BASE864

PM sent Later, BASE864

Excellent - they got the Donk anD BoneZ 3-way too! Hope someone can download it before it dissappears. edited to add: And they even got our boy DT giving directions on how to go to the top of that 'other' bridge. Nice job DT! Later, BASE864

Rehab would be great - and Dollar Daze was so great to me this year, it put me in the hospital - been here for 2+ days now and don't know when I get to go home. I made it to work on Tues. for a whole 6 hours before getting so sick I couldn't stand up. All I can say is Demerol is good. Later, BASE864

Geesh J, even an inexperienced newbie was able to get it right! Later, BASE864

The video is posted on skydivingmovies.com. Clicky Later, BASE864

Hey that opening looks familar! That's what happens when you have plenty of altitude and thus plan to open normally after doing your 1st gainer. I didn't think I was still rotating when I pitched belly to earth, but apparently I still was. The canopy opened dead on heading after the left riser took the wide angle lens off my side mounted camera. Attached are pictures of the lens in freefall. Later, BASE864

You couldn't have said it better Tom! Later, BASE864

Congrats to the Bell's. Hope mother and baby are doing well. And Jason - nice shirt! Way to show your colors! Later, BASE864

Numbers 864 and 865 were given out 11/2003 after the qualifying B jump. We both had the same object order (S, A, E) and I volunteered to exit the B first, so I got the lower number. Also on the load was 867 who qualifed for his number with an E a couple of weeks later at the Turkey boogie. If memory serves me correctly, that B is responsible for several 1st B jumps - all in a one week span. And DT/Chicken Man (954) - looks like you're my cousin as your number adds up to 18 too! . Later, BASE864

Also look into MedJet Assitance. www.medjetassistance.com They are a medical flight company that will fly you home if you need medical evacuation. I know most travel health plans cover this, but with MedJet, there isn't as much fine print. Note, this is not health insurance. Their policy only covers the medical flight costs, with no deductible or other costs once you pay their membership. This would be a good policy to go along with a travel health insurance plan. They also cover medical flights within your home country so if you get hurt - say at Bridge Day - they'll fly you home. I've had one occasion where I could have used it and it would have saved me a ton of money. Their annual membership is around $200 for US citizens. They will aslo fly your remains home should things go very bad. Later, BASE864

I had one bad exerience at my local airport trying to carry on my rig. The inexerienced TSA agent told me that parachutes were not allowed to be carried on. He also tried to open my container. When I asked for his supervisor, I was told it would be "awhile" before he could get to the gate and I would probably miss my flight (too much time spent in the bar...). So, I just checked it, making sure to ask Delta their policy and they said parachutes could be carried on. Ever since then I have just checked it with no problems so far. The funny thing is, my good looking blond female friend didn't have any problems with her rig, which was ran through the x-ray right in front of mine. The lesson - don't let the uninformed TSA agent bully you around (unless you'll miss your flight). Later, BASE864

That's a great one Tom! Just as good at my all time favorite - the one that goes something like 'Skydivers see BASE jumpers like wuffos see skydivers' - or something like that.... Later, BASE864

Wonder how many stamps my brand new FLiK is worth? And we all knows chicks really dig stamp collectors! Only kidding - As long as you have a passion in life - even stamp collecting can be cool. What's not cool is making stupid comments when you can't understand that passion. This one really shows the poster's intellegence. I'm glad someone figured out why people BASE jump and put it in words. But I don't think that quote will fit on my new rig's mud flap.....What a jerk! Later, BASE864

Thanks for the great discussion on this. I've been using the black bands on my TG with no problems...so far. Also demo'd a multi in Moab and stowed it in the container with the black bands....and lived. Guess I was just lucky for those 8 jumps. I'll be throwing away all my black bands and using the brown ones. Later, BASE864

Here's a picture of Erich (on the left for those that don't know him) from our March '04 trip to Kuala Lumpur. We were all haning out in a bar celebrating the weekend's jumps. Rest in peace Erich. Later, BASE864

My sympathies and prayers go out to Erich's family. If there's anything any of us can do, just pass the word. I hung out with Erich this year on the KL trip and also at the Go Fast Games, although we knew of each other after spending many years at the Couch Freaks Dollar Daze boogie. I fondly remember discussing fatherhood with Erich over a drink or two in a bar in KL. He was telling me how great fatherhood is and all that I had to look forward too (as my 1st son was born in June). The passion he had when he spoke of his family was great - even greater then his passion for jumping. Eric was known by many and he touched each one's life in some way. Erich, you will be missed. Blue Skies my friend. Later, BASE864

All my posts have been about vents w/ covers. Nothing I have posted is meant to be just vents only. In my world, the vents always have covers. Later, BASE864

No worries Chris. I see what your saying. I'm learning that since I'm on the very large end, I can't quite do what all the small guys are doing when it comes to low stuff. So, I'll just have to shoot video and wait for a little more height.... The old tailbone healed up nicely. Just had to sit on one of those donut/hemroid pillows for a few weeks. Later, BASE864

Okay - I'm going to ask the stupid question here... Are you talking about moving your toggles up/down the lines? Or are you talking about adjusting/moving the point in the steering line where the stow point is? If you're moving that, then are you installing another trap in the line inwhich to stow the toggles? Are you doing that or are you having a rigger do it? Guess I'm confused..... Later, BASE864

I would like to see the video were the jumper hurts his tailbone due a PCA from 230ft.. Im wondering if the brakes are set too deep and stall him intothe ground rather than getting a lift...Quote I'll get the video posted as soon as I can (although it clearly shows the location of the jumps for all of you that have been there....) Ok - now to talk about brake settings.... If memory serves me right, when I was PCA'd off 230' with the unvented canopy, I didn't move my toggles up the lines at all to help get a deeper flare. I also didn't adjust the stow point either (the FLiK only has one stow point in the lines as apposed to my old Mojo that had two.). So, when I landed I most definately didn't stall the canopy out - if anything, I didn't get enough flare. But the under-infated end cells didn't help either. The next time I jumped the same object with the vented canopy, I learned from the previous year and move my toggle setting higher up the steering line (about 1/2 way between the end of the line and the stow point). The deeper flare greatly helped my flare, along with the fully flying and pressureized canopy. I have a bunch of jumps at the potatoe bridge (slider down) on my old Mojo 280. I had the breaks set higher and was using the top stow setting. I had great landings with those toggle settings on that canopy. I haven't jumped my FLiK there, so I have no comparison for it yet. Later, BASE864

Comparing my previously unvented FLiK 322 landings to my recently vented FLiK 322 landings - I feel they were the same. I have skydived the FLiK 322 (both unvented and vented) several times and I would say I didn't notice any difference in the landings. Landings at Bridge Day (one year unvented and the next vented) were the same as well. (FYI - brake settings were identical on both unvented and vented slider up jumps.) Thus, I'm saying I don't seen any difference in slider-up jumps between the unvented and vented FLiK. As for better landings on low, slider down, jumps with the vented canopy - they were much better because the canopy was pressured and flying quicker and thus gave me some range to get a good flare with plenty of lift. I don't think I can comment about the sink because I haven't had to sink it in on a low jump.....yet. Later, BASE864

To my knowledge, nobody F'd up the PCA. I do have video - just need to load it up. (I'll work on that next week for the sake of learning and spreading the knowledge) On the unvented PCA jump, my end-cells didn't have time to inflate - so I landed on my a$$ with 5 cells. The vented PCA jump got fully inflated and flying in plenty of time to have a great flare. pope, you weight like a buck nothing and probably jump a much smaller canopy. It takes less for you to get open and flying. Thus, I'm sure you had no problems freefalling from 210' and are off and flying quickly. There's no way in hell I'd consider that with my 322' and my current size. I need more airspeed and altitude to get flying so that I can safely land. Like BASE813 said "One man's freefall is aonther man's static line." Later, BASE864

Tom, if you're fat, then what am I? The Stay-Puff Marshmellow Man or Andre the Giant? I think maybe I should 'weigh' in on this issue too. For the few of you that know me, you know I'm one of the biggest BASE jumpers out there right now. I jump a vented FLiK 322. The only problems I've had with that canopy are that when I ordered it I didn't get the vents. That caused some issues with low jumps and bad landings. After getting it vented and jumping similar low objects, I have had nothing but great landings. I've also skydived it several times (hop-n-pops) and still had great landings. Since I got the vents added, I've been extremely happy with the 322 and was happy with the landings from high objects before I got the vents. There is big BASE specific gear out there. I think the FLiK 322 is a great canopy for big jumpers. I've even heard rumors that an even bigger canopy is being put on the drawing board. But, like everyone else in this thread is saying, the bigger you are, the harder you fall. The margin for safety is way narrower for us big guys and that means we have to be that much more on our game. Us bigger jumpers also need to be aware of the fact that we put much more stress on our gear and that it will need to be inspected and/or reparied/replaced more frequently. (Nobady said being fat was cheap!). Later, BASE864

After a recent discussion with a gear manufacturer, I think I can put in my $0.02 on this question. The best canopy for low jumps is also dependent on the physical size of the canopy. A canopy on the largest end will weight more and have longer lines than a canopy on the small end. The weight difference will affect how quickly it opens - given the same airespeed and same size of PC. The extra nylon will also increase the time it takes to get it flying. In otherwords, my FLiK 322 will take a greater snatch force to open than my buddy's FLiK 220 (given the same size PC and airspeed). Thus, I'd have to step up a size in PC or get more airspeed. (On a low jump, it's obvious which is safer!) I definately know that my buddy's freefall jump will be my PCA jump because my 322 takes just a bit longer to open and get flying. On a low jump, that 'just a bit' can be a killer. So, what this means is, maybe stepping down a canopy size for low jumps could make openings better and faster. Or at least what I was told. Personally, I wouldn't step down a canopy size nor do I recommend it. That's my $0.02 - let the bashing begin! (I'm very curious to see what others have to say about this.) I also have the experience of jumping my UNVENTED FLiK 322 off a 230' object. That flight and subsequent landing caused a broken tailbone because the canopy wasn't fully pressurized and flying before I landed. Then I had the VTEC vents & valve covers added to my FLiK. I jumped the same object again using my newly VENTED FLiK 322 and the difference was amazing. I outflew everybody on my load and had a perfect landing. That's the difference the vents made in getting the canopy pressurized and flying faster. (Note: both jumps were PCA'd.) Later, BASE864

Thanks chickenman (as I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye...). Does that make me gay? Later, BASE864