has anyone jumped a microlight?

[Newbie 0]

If so what was that like? Are there any regulations to say you cant get someone to take one to the dz and do jumps from them?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[rendezvous 0]

I once saw a picture in the Parachutist of a guy doing this in India.

[murrays 0]

Here's a pic taken shortly before I climbed out and dropped off. Almost no airspeed compared to an aircraft. Sort of like riding around on a chainsaw with wings...I hated the engine noise but it was cool to be sitting out in the open climbing to altitude.
Edit: Taken in Kamloops British Columbia in 1986 or so.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[AndyMan 7]

I once saw someone base an ultralight from 300 feet at a midwestern DZ.

_Am

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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[sinker 0]

anyone remember the pic in either skydiving or parachutist that had the jumper standing on the wing of a glider about to jump?

-the artist formerly known as sinker

[Tonto 1]

Microlights are easy to jump, as long as you have a co-operative pilot.
From a regulatory point of view here - you can jump a microlight over a registered DZ as long as you do so for free. Microlights cannot be registered for commercial use in SA. You could maybe do things a back route though, like give the pilot a microwave oven 2 weeks later to say "Thanks"

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

Not standing exactly but....

[ernokaikkonen 0]

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I once saw someone base an ultralight from 300 feet at a midwestern DZ.

IMO you BASE-jump from objects and skydive from aircraft.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

The film 'Anti Gravity' by Patrick Passe has Rickster Powell exiting a microlight several times to go swoop a small stream. Also great footage of him swooping into a hangar....

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[annaandbob 0]

I have done several jumps from a microlight. At the airport we jump at there are several microlight pilots. One of them is kind enough to take anyone up that wants to jump it. It's great fun

[DexterBase 1]

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I once saw someone base an ultralight from 300 feet at a midwestern DZ.

IMO you BASE-jump from objects and skydive from aircraft.

I'd like to say something here. Sorry if I sound whiney but oh well.

A BASE jump is a fixed object jump. Jumping from either a building(B) antenna (A) span(S) or earth(E)

If you jump from an aircraft of any type (airplane, helicopter, balloon,paraglider,ultralight, large bird etc...)it is NOT a BASE jump. If you exit from any of these aircraft you are most likely wearing a sport rig so it is a skydive. If you get out of these aircraft with a BASE rig, it's still a skydive. No matter how low you get out.

Low exits (I don't care how low) are NOT BASE jumps. An ability to exit low from a plane does not prepare you for BASE. Doing low pulls or low exits with skydiving equipment will kill you very rapidly.

I would like to see these kinds of jumps called skydives and not BASE jumps. These "stunt" jumps discredit the BASE community. There is an extreme amount of preparation that goes into every BASE jump, and the activity is anything but reckless. Dangerous, maybe but definitely not reckless.

Thanks for your time. Stay safe out there.---Dex

[homer 0]

There are about 10 ultra light and 5 gliders based out of my DZ's airport. I hate the bastards for taking off and landing when I'm trying to land. Shoot we had one last year take off and fly between two jumpers at less than a 1k.
We have talked to several and some have offered to take us up for some fun hop-n-pops. One of these days I will get a jump from one. WHEN THERE NOT FLYING DRUNK.

CSA #699 Muff #3804

[flymysky 0]

I jumped a microlite in Oz. A microlite being a hanglider with a small engine, not an ultralight.
I was visiting a new dz and was offered the chance before I had even done a skydive there. When I asked the dzo if I could do it he said "SSShhh!! I don't want to know!" Then he gave me a quick briefing on the airport and landing area and hurried into his office and shut the door. It was really fun and we actually got 4000'. The pilot cut the engine and we glided quietly for a bit before I climbed out. Getting past the wires was a little tricky.

Got some cool visuals of the microlite circling me while I was under canopy.

.

My candle burns at both ends It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - It gives a lovely light.
http://www.galaxygear.com.au/

[pilotdave 0]

I see this doesn't apply to you, but it's never legal in the US, at least not yet, unless the "microlight" is certified and is not a "part 103" ultralight. (Ultralights in the US can only ever carry a second person for the purpose of flight instruction). This might all change with the new Sport Plane class of aircraft, which will hopefully make european microlights legal in the US to pilots that hold the sport pilot license (which will require minimal training). With everything else going on I kinda doubt they're in a hurry to get more planes in the air, so who knows when this might actually happen. Supposedly making progress though.

Dave

[AndyMan 7]

OK, let me clarify.

I saw very well known BASE jumper, exited a slowly moving ultralight, with virutally no relative wind. He did this from about 300 feet, wearing only BASE gear.

Base gear.
Base jumper.
300 feet.
virtually no airspeed.

Sounds to me like this "skydive" has a whole lot more in common with a base jump, then it does with a skydive. But if you want to be pedantic and insist that since it's not from one of the base acronyms, I'll grant you that.

_Am

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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[DexterBase 1]

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OK, let me clarify.

I saw very well known BASE jumper, exited a slowly moving ultralight, with virutally no relative wind. He did this from about 300 feet, wearing only BASE gear.

Base gear.
Base jumper.
300 feet.
virtually no airspeed.

Sounds to me like this "skydive" has a whole lot more in common with a base jump, then it does with a skydive. But if you want to be pedantic and insist that since it's not from one of the base acronyms, I'll grant you that.

_Am

Thank you. It was NOT a BASE jump. But you obviously missed the subtance of my post.

[AndyMan 7]

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But you obviously missed the subtance of my post.

OK, what then was the substance of your post, beyond "If it isn't BASE, it isn't BASE"?

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[DexterBase 1]

Okay, first of all let me tell you that in no way am I seeking confrontation and if I came across that way I apologize.

The entire purpose of my post is safety. I am acutely aware of the increased interest in BASE jumping throughout the world and skydiving community. Many of those interested in BASE are new skydivers who don't have as much experience or knowledge as others at their DZ.

It is because of this that the difference between a BASE jump and a skydive needs to be clarified. A common misconception is that pulling low on a skydive would simulate BASE jumping. Another misconception (and this being a misconception is largely opinion on my part) is that, "well it's 4,000 feet so I can use a sport rig" These two attitudes will get you killed quickly.

There are more differences in the two activities than there are similarities, and because of this the equipment and techniques involved are dramatically different. I am a large advocate for using BASE specific equipment on BASE jumps and sport rigs for skydives. (The need to use BASE specific gear on BASE jumps is pretty self explanatory, but if I were to get into why skydiving gear is dangerous for BASE you'd probably get bored and stop reading)

So, SAFETY is where I'm coming from. I believe both sports (yes, I feel they are completely different sports) cultivate individuality, free choice, and self expression. But there's also those who need to be supported and nurtured until they gain the knowledge necessary to make good decisions.

Do me a favor and ask your friend who did this jump if he considers it a BASE jump or a skydive. I'm curious what he has to say.

Lastly, if my tone offended you earlier that was not my intention. Please accept my apologies.---Dex

[rendezvous 0]

I agree with you though I'm not into BASE. At the moment I'm just trying to understand it more so that one day I can take it on.

[AndyMan 7]

Well, at the time the guy in particular DID call it a base jump, and he was a base jumper with more experience then most. Granted that this was about two years ago, and this debate probably hadn't started then.

I'd love to tell you his name, but since he broke only a few FAR's in the process I'll decline. You'd recognise his name, in fact there's a good chance you've met him.

I agree with your rant in principle. BASE is not skyding, and vice versa. I'd agree that 99% of the time, jumping from airplanes is not BASE. I do think this is one example of where it is, though.

To stick rigidly to the acronym is silly. Is jumping from a commercial bungee tower not very similar to an Antenae? Likewise, is jumping a crane also not BASE?

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[sasteve 0]

When we got married 11 years ago at the Silver Saddle Resort in Mojave, my wife Maria jumped into the wedding preparations from a microlight piloted by Wayne Flemington at 5000ft. Really cool! Thanks again Wayne.....

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[Flygator 0]

where do you live? I fly ultralights and I also skydive...:)

The secret to life is not arriving at the grave in a well preserved body but sliding in sideways completely worn out yelling "holy crap" what a ride!!!

[steve1 5]

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(Ultralights in the US can only ever carry a second person for the purpose of flight instruction).

I talked to a jumper at Eloy who also owns an ultra-light. I may have misunderstood him, but he said this practice is illegal, yet many still jump them. He said that many times he has been up at 10,000 ft. in one, without a rig. He said his biggest fear was getting hit by another plane. I'd like to get one for hunting caribou in Alaska. If you had a two seater you could pack the meat out. It might be a whole lot cheaper than buying a Super Cub.....Steve1

[tb62871 0]

Idon't know if a chainsaw with wings comes equipt with a radio. If it doesn't then it's illegal to jump it acording to the SIM.

--TB
Welcome my friends to the show that never ends.

[Tonto 1]

Don't put your hand through the prop. The prop will go through your hand.

Jumping microlights is a lot of fun, but do multiple practice climbouts on the ground, and if the pilot is accomodating, stop the fan for exit.

t

It's the year of the Pig.