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Sweet! Welcome back to the mix Tree...

Hi Tom H. -- Keep the reports coming -- I love to hear what the Norwegians are up to in the land of big walls. Enjoyed jumping with you in China and hope to see you next summer in Norway. C-ya, Bryan

Ah yes....many good memories from this last weekend. Congratulations Steve, it was a pleasure meeting you! It was equally fun watching the Portland crew break you in with style. There are many things to comment on regarding the weekend: - congrats to Ray for surviving Jump #700! - the sound DJ made when landing in the water with his camera was hilarious - thanks Tom and Cheri for the best BBQ I've ever had (Idaho has the best corn) - after seeing my downwind ankle-twisting landing, Sauce decided he could one-up me with an even nastier ankle-wrencher - and the best achievement of the weekend: the refinement of the "Higley-Wigley" move by the infamous DJ Higgins (maybe someone can post some pics?) Thanks for a great weekend guys... Bryan edit: spelling on my wife's name ~TA

Something to consider: it's a lot more than 14 feet. I just measured a 36ft round used by the U.S. Air Force. From the apex to the risers was 34 feet and 4 inches. Now, add a "15ft shroud line" as he calls it, and you are looking at nearly 50 feet until the entire system is tensioned. It is at this point that the jumper will be "righted" from whatever body position they are in. A drop of 50ft is close to a 2-second delay and I've seen plenty of people get seriously unstable on a 2 second delay... Bryan

Congratulations to the Russian Extreme Project -- nice work guys! Bryan From July 21st: Clicky 1 From July 26th: Clicky 2

I luv your work Nick. Nice, very nice...

Tree -- Congrats on the new kid -- that's awesome! I hope he'll be BASEing and Swooping within a few years.

Tree -- I certainly agree with all the points you are making here, but I think it is a bad idea to call the sherrif at this point and time. Calling the sherrif may cause more harm than good. If the Sherrif's office is bothered enough by jumpers and their actions, then it may be easier for them to simply shut down jumping at the bridge than having to clean up our mess. It is my opinion that we need to self-regulate amongst ourselves as much as we possibly can and keep law enforcement out of it unless it is absolutely necessary. Right now, we have a jumper who is being selfish and disrespectful on one of our premier legal objects. For the most part, only the BASE jumping community knows about it, and a handful of spectators in Twin Falls. Calling law enforcement is going to bring all kinds of permanent and lasting attention to BASE jumping as a whole in Twin Falls -- and I'm not convinced that it's going to be good. Tree, I luv ya bro, but I would like to please ask you not to call the Sherrif at this time and let's do our best to handle this sort of thing internally. I'm headed to Twin Falls tomorrow evening and am going to do all I can to help there. (I'm actually moving to Idaho -- about an hour west of Twin Falls) Hope you're doing well and looking forward to seeing you at BD! Take care, Bryan

Actually, I suspect that it would be downward. Look at it like this: As the canopy hits line stretch and the lower surface of the canopy begins to spread, the 4 grommets will be spread apart until the slider is fully tensioned and all four grommets will be as far apart as they can go. It's this action that pulls the slider out of the rubber band. Assuming that you stowed the apex of the slider in the rubber band, the force will be a downward pull rather than lateral. Bryan

In addition to the direct and indirect control that I use, I too have started to use masking tape on the control lines. I've been doing 1 1/2 wraps of 3/4 inch masking tape about two inches from the top of the control lines. I've heard of others doing this, and then started doing it myself after watching some of JJ's openings at the Potato Bridge using the same set-up. I only have 40 jumps (+/-) using the masking tape, but so far I'm very happy with it. So for now, I use indirect control, direct control, and masking tape on every slider-up jump I make. Like Ray, I'm always learning, and therefore, always changing what i do... Bryan

My experience with a 5th control line is only on the Ace and the Black Jack, so I can only give you opinions on these two canopies. I've found the 5th control line makes toggle input much more responsive as well as increasing the power of the canopy's flare. Since generally speaking, slower is better in BASE, these characteristics may not be desirable for some while for others it may. I bring this up because many newer jumpers in this sport may think that higher performance equals a better canopy, which is often the case in skydiving, but is not necassarily true in BASE. Hmmm...but that's another discussion, so let's get back on topic: With the increased performance that a 5th control line brings, I've also found that it is much more sensitive to your DBS setting when opening in a slider-down environment. I've found that the same DBS setting on a canopy with a 5th control line (when compared to the same canopy with 4 upper control lines) may be too deep. When making a rear-riser correction after opening, it feels like the canopy is "falling off its line" rather than a traditional rear-riser turn. I often wonder if the canopy responds this way because more of the tail is pulled down and less air is allowed to "vent" out the back of the tail as compared to a more traditional 4-line system. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? The above is not to say that a 5th upper control line is bad, but simply that it responds differently when making a rear-riser response on a slider-down jump. For me, a slightly shallower DBS and less input during a rear-riser correction has been the answer, but keep in mind that your mileage may vary greatly since a) the depth of a DBS is highly personal for each and every one of us -and- b) one manufacturer may place the 5th control line in a different location when compared to another manufacturer -and- c) an Ace will respond differntly to a Fox Vtec as will a Troll MDV, etc. etc. I've modified two of my Aces to a 4 upper control line set-up and am taking notes on the differences (as compared to having 5 upper control lines) but I simply don't have enough jumps to make an educated opinion at this point -- but will certainly post them here once I do. Bryan

Hello -- This thread would be a good time for me to bring up a theory that I have. I've been using direct and indirect control on every slider-up jump for the last 4 1/2 years. It is my opinion that direct control may help to prevent tension knots by ensuring the slider is not released until you have full tension/line stretch. Once the lines are tensioned, the slider will travel cleaner during this part of the deployment phase. In theory, it may reduce your chances of a tension knot. It's all about staging the deployment... Bryan

Doug -- I usually stay out of the mud-slinging, but I have something to say about this. I feel your statements are unfounded and unfair. First and foremost, I think you completely misunderstood NickDG's post -- I saw it in a completely different manner than you did. And for the record, I think NickDG is an icon of past and present. He's had his finger on the pule of BASE for a very long time and is full of useful, insightful, and witty information. I've been thoroughly enjoying hiw writings since 1995 when I started learning all I could about this wonderful and whacky sport called BASE. Doug, it saddens me to see that you carry so much anger and emotions. By all means, I know how much it hurts to lose friends in this sport and granted, we all deal with it differently, but I really hope you could find a way to let it go and find peace within yourself. I know the friends you've lost wouldn't want it any other way. I met Nik in Feb of 1999 and Dwain later that same year. While I certainly wasn't close dear friends with either one of them, I certainly got to know them over the next several years. Both were some of the most flavored and colored human beings I've ever met. I cried when they passed and I will never forget them or the memories I have of their lives. Doug, I tell you these things because I hope that one day you can find peace within yourself and others -- I'd sure like to see the old dog that I used to know. Best wishes, Bryan

Hi Sinkster -- It sounds like you taking a calculated approach which is certainly the right thing to do. In my opinion, a big part of what Bridge Day is about is providing the opportunity for folks to make a BASE jump in a relatively safe environment. By no means is any BASE jump safe or guaranteed, but Bridge Day provides a lot of tools that makes it safer than the average jump. With the right approach (which you are taking), I think it is reasonable for you to make a BASE jump at Bridge Day. My suggestion would be for you to find an experienced BASE jumper in your area (if possible) and have him/her guide you on proper gear selection. Riggers can certainly help you with this too, but please be sure that they have an understanding of modern-day BASE rigging, or if they don't, be sure that they can and will educate themselves on today's standards. Once you have safe and functional gear lined-up, you can look towards training. Canopy Control. Try to skydive the gear that you will be using at Bridge Day, and do so more than once. Get a feel for what it is like to correct an off-heading with your brakes stowed (object strike is possible -- even at Bridge Day). Learn to do flat-turns under the canopy. Learn what it is like to fly in half brakes and deep brakes. While landing in the water is a good option and should not be a problem, you never know when you might have to land somewhere else due to post-opening problems, so learn as much as you can about the canopy and how to fly it before arriving in West Virginia. Exits. A swimming pool is a great place to practice. Once again, if you can talk an experienced BASE jumper into watching/coaching you, that would be the better option. If you can't, try to have a friend video tape your sessions at the pool so you can review and critique yourself. On a basic BASE launch, you do not want to jump out into a flat and stable body position as it will likely result in going head-low. A better way to look at it is: step-off and DO NOT leave your feet behind -- your feet should almost lead the way with your chest slightly in front. When you jump off the side of a pool (try to stand on a box so you are 12 to 18 inches off the water) your knees should hit the water first with your chest slightly in front when viewed from the side. Practice this over and over learn what it feels like to launch too far forward and not forward enough -- and try to practice this over 2 or 3 sessions at the pool. Bridge Day. Be sure to show up by Thursday at the latest. Take advantage of every seminar you can get your hands on. Talk to folks and enjoy the fun and exciting atmosphere that only Bridge Day can provide. The seminars and training will make more sense since you've practiced much of it beforehand. And be sure to savor the first time you are truly on the edge -- it will be a moment in time that you will remember forever. If you have any more questions, feel free to post them here so others can learn too. Enjoy and Have Fun, Bryan

I'll track him down (it may take a few days) and will give him your contact info. Reaching 300mph is really awesome! It's really impressive hearing about other's accomplishments -- helps us to strive to do better too. Blue Skies, Bryan

Hi Billy -- A HUGE congratulations to Alan -- what a wonderful accomplishment and a warm welcome to the wonderful world of BASE. By all means, this is not to take away from the accomplishment of his jumps, but there is a deaf BASE jumper from Montana who BASE jumps on a regular basis. I'm unsure how long he has been jumping, but I know that it's been at least a year. Once again, I don't say this to take away anything from Alan, but there is another deaf BASE jumper out there who's been active for awhile. C-ya, Bryan

Hi 813 -- I totally agree with you; jump numbers alone don't fully indicate one's true experience level. But as Tom has mentioned, it's a good step in the right direction and covers 99% of what we're looking for. Cheers, Bryan

I think this is a great idea. I've always posted my jump numbers as: XXXX Sky XXX BASE I think this is useful because it can allow other readers to see what experience level you have, which could possibly lead to added credibility to your posts. (it's certainly not an ego thing) Just a thought... Bryan

Just for consideration: The disadvantage of having any type of handle outside of the pilot chute is the risk of having the bridle hang up on it during the pilot chute's deployment. The danger is much more pronounced at low airspeeds and the chances of it happening at higher deployment speeds is much less (higher airspeeds clear it quickly -- usually before it has a chance to fully hitch on to the handle). For this reason, most manufacturers tend to only put handles on the smaller pilot chutes which are used at higher airspeeds, and when they do, they try to make it as low profile as they can. But why take the chance? I too heard about the idea of a floating handle from Per Flare -- and on the surface, it makes a lot of sense. In this game, if I can reasonably eliminate a problem, even its probability is only 1 in 100,000, I'm doing it.... Bryan

Hi Canuck -- I'm of the opinion that customized deep brake settings are one of the most overlooked things in BASE today. Dialing in your own deep brake setting (DBS) will likely save your hide one day. A DBS that's good for one jumper may not be ideal for another jumper who is jumping the same type of canopy with the exact same wing-loading. In short, a DBS is very much personal preference. So how do you go about determing what is right for you? Given that you are visiting the potatoe state quite often, here is what I would do: Have a manufacturer make you a set of lower steering lines that have multiple deep brake settings. (see what riggersam so kindly posted) It is not hard to have your local rigger install the lower brake lines if you want to save time and money from shipping your canopy back and forth to the manufacturer. Go to the bridge and try your best to jump in absolutely no wind. (this will give you the most accurate readings) Have someone video you from directly overhead and begin evaluating how the canopy responds. When I do this, I like to do at least 2 jumps per brake setting. Jump 1: do a go and throw and let the canopy open in it's DBS and do not do anything for 3 seconds (it's hard to actually wait for 3 seconds!). See how the canopy responds to no input. Then perform a 90 to a 120 degree rear riser turn, let up, and then release the brakes and set up for your landing. Make sure you get video from above if at all possible. Jump 2: do a go and throw and perform the same reaer riser correction as soon as possible after opening. Again, try to get video from above. Repeat this as necessary through several different brake settings. 1) Your going to get a feel as to what feels right and what does not. And the video is extremely valuable in helping you to confirm what feels right for you and what does not. 2) By allowing the canopy to open and then "sit there" for 3 seconds, it will really allow you to see just how close to a stall point you actually are. (some canopies take a second or two before they begin to stall). And then by performing the rear riser manuever as quick as possible, you are going to see exactly how the canopy will respond in a real world manuever. 3) Doing this in no wind conditions will give you the best scenario for testing. 4) Once you've determined what works best for you, have a set of lower brake lines with your shallow setting and your new DBS setting manufactured and installed. I know it's hard to find no wind conditions sometimes, but they can often be found very early in the morning (first light) and at sunset as well. Yes, it's a little bit of a pain to do all this, but I'm of the opinion that it is critical if you want to enjoy a long career of slider-down BASE on solid objects. As BASE 311 and Zennie have mentioned, density altitude will change the way your DBS will react and so will a chage in body weight -- which are things to consider if either one of these leans towards the extreme end of the spectrum. (jumping at say 10,000+ in elevation or a change of 15 pounds in body weight) Canuck, it was a pleasure meeting you again and I look forward to jumping with you in the future! Keep up the good work. C-ya, Bryan

Hello -- I have 400+ jumps on Icarus 365 and 400 mains....and I also own an Eclipse with an Icarus 400. I absolutely love the Icarus Tandem canopies. I like it over every other tandem canopy I've jumped (Sigma 370, Sigma 395, the EZ series, and beyond). Openings are consistently soft, even with a field elevation of 5,500ft where I jump. Heading performance is always a question mark, but that doesn't bother me at all. The real joy is in the super light toggle pressure. Flaring on your own requires little-to-no strength...I can do 12 tandems in one day and still feel fresh. They fly and land great! Bryan

What Tom is referring to here is the famous "bridle between the legs gainer" gainer that Slim did several years ago. (it was intentional) Slim was over the rail when a fellow jumper said "Hey mate -- wait a minute. Your bridle is misrouted!". Slim said "Thanks mate" and then proceeded to huck his meat from the bridge. The resulting terrified look on all the jumper's faces was priceless. Bryan

Hello -- This is a very good subject and one that I've been pondering on for the last couple of years. In the Utah desert, I've noticed a growing trend of jumpers using a 42" PC at progressively lower and lower heights. (down to 210ft) Can a 42" ZP work at low altitudes? Yes. But what scares me is that many jumpers out there will take that statement at face value and will blindly huck themselves off an object with a "42" Pilot Chute" without analyzing all the variables. How much pin tension do I have? How tight or loose is my velcro? How am I deploying my pilot chute and how is it folded in my hand (or stowed i nmy BOC)? What is my field elevation (believe me, this can make a big difference when you are at higher altitudes)? Am I jumping with a strong tailwind (as often is the case on an antenna)? Is it a 220 or a 310 lifting off your back? Well heck, if a 42" works fine, why wouldn't my 40" PC do the job equally as well? Who manufactured this 42" PC? (pilot chutes from different manufacturers often measure differently when compared to one another -AND- the amount that the apex is pulled down from the centerline can greatly effect inflation times) And the list goes on and on. In my limited experience, I feel as if I get a cleaner canopy extraction and inflation with a 42" PC (when compared to a 46" PC), but I cannot prove this on video yet and this is just how it "feels" to me. However, I pretty much always use a 46" PC on all jumps under 300ft as I am not yet convinced that a 42" is the way to go. (with all the variables involved) I'm very interested in hearing other's opinions and as jumpers continue to push it further and further, we'll undoubtedly learn more. Bryan

Hello -- While completely different sports, climbing and BASE jumping run many parallels. Conflicts between the two are rare. I frequently jump in a region where climbers are often directly beneath me when I jump. If they are near the ground, I'll take the time to walk up to the base of the route and ask them if they mind if I jump -or- I'll try to at least communicate it from the top down so they have some type of warning. I think it's the courteous thing to do since the shock of an unexpected slider-down opening could peel them off the rock -- maybe even at an unopportune time (picture some guy running it out 20ft above his last piece and he takes a fall) In every case, I've never had a problem. And by taking the time to ask, I believe it shows mutual respect and maturity to our brothers and sisters who also share the same rock. Bryan

Hi Hankie -- I have phone numbers and an email address for Wolf, but they are pretty old. I just tried to call you but it says you are out of your reception area and I can't seem to get your voice mail. I'll try to call you again later this afternoon and in the meantime, you can try to give me a call as well. I've also sent you the info via a private message. Hope you're out there having fun! Bryan