Basejumperjeff

After taking a tandem student for a jump who was blind, I had wondered what it would be like. So I blinded folded myself, used a student canopy and had radio. With audio altimeters, altitude is easy enough to figure out. On opening, I could feel the risers had no twists, and my body felt stable, so I figure I was not having any type of malfunction. As stated the scariest part is trusting the guy on radio, he flared me a bit high, but the landing, not stand-up, was relatively gentle. The feeling of jumping without site is unique. I would recommend everyone tries it. I made sure that I was able to remove the blind fold at any time if required.

Just wondering what was involved in the master rigger test? What sort of sewing do the DPRE's make you do? Is there a packing test? Do you need to right the exam again? Any info is appreciated. Thanks Jeff

Looking for anyone with info on pros and cons of using a Queen Air as a jump plane. Any DZO out there using one right now, I would like to speak to you. Thanks for any and all info. Jeff

I and doing a little research and was wondering if anybody had any written documentation on how parachuting equipment reacts to extreme cold temperatures. Such as 3 ring release problems, zero-P problems and so on. Left packed in the cold, opening differences in the cold, line strength, that kind of stuff. And when I say extreme cold I mean like -50c cold. Thanks in advance for any and all info. Jeff

Anyone have any contact info for rare dynamics inc. I cannot acces their website and would like to get some freefall communication sets. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Jeff

What effect does changing the size of the slider grommet have on the opening characteristics of a canopy? Bigger grommets? Smaller grommets? Thanks Jeff

Thanks for every ones info. In reply to rigger Rob's q, the FAA riggers certificate is a requirement for a position I am applying for. Thanks Jeff

Hi, I am looking for a faa senior rigger examiner close to Ontario, canada. Any examiner in the north eastern states, please let me know. Thank-you Jeff

Thanks Brian, thats what I was looking for. Jeff

Thank-you!

I'm too lazy to search the archives, so I will post this question. What is the best way to ground launch a canopy? What would be the best slope angle? I am wing loading a stiletto a 1.3. Is that a good wing loading and canopy? Now that the snow is on it way I wanted to play around with that this winter. Any info would be greatly appreciated, or links to old post or websites with info will work for me as well. Thanks Jeff

You can't forget about the Odyssey FX, 2 pin from Paratech Rigging in British Colubia, Canada. I myself and quite a few people I know jump that container and it has been extremely impressive. Paratech also makes the odyssey velcro container.

What about people who odered a vhs copy and pre-paid at the bridge?

I was wondering if Jason or anybody else knew what the deal is with this years bidge day video? Haven't heard anything and was wondering if it is still in production or if they have cancelled it. Thanks for any news. BASE 881

I am just trying to get so info and educate myself a little bit more about the low. I regularely freefall 300' with 1-1.5 sec delays. The 260' I did was about .5sec. I have already experience rear riser flares with the deep brakes set and that was a learning experience. I appreciate all info and experiences people can tell me. Thanks BASE 881

I have a question for all you sub 200' freefallers out there. Ais any body freefalling sub 200' with a none vented canopy? Is anybody freefalling 150" with a none vented canopy? I am jumping an ace 240 with about 50 jumps on it and no damage. I have a 200' a that i have pca'd and static lined and am now looking to take the next step. My lowest freefall so far is 260' over a 10' satelite dish. Any info would be great. BASE 881

Sort of similar. Three of us up top this nice 320' A. The plan was I jump first and the other two were going to do a two way. The winds were very low, lots of snow on the ground and the landing area large and clean. I jumped first as planned, my third from this object. No problems and alot of fun. Standing in the landing area, I look up to watch my friends jump. They each were on different sides of the A. Both lauched simultaneously both open almost exactly the same time, cool sound, then one of my friends snags a protuding peice of metal on the A. The canopy turns violently then unsnags itself half inflated. He was then flung into the wires and the canopy delated and started falling below him as he slid down the wire. He then fell off the wire and below his canopy and the canopy half inflated just a second before he hit the ground. This whole event took approximately 4-5 sec. I stood there amazed at what I had just saw, then ran over to see my friend fearing the worst hoping the best. He was hurt but alive. The end result was a broken right foot and a badly sprained left foot. This was my first time witnessing a base accident first hand and it made me realize that nobody is immune to the monster which may come up and bite me someday.

If you are coming to Ottawa or the area, mile high is the place to go, this is a fun drop zone, great people with all diciplines of skydivers for whatever you're into

If you are coming to Ottawa or the area, mile high is the place to go, this is a fun drop zone, great people with all diciplines of skydivers for whatever you're into

Here we have a 270ft. "A" that is right beside the police dispatch center, it has a sweet landing area, easy climb, and I'm sure a beauty view from the top. Nobody has yet jumped it, but every time we drive by we stop and talk a little more about it and how it would go down if we were to try. It would be the altimate object to say that everything is jumpable and we are the ones who can do it, it would also be a good slap in the face, of the man.

Although I have never used a belly mount, I do have a diamond 0.3 lense on my sony trv 18 and it works awesome. You get a little bit of fish-eye, but theres no way around that with a .3, and no shadowing in the corners. You can contact Max Cohn at the ranch in NY and he will set you up.

I'm the same as 704, I use 80lbs. break cord. I do rig a little differently thought. I use a peice of 13mm - 15mm climbing rope tied in a loop then looped around a hard point at the exit, tie my break cord thru the bridle, leaving the pilot chute on, and around the climbing rope with a surgeons knot. I have done 200' both s/l and pca, with a proper pca from someone you trust, I prefer the pca. Don't know why just feels better. Although you can freefall 200', I don't think that I would have the balls, but we have talked about it at the exit point, just none of us have ever tried it. I have freefallen 260' and that was scary enough.

Although I have never done a McConkey, I have watched lots. The reason some will go slider up is for the sensation of no opening shock, you do your front loop and slowly decelerate and have a canopy above your head, this method does take a little longer to open so adjust altitude as nessesary.

Although my first BASE jump was an antenna, it is not the safest. A bridge would be the safest.

I would have to say that I would be a little nervous if the motivation behind new gear advancements was to make the gear idiot proof. I would prefer that gear manufacturers and jumpers would be looking for ways to improve consistency in openings, reliability in heading control, eliminating common malfuctions. I beleive making changes for the sake of idiots hurts the rest of us. Are we going to have bridles that do not remove from the canopy, risers that cannot be removed, pilot chutes that cannot be changed, or whatever was the cause of a few BASE fatalities. This is not meant to say that I don't wish it only took me 10 minutes to pack instead of 45. I think that Base jumping in general, not just packing, requires a high level of gear knowledge and awareness. Just as in skydiving you need to know how to fly a canopy befor you can swoop a pond. As to in BASE you need to know the fundamentals of rigging to pack a BASE rig. If you make BASE to simple then we might attract a jumper who may have no business in this sport to start with and just asking for an accident. As I know everyone understand, BASE is dangerous, no matter how you cut it. And if you are not paying attention, mother earth is going to jump up and bite you in the ass.