kelter 0 #1 January 12, 2009 So here's my stats: Years in the biz: 0 Jumps: 0 Time spent researching: 2 weeks n00b! I know. I saw that highly famous loic jean-albert film and well, it's my new life goal. Replacing all of becoming a top snowboarder, owning a ski hill, running at least five field-schools in archaeology world-wide, and buying a house with a pool combined. I WANT TO FLY! Wingsuit BASE jumping... What I'm wondering is how long does it take to go from being completely inexperienced to being comfortable BASE jumping in a wingsuit? I'm 22 now, I graduate this november, and until I start working in 2010 am going to be living off $1000 (*tear*). So lets just call 2009 a 'research' year, shall we? How old am I going to be before I REALLY hit the sky, do you think? Who is the oldest wingsuit flier to date (sorry, I'm sure that one might turn up on google somewhere. I'm just being lazy right now)? Also, since wingsuit BASE jumping IS the ultimate goal, what would be the smartest way of going about getting there? Do I start with skydiving and then turn to BASE jumping? Since I really want to paraglide as well, would that be of any asset? If this has all been answered a million times before on the boards, I'm sorry. I just joined and it's 5am and I want to get all my questions out before I forget them ;) Thanks, Kelly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #2 January 12, 2009 Living in a shitty country like Holland/UK, a lot of people who really go for it manage to make 200 to 300 jumps per year while jumping on a small plane (C206) dropzone, mostly jumping weekends, and two or three holidays. If you really want this, and you dont make a lot of $$ just yet, stop spending money on bullshit on shiny cars, a car stereo with swimming dolfin display and that surroundset and flatscreen tv, and spend it all on jumping. I was a student when I started jumping (and 22) and graduated halfway into my first year of jumping. The first few year I only made 30 jumps, but managed to keep jumping and slowly the numbers climbed. With your budget (or lack there-off) starting jumping on staticline progression means you get the same training as you do on AFF, only spread over a lot more jumps (with more canopy experience) and at a cost where you should be able to afford at least one or two days of jumping per month, even on your budget. Next to that you could go to a DZ in the weekends and learn to pack for $$ or find other ways of making some money with your work/skills to earn jumping cash. There have been people without any money at all who manage to make a living (be it on breadcrumbs and jumps only:)) on skydiving. Its just a matter of how hard you want it. I see no reason why you couldnt start jumping now, jump as much as money allows, and be flying a wingsuit and furthering your jumping career towards your other goals within one or two years.. Dont be a pussy...just start... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #3 January 12, 2009 Click the FAQ at the top of this page, and the FAQ at the bottom of the page for more info. With regards to base. Its skydiving which had a kick in the nuts while dating a pornstar. skills, awereness, safety and your response to bad shit has to be in top condition. And then its a matter of years (MANY YEARS!) of training and jumps to get anywhere near what you want.. We have people flying winguits up into their 70s/80s...so I wouldnt worry about the age thing.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unclecharlie95 3 #4 January 12, 2009 Like Jarno says - its all about priorities. If you want it as bad as you say then it can be done (safely) in a few years. 12 years ago i made one parachute jump, just the one mind you, to see what it was like BASEstore.it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelter 0 #5 January 12, 2009 Well I gotta say nothing I've read so far has brought me up as much. Thank you! I was starting to really doubt ever being able to fly (especially with mom, dad, little brother, boyfriend, cousin, and countless friends saying 'uhh, good luck'). Not that it wasn't gonna keep me from trying :D I didn't think it was that 'cheap.' A guy I know said he did a tandem jump for $350 Canadian. So of course I start doing math and well, 200 x 350 = way more than what I have. I had never heard of S/L but I like the sounds of it. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #6 January 12, 2009 Once you've completed the basic training, jumps cost $10 to $30 depending on where you jump. With an added $10/15 for gear rental. Tandemjumps are expensive carnaval rides, which dropzones use to keep jumping cheap for us folks (or least, thats the pink glasses I try to always look at the biz). And even on those, there is not a lot of profit made. You list 2 weeks of research...try and call a dropzone (list can be found on this website, topbar) and ask questions on how to start skydiving and what the basic training costs.. Thats research. Watching videos online is just entertainmentQuit posting..start jumping! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelter 0 #7 January 12, 2009 It's skydiving which had a kick in the nuts while dating a pornstar...... I'm having a really fun time trying to decipher that one there. Good job ;) Good to hear this sport isn't like ballet with an age limit of 26. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwrl 56 #8 January 12, 2009 A couple of things. It's not 200 x $350 (or if it is, I want to be your DZO). Once you are licensed (and have your gear, and pack for yourself), you're talking more like $20 to $25 per jump. (Depends where you are; there are a few places that are a lot cheaper than that, like Lodi.) And as for the oldest, I don't know the answer on this one, but the oldest guy I know of is Jim Hickey, who is 66. I think you'll be in a wingsuit before then (if you actually stick with it).Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #9 January 12, 2009 Tony also looks really old (though puts a lot of youngster to shame in terms of energy levels and what he does up in the big blue) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #10 January 12, 2009 well, at 22 you have time on your side, which is awesome BASEjumping seems to be an activity with no real upper age limit, but it seems that starting young only increases your level of risk due to most younger people feeling more bulletproof until they have developed their judgment somewhat read the BASE fatality list and read up on skydiving fatalities and injuries and you will see there's no rush to get it going ASAP that said, go find your local DZs and hopefully one of them will need a packer. learn to pack (you can easily do so before learning to jump). now spend every weekend on the DZ packing instead of spending money somewhere else and you will soon have the money you need to get started in skydiving, all while gaining valuable packing experience. Learn as much about rigging as you can while doing this. Learn as much as you can about skydiving while doing this, you will see many landings. form good relationships at the DZ and when you do start skydiving there determine what jumping work you could do first and work towards that in Canada and the USA 500 jumps is the minimum for becoming a Tandem Instructor, but at many DZs you could get on the video rotation before that. I think video jumps are better experience anyway. Some instructor ratings like IAD/static line require less than 500 jumps also and you get to do jumps yourself too. Why am I bothering to plot a course for you past 500 jumps? Because your goal is WS BASE and if you start WS at 200 skydives, you still want to get really competent at WS (and BASE) before starting WS BASE. Funding all these skydives solely with working in the skydiving industry will mean it will take more jumps to get there, but at no real cost to you and you will have great times, become part of a DZ family unit and get valuable experience. Don't rush it, I started skydiving at 28 yrs old and even though I am an old man now, I can still manage to slowly hike myself and my wingsuit to the exit point and do the occasional WS BASE jump. Enjoy skydiving for what it has to offer rather than just wanting to tick it of your "to do" list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
174fps 1 #11 January 12, 2009 I see you live in Kelowna Kamloops would be your nearest DZ www.skydivekamloops.org head over there in the spring and sign up for a first jump course Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #12 January 12, 2009 Kamloops is one of my favorite places to go and jump! I try and get up there for the May Meet each year and am planning on attending this year as well. I would be happy to talk to you about moving towards wingsuits and some of the pre-requesets needed. Also there are a number of WS jumpers up in that area that could help as well. First step though is to get a first jump and to see if it is something that you want to do more and get into. Thinking about Kelowna, was there not a place that is closer then Kamloops in Vernon? Okanagan Skydive Centre?? Don't know if it is still up and running but that might be a closer option if Kamloops is too far.. Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #13 January 12, 2009 To clarify a bit on 980's post. At DZs I've been to, packers get paid $5-10 a packjob, and often get tips. I know of several people that paid their way through getting a license just by packing at the DZ. Then, once you've got about 200 jumps (or sooner, circumstances depending), you can be paid to be a video flyer for tandems and AFF students. You may be paid roughly the cost of a jump ticket (plus occasional tips) and all your camera jumps are paid for. So you can basically skydive for "free" at this point since your camera jumps will pay for your non-camera jumps (RW, tracking, eventually wingsuiting). Bottom line, if you're patient and hardworking, you can work at the DZ in a variety of capacities, slowly building the jump numbers you need to safely begin wingsuiting, and eventually BASE. Plus, you'll gain a lot more relevant experience working at the DZ than at Burger King.Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwrl 56 #14 January 12, 2009 Quote Plus, you'll gain a lot more relevant experience working at the DZ than at Burger King. You mean those bastards at Burger King lied to me?!?!?Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hjumper33 0 #15 January 12, 2009 The real answer is if youre an marginally attractive girl you can probably get someone to take you for a base jump this weekend, but yes, the smart way is to do it like people have said above. For me with full time school, the answer was 4 years from my first jump until my dream wingsuit base trip which is coming up in may. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr_prick 0 #16 January 12, 2009 little less than 3 years for me...from seeing it-learning to skydive-first wingsuit base jump. overstretched my time at university a couple of semesters though.... started at age 24. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
174fps 1 #17 January 12, 2009 Paragliding instruction .... http://www.hpac.ca/pub/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dploi 0 #18 January 12, 2009 I started jumping when I was 21, and was BASE jumping my wingsuit by just before my 28th birthday. And I've been pretty poor the whole time, though the skydiving itself might have had something to do with that. Once you start jumping, your priorities change. You won't spend money on anything else and it will become more affordable than you realize. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hjumper33 0 #19 January 13, 2009 Ive done the vast majority of my skydives (about 420) and all of my BASE jumps and WS base jumps (200) while in med school. If you want it, you get do it in any situation! Living in northern california sure helped too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
