do i have to skydive before i base jump?

[Janbele 0]

i have never skydived but i was told that i need to take a skydive class before i can base jump

[BillyVance 34]

I have heard of a few guys who learned to base jump without ever learning to skydive, but it definitely is not recommended...

You need to learn canopy control up high first...

I really don't know if learning to skydive is required, but most everyone will suggest you do so first anyway...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[cvfd1399 0]

Take a scan at this doccument it has alot of base info

Read this

[Frenchy68 0]

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i have never skydived but i was told that i need to take a skydive class before i can base jump?

You don't "HAVE" to learn to skydive to BASE jump. THere is no regulation as far as BASE jumping is concerned.
But if you want to survive BASE jumping, it may be wise to get more than a course in skydiving. Definitely read Tom's article.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[hookitt 1]

That depends.

Do you want to do this more than once?
Do you want to have any sense of how a parachute flies?

Jump off a building and have it open the wrong way... now what?

I watched a person once that had no Ram Air parachute experience jumping at one of the safest spans (that's bridge to you and me) in the US. The canopy opened and he had no Idea how to control it correctly.

Let’s put it this way. There's absolutely no way in hell I'd take someone BASE jumping that hasn't skydived at least a few hundred times.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[kimemerson 7]

No. It's (mostly) illegal. The only "need", "must" or "have to" as far as any rule is concerned is, you can't, you shouldn't & you had better not. After that it's a matter of common sense and good vs. bad advice and how to tell the difference. There's nothing that says you couldn't get good heads up instruction on BASE jumping without having skydived. Just as there's nothing stopping you from doing as you damn well please because it is illegal. So shop around, See Marta & Jimmy. Bridge Day? Good luck.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I watched a person once that had no Ram Air parachute experience jumping at one of the safest spans (that's bridge to you and me) in the US. The canopy opened and he had no Idea how to control it correctly.

But ... but ... but ... there's video of a sac of dog food hucking off of that span with no prior ram air canopy control experience. If a sac of dog food can do it, why can't this person do it?

Seriously ... for the person who's started this thread. If you really are serious about getting into BASE, do hundreds and hundreds of skydives first. I did 700+ skydives before my first BASE jump. But then again, I didn't start skydiving to get into BASE. BASE just found me along the way. Canopy control is a major influence towards surviving in the BASE environment. When you've got to land in a tight landing area with no 2nd chances, you need to know how to control that canopy.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[hookitt 1]

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After that it's a matter of common sense and good vs. bad advice

Like the advice in your post about shopping around. I take that as bad. Common sense doesn't live in a persons head yet when they have 0 jumps.

What you're suggesting is, if you don't like the answer you receive, keep asking around untill you hear the answer you want.

A person with 2 BASE jumps just broke their back in Moab because their BASE canopy flying skills weren't up to par. Just because it can be done...doesn't mean it should. There's almost no BASE jumpers out there, with a sound mind, that thinks it's a good Idea.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[hookitt 1]

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But ... but ... but ... there's video of a sac of dog food hucking off of that span with no prior ram air canopy control experience. If a sac of dog food can do it, why can't this person do it?

Cuz with an on heading opening and zero harness or steering control input puts you into the water.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[jman 0]

Most skydiving students are taught to open their canopies higher than an experienced skydiver. Why?...you ask. To give someone with little experience "time" to make the correct decision and follow through with emergency procedures. Without having that skydiving experience, a problem on a base jump would most likely result in you being seriously injured or killed.

[TrickyDicky 0]

I know there are base jumping courses in europe. They wont take you unless you have at least 150 skydives, sometimes more.

UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

[kimemerson 7]

Like the advice in your post about shopping around. I take that as bad.
Shopping for good instruction is not actually bad.

Common sense doesn't live in a persons head yet when they have 0 jumps.
Sure they can have common sense. Knowledge is what they'd be missing. Common sense does not require experience just to reside in a person's head.

What you're suggesting is, if you don't like the answer you receive, keep asking around untill you hear the answer you want.
No, what I'm saying is that you don't have to listen to just anyone. And you don't have to take the first volunteer who comes along and says they'll take you on a BASE jump.

]

[brits17 0]

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So shop around, See Marta & Jimmy. Bridge Day? Good luck.

Apex still requires a minimum 150 skydives for their FJC. Bridge Day is only 50 but still, parachuting experience required... and for good reason.

_______________________
aerialkinetics.com

[Zennie 0]

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But ... but ... but ... there's video of a sac of dog food hucking off of that span with no prior ram air canopy control experience. If a sac of dog food can do it, why can't this person do it?

And that video was of Kibble #2. Kibble #1 (the video that you don't get) opened with a 90 left & line twists and hit the wall.

In fact, I think from now on I'm just going to refer to folks who subscribe to the "low-to-no jumps is OK" philosophy as Kibble.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[leroydb 0]

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In fact, I think from now on I'm just going to refer to folks who subscribe to the "low-to-no jumps is OK" philosophy as Kibble.

The Kibble Philosophy...

I like it

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[monkey1031 0]

See attached.


-SMD7

[QuickDraw 0]

Looks hungry.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[plowdirt 0]

Do you have to know how to drive before they let you in a formula 1 race car. do you have to study for a final. The answer is know, know what your getting yourself into. you may crash a little you may fail alot . don't forget the video, so we can have it on the skydiving movies.com. How not to get into base.

Good luck and be safe.

[TomAiello 26]

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It's (mostly) illegal.

This is a popular misconception. The majority of the BASE jumps made in the world today are made legally. That's not a semantic game, or anything based on the actual jump being legal. The majority of jumps are made without breaking any laws--no trespassing, no aerial delivery, no law breaking.

There are many BASE jumps made under less than legal circumstances. There are also many (more) made in completely legal situations.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[TomAiello 26]

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There's nothing that says you couldn't get good heads up instruction on BASE jumping without having skydived.

Sure there is.

The instructors (the ones providing the "good, heads up instruction") will generally say it. It's exceedingly difficult (close to impossible) to find an actual qualified BASE instructor who will teach a student with no skydiving experience.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[NickDG 23]

Most extreme sports involve catching big air. The board sports, whether skate. snow, or kite allow one to start slow and small. You can then work up to doing bigger and higher tricks, or you can remain very conservative.

However, when you pull the trigger on your first BASE jump there's no slow and small. It's the whole enchilada right from the start.

This is isn't a knock on that other sport, it's just a fact that the slow and small of BASE jumping is skydiving . . .

NickD BASE 194

[freakboy066 0]

Tom are you basing this statement on TF,and Moab only,and the couple of other states that have legal jumps?

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I do not beleive that most jumps done are legal.Maybe if you take the entire world into account,but I think in the US alone the base jumps are unfortunately leaning more towards illegal.What are your thoughts?

http://freakboy066.tripod.com/

[TomAiello 26]

[replyMaybe if you take the entire world into account...

[BASE813 0]

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The majority of the BASE jumps made in the world today are made legally.

you think?

day in day out, I dont think this is true...........

ok, you may quote numbers of jumps made off the "legal spots" but I would say generally that "most" BASE jumps are made off the objects not allowed............... if thats not the case then I think the sport is going away from its roots.................

it makes me laugh to meet jumpers who have never jumped in the dark...........

[freakboy066 0]

I am still not sure this is true.Without naming any sites there are alot of jumps being done off of"A""S" throughout the US,and the world that are not legal.Especially the "S's."This probably belongs on another thread,but I just wanted to know how you came to this conclusion,without really knowing any #'s.(Unless you do have #'s)
Just my opinion.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY INPUT.

http://freakboy066.tripod.com/