you fly a high performance canopy down a ski slalom course and he was saying that they are ground launching at the top of runs, maybe post on one of the skydiving forums to see if anyone knows about that, should be more practical than a paraglider. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #9 September 8, 2004 QuoteI would like to hear why everyone thinks this is so dangerous Ground launching is an acquired skill. Even paragliders, who ground launch almost every flight, occasionally screw it up and end up bouncing down a hill. Doing it without practice, off a building, just sound incredibly foolish. I've seen experienced paragliders (again, people with lots of practice at this kind of thing) screw up cliff launches and fall 100 feet under collapsed canopies. In short, I think the idea is dangerous because of the lack of practice and preparation.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FIREFLYR 0 #10 September 8, 2004 Does this even belong in the BASE zone? It sounds more like stupid skydiver tricks to me. Darwin loves you ~J"One flew East,and one flew West..............one flew over the cuckoo's nest" "There's absolutely no excuse for the way I'm about to act" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #11 September 8, 2004 Quotemore like stupid skydiver tricks to me. dude, none of us are perfect and all of us have done, Quotestupid skydiver tricks before. Therefore, is such a redundant comment necessary?Leroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FIREFLYR 0 #12 September 9, 2004 QuoteQuotemore like stupid skydiver tricks to me. dude, none of us are perfect and all of us have done, Quotestupid skydiver tricks before. Therefore, is such a redundant comment necessary? Yes,yes it is. I'm just surprised Tom let it stay in the BASE zone since it doesn't sound like a BASE question, atleast not in this context. I figured it belonged in another forum. (Especially when it solicets responses like the one about thinking it could be a nice cheap way to practice accuracy landings. 2cents too many,but I'm bored Never mind, Have fun...take video. ~J"One flew East,and one flew West..............one flew over the cuckoo's nest" "There's absolutely no excuse for the way I'm about to act" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
