greeny

From personal experience it is perfectly possible to buy a rig and a packing video and learn to pack. 5 practice pack jobs was all it took me to get mine to where I was happy to jump it. Trust me no one learning to BASE jump wants to kill themselves. Just because we did it different from you doesn't make us suicidal it just means we assessed the risks and made our choice. Comming back to where this thread started: I still think we need to sell the new guys the best availible gear. 1) They need to have it before they attend their FJC, it is much better to do the FJC on the gear they will keep jumping. 2) They need to learn to pack it. This is hard to do with no gear. 3) They need the best availible gear when they are starting out, this is the most dangeous time in our sport and they need everything on their side. 4) If they do decide to go it alone then at least let them do it on BASE specific gear. (not a good choice but their choice non the less) We as more experianced jumpers then need to give them all the help and guidance we can. I am not saying you need to mentor every wana be that come your way, just that even a a phone conversation can be a big help to someone who knows so little, they don't even know they don't know. Greeny

Very solid jumper too, that is why I picked her as an example. The wrong armour fitted wrong I could see as more a hinderence than a help. But good armour fitted right under a suit built for it, trust me thats has to be a good thing. My "Pro Shuttle Suit" has in my opinion the right balance of movement to protection. Greeny

Robi, I only disagree with you on one fact: If you buy good quality armour and size your suit right there I believe there is very little performane lost if any. On everything else; not everything in base goes the way you plan even if you are realy conservative. Ask Carinna (sorry spelt wrong). I here she did everything right but I am sure after looking up and seeing her tention knot she would hve loved some more armour. I wouldn't have stopped everything but it might have helped?? Greeny

Other ways to fly?? I fly an S3 and have about 180 jumps on it, a lot of those jumps I have been the only wing suit on the DZ so the flocking is not something I ever really got into. There is only so long you can sit above the freeway and chase cars, And only so many days you can fly the canyons in the clouds. So what have I been doing? Speed dives: Best achievable vertical speed 253 mph (averaged from 2 pro tracks) I have a bunch of jumps doing this and trying to transition it out into forward speed. I never quit figured out what my max forward speed was or if at high speeds I actually go level flight, but it felt pretty close a few time using cloud as a reference. A 45 degree dive for 7 – 8000ft will usually achieve a vertical speed in excess of 200mph with a more controllable transition that a vertical dive. Tacking dives: Joining trackers on their dives has always been fun, when the arms are folded over my back and I am flying just on the leg wing I get a really stable, controllable flight relative to the good trackers at the DZ. It is now at a point where they can take docks on me. If you are in the heart of a big tracking dive just make sure every movement you do is very slow and controlled. If the dive is big and I don’t know if I have clear airspace above me at break off I keep every thing closed and arch. You can’t climb out of there if you have people above you. RW jumps: I haven’t done as many as I would like to but I can drop the suit straight down and when 2 RW jumpers formed a base for me last year I was able to bring the suit in and let them take grips. They formed the base and made me fly to them, not the other way around. Again hands behind back, leg wing vertical and arch. It is great to be able to stop the suit and look at people before flying off again (JUST MAKLE SURE THEY KNOW YOUR COMING TO PLAY). Free fly jumps: The only way I have been able to join these is to fly steep spirals around them and match their fall rate. The more I do the closer and more accurate the spirals have become. Suggesting to head downers that you will come fly with them always gets strange looks. But I have had some great jumps flying close round 2 /3 way HD dives. Tandems: It is very possible to follow them out and then drop in front of them and fly the camera slot (fall relative facing the tandem master) before flying around and back into slot. CRW: always seem happy to have you along as long as you don’t pass in front of them. A wing suit burble can cause havoc on a CRW jump and leave them wrapped. Flat and stable is only one way to fly, another fun dive is 2 wing suits the first as base, the second as chase. Base fly’s a series of steep dives and turns, chase chases trying to stay as relative as possible. Start small and gentle with periods of flat flight for chase to join up again anytime chase loses the slot. The more you fly this with someone the more radical the dives and turns can become. Kind of like follow my leader in the sky. Why write this? I am just interested in what everyone else is doing other than flocking flat and stable. Don’t get me wrong this is fun too, but it is only one way to fly. Greeny

Quote: [And as far as jumping with body armor i think if you need a full suit on every jump to feel confertable then maybe you should get out of the sport. And i think it would increase the danger with wingsuit base to add all that extra crap. but thats just my two cents, take it for what its worth. later Ryan] Ryan do yourself a favour sand save yourself the embarrassment of more people reading this. Remove you own post! Sorry you can't do that because we just quoted it for you!! opps. I like my full face, I am on my 3rd I broke my last 2 on lonly landing areas soloing in the dark. I like my back protectors walking away after landing flat on your back on rocks is a realy nice feeling. I like my knee pads, I have walked away on countless occasions with nothing more than holes in my trouses from steep rocky landing areas, hard landings on uphill roads, and the odd fountain. You can't back your canopy out from a wall you just hit if you are unconscious or your knees and elbows are brocken. But hay what do you care that is just my two cents, take it for what its worth Greeny

My Skyflier- 3 was sized to accommodate a full set off dainesse armour (Pro Shuttle suit). Why should wingsuit BASE be any different, bad landing areas and object strikes are still all very available (depending on what and how you choose to fly) Yes if you always flight straight away from the wall and always pull high enough, you will more than likely have a good available landing area. But what if: You hug the wall and pull away too late never achieving good separation? You find you aren’t going to clear that ridge you aimed for; you pitch last second low over the trees? You try to prove you can out fly the fford, the lake, the fence line (whatever), you never quit get to your breaks before you land? You leave the exit point in the wind and rain, get line twists on opening and that big grassy landing area turns into car sized rocks. You leave the exit on a dark moonless night, all the better for hiding from rangers (and you mate hiked too slow)? You can end up with some interesting landing choices. There is one other big advantage to sizing your suit to fit your armour, on all the jumps you don’t take your armour, it fits your warm gear and rain gear. Jumping big wall that gear is very nice to have. I have seen it take 6 hours for people to come down off the top of Norwegian objects when the cloud and rain came in. If you are going to wing suit base even if you don’t want armour seriously size your suit with all you outdoor gear on. All that said I have never jumped my full armour on a wind suit BASE jump, but there have been more than a few jumps where I have been regretting that decision right after opening. 180 Wingsuit skydives and 35 wingsuit BASE jumps in, I am very happy with the sizing of my suit. I have never been knowingly out flown just because my suit is a little baggy. The only time I found my armour helped by tightening my suit was on wingsuit speed dives (max vertical speed out of a plane) but maybe on those jumps I just found a slightly better body position. You do get funny looks putting it all on when it is 110 degrees at the DZ. If you size the suit and armour right you will not find you movements limited, if you practice your pulls / unzips you will find it takes no longer to do. There are jumpers out there who don’t helmets, because it doesn’t look / feel cool. Some of these jumpers have told me that if I feel I need all my armour I shouldn’t be jumping those objects. My answer “I want to jump those objects” My level of armour varies object dependent, but it is very nice to have it with you and be able to make that choice as you leave the car What is my point? If you want to jump your armour, then jump it. Have the courage to make you own decisions and do what you feel is right, what ever the herd says. Test jump your suit fully kitted and if you like the way it feels at the DZ then go fly. Greeny

Quote: [When I talk to somebody on the phone who has four previous BASE jumps, and he tells me he's gonna solo a 280 foot urban crane, going hand held with a 38 inch pilot chute, you'd be scratching your head too.] Were you familiar with the object in question? Were you familiar with his gear? Did you suggest a different size PC? Did you suggest a safer alternative? Did you suggest he joined you at said safer site at a later date? Did you offer for him to ground crew an experienced group jumping that site so he could see how it should be done? A few years back a local skydiver was at the DZ showing video of his first base jump. He jumped solo off an Italian wall. He took a 4 sec delay on a skydive canopy, in a bag, using a bungee pilot chute. I didn’t take him on to raise, I didn’t do a full mentor job but he did do eight jumps on my gear off various objects. The aim was just to introduce him to a better way of doing things Did you help the jumper in question at all or did you just flame him and leave him on his own? Greeny (edited for spelling)

Sorry for not asking your permision to start jumping. Sorry for not comming and ground crewing, driving, buying the beer for a year before you finaly said I could jump Yer right!............ I think BASE was that way because before the days of internet and small helmet cams information was hard to come by so few felt they could step off the edge alone. Now almost every jumper has a web site on witch to post his / her videos We all have the descovery channel. The numbers of new jumpers is just proof that all your advertising works You sold the world MTV, every one believes come to America and they can live just like that. Now you have an imigration problem. Quote [Because people kept it underground] If you want it underground: Stop playing the videos on every DZ Stop Making TV programs Close the Websites Close the forums Don't jump your legal little cliff in day light but is that realy what you want?? Greeny

Quote: [Maybe this is the type of thought that people like NICKDG and other Old school BASE'rs say could be the downfall of BASE?] I think rules and regulation will be the down fall of BASE. My type of thought is freedom: Jump what you want ! Jump where you want! Jump when you want! I don't think NICKDG would have a problem with my ethics! Yes, Please teach them ethis, teach them every thing you can, but don't shut them out! I just hate to think of BASEas a clicky little gang that you can't get into unless you know somebody. Greeny

MyTwoCents, Relax my friend, this sport is growing and nothing you can do will stop it. I love the freedom of BASE that is why I jump. Accidents and publicity will happen. Objects will close, access will get harder. The uncomitted will fall by the wayside (life being too difficult for them). The few of use who stay will have to work a little harder, risk a little more for our jumps, but the sport will continue. Refusing them gear and access to FJC's is not the way forward. A lot serious accidents in BASE are not new jumpers. A lot are the experienced guys pushing the limits, you better ban them from you little legal cliff too. Just in case they ruin it for you too. If fact maybe you should keep it all to yourself, but that sounds a little selfish to me Next your be telling me I can't come jump it?? Greeny

Quote: [Given enough motivation, people will gain access somehow, and it may not be pretty... (block access to a proper rig, and some will simply use a skydiving rig.)] Very, Very true! CLIMBING is a free sport! Anybody who wants to can walk into a shop and buy all the latest toys, a nicely illustrated guide book and then go and kill them selves any way they like. SAILING is also a free sport! Anybody who wants can buy a sailboat and set out with ZERO experiance to sail the world PLEASE LET US KEEP BASE A FREE SPORT! Who are you to say who can and who can not jump? The only thing a newby with no mentor and not enouth skydives has on his side, is his BASE gear. I lied about my skydive numbers. I lied about having a mentor. I soloed my first jumps, But at leased I had BASE specific gear and a video to teach me how to pack it. Please sell the new guys the gear. Please let them on your FJC's. Please sell them the packing videos (and every other video you can, it may be all the training they receive) Please give them all the information you can even if you are not in a position to take them on to raise. This is not 'Your Sport' These are not 'Your Objects' Like it or not, it is our world too. Greeny

I'm going with the prophet Dwain Weston No morals, No Ethics No Conscience No Guilt Greeny

I back Gary fully, Gary took it to the press because that is how he makes his living. Just like when he jump Nelsons Column none of you were jumping them, very very few were ever capable of getting a look in, so don't be pissed that someone else is out there pushing this sport to the level it deserves. Security would always have seen the landing. The object was always a one shot deal. The only other time it has been jump was while it was still under construction. I believe it was done in very good taste as are all Garys jumps. Gaps in security should be highlighted, maybe Gary has just made a major national attraction safer for all who visit it............. All in all well done Gary Greeny

[I upset anyone I apologise for your sensitivities] [back off you bounce happy bozo's] You can apologise to the world for my sensitivities because to this I am sensitive and I am not even Australian. Lets start by making sure you are aware of the facts yourself. My information is coming from the list (anyone please feel free to correct it) jumpers who have died in Norway #98 May 27, 2006 Coombesy (Australian) #91 July 19th 2005 Darcy (Australian) What makes you think 2 in 2 years makes a trend?? #75 July 23rd, 2003 Linus Rains (I don’t know his nationality, sorry) #70 Sept 12th 2002 Rob Tompkins (USA) #69 Sept 2002 Kirill Kiselev (Russian) #68 Aug 25th 2002 Tore Lillebostad ( Norwegian) #64 July 23 2002 Lori Barr (I believe Lori was American) #46 August 15 1999 Kirill Goretov (nationality unknown but sounds more Russian than Australian) #43 August 4, 1999 Daniel Twomey (Daniel was Australian) see we have already had to go back 6 years to find another Australian for you to pick on! #42 July 7, 1999 Thor Alex Kappfjell (a very talented Norwegian) would you like me to continue?? Please F*&$ O!# and Die under what ever rock you slimed out from under. Your opinion is not welcome!! Greeny UK talk_2_001@hotmail.com

The D- Bag Jumper is at the exact same distance below the object when hist pack job leaves the D-bag (Line stretch + canopy) as the SL jumper is when the break cord snaps. D-bag: Jumper exits, lines unstow, B-bag opens, canopy extracts, seperation complete SL: Jumper exits, Canopy extracts, lines unstow, SL snaps, seperation complete. So is the only question deformation of the pack job?? My break cord is 'Apex 80lb cord'

This I understand, I am talking about a hand held D-bag 'V' SL. I accept the D-bag may give better heading performance, but a well executed SL gives good (in my opinion acceptable) heading performance. But, What makes people think the D-Bagged canopy will be flying quicker?? If I can SL my canopy so that my bridle attachment point (the point where my bridle meets my canopy fabric) is held at the same level as the mouth of your D-bag why would the D-Bag canopy be flying faster. Greeny

I have heard for a long time people’s opinion that a 'well executed D-bag' will open faster than a 'well executed SL' for the exact same jumper, object and conditions. Why?? Why would my static line on a 'Zero Length Bridle' open lower than your D-bag Definition of a 'Zero Length Bridle': The static line attachment point above and only very slightly behind the jumper. The bridle length adjusted to give only 1-2 inches of slack with the jumpers’ toes over the edge. (no PC, no spare bridle, no carry with you, nothing extra or not specifically needed in the system) I am not saying a SL will open faster than a D-Bag, but I am saying done right a SL will equal a D-Bag. Greeny (Yes I have done the search, Yes I did read it)

What are you guys classing as low / V low? What are your issues with knotting the bridle?? It is not a strengh issue If it is done cleanly I see no entanglment issue It gives me a site specific tie off point Greeny

[The only qualified instructor should be yourself] Been there done that; It was fun but not too smart! Greeny

Currently on the UK board I hope every one will find something they can learn from it. I fell in Love with BASE after watching a video when I was 16 My whole reason for learning to skydive was to learn to BASE jump It took me 12 years to get the money for my first BASE rig I had 98 skydives when I ordered it I had never seen a BASE rig I ordered a MOJO for one reason The only BASE jumper I had ever met said he jumped one I lied about my experience and having a mentor to get it My girlfriend gave me grief about my lack of experience I went and did another 50 skydives while waiting for delivery I watched a few videos I asked a few questions on the internet No one would take me on and I had the money for ether a rig or a FJC not both Rightly or wrongly I chose my rig I spent a little extra money on a packing video I did 5 practice pack jobs Jump 1) The friend who held my direct bag was more scared than I was She had never even seen a skydive That object has only ever seen 2 jumps and I PCA’ed the second on for his first BASE Jump 2) Solo - go and through off a well known UK S I thought it was bigger; it looked more like 400ft then its 240ft Sitting on the exit point I did a kit check I was scared I was stalling for time I found my bridle routed through my leg strap I missed the landing area and spent a while dragging myself out of the mud Jump 3) Solo – 800ft A my first delay My knowledge now tell me I took a solid 4 ½ - 5 secs slider down. It opened, It flew, I limped for a few days due to the bruising from my harness Jump 4) South coast E (and not one of the popular ones) Some friend said a guy had jumped there where exactly they weren’t quite sure I still believe I opened a new exit point I went back there with 120 jumps and found it to be 250ft under hung with no outs Naivety is awesome; I thought it was a safe 4th jump After a perfect opening flight and landing I started to take my rig off My chest strap was not done up Jumps 5 – 13) I went to Norway; JJ was running the first jump course I hit rocks, I landed in the water I took a 4 sec canopy ride onto trees on the tallis It wasn’t a well judged low pull I miss judged my altitude I was looking at the landing area for reference The ground directly under me was 600ft higher The other jumpers I met and the time they gave me opened my eyes a lot Jump 14) Solo – 280ft SW E A different world from the Norway jumps By 100 jumps I had 30 UK objects and over 50 solo’s I found reccie’d and jumped objects not knowing if I was opening them or not I was pushing hard and had a sense of invincibility I climbed back up and solo’ed objects after every one else had climbed down and gone home due to wind Jump 121) I woke up in a valley I had no recollection of driving into Under an exit point I didn’t remember leaving I still don’t remember my opening or flight I was cold, I was alone, my full face was full of blood Jump 121 is probably why I am still alive today I had no right to live through it, but I did It gave me the kicking I needed to change the way I jumped It was the same SW E as jump 14; it had become my local, my recurrency jump I had jumped into gusting cross winds twice the night before Twice I was backed up and risered all the way to the floor just to stay off the wall On both occasions my PC was against the wall, I thought I must be good if I could do that I exited completely calm into 12 – 14 mph cross winds I jumped between gusts I took it low to get below the wind I knew exactly what I was exiting into I had spent two hours going top to bottom checking the wind I knew if I opened below 100ft I would be in a wind shadow The last thing I remember is starting to sit up in the harness Maybe I pulled too high More likely the whole plan was fundamentally floored I think I opened on heading I think I hit my head of a ledge on opening I think I was lowered gently to the floor under a full inflated canopy I later worked out I woke up after 55min unconscious I was in the ditch between the road and the wall, my clothing dusted in frost My car was 10m away, my phone was on the dash, I was very very cold It took me 30 mins to make it that far, it had no reception any way After passing out again in the car I eventually drove out of there. Why some of us live; when other die for lesser mistakes will never be known I had no right to walk away from that one Luckily it was the wake up call I needed Lessons learnt How long do you want this list?? Check all equipment before packing Every few jumps hang it up and inspect it like the reserve it is Do proper packing checks Do proper post packing checks Count your tools Don’t leave pull up cord tied round your lines, if you do make sure you bribe the video guy lots to copy over the footage Try to not to get distracted while packing If you have had a few beers and a pretty girls says she will come back and watch you pack, don’t pack, she is not there for that, if you do insist on packing and getting the girl comes second to that, then don’t leave your pull up cord on your lines. Not only did you lose the girl but you also have embarrassing video to try and get rid of Do full kit checks as you put your gear in the car It might save a long trip with no PCs Learn to do gear checks with you eyes closed You may not be able to use a light at the exit point Do full kit checks when you gear up Run your eye over your buddies as they line up to exit Hope that they are doing the same for you You will be very grateful the day you mate turns to you and asks “Are you going to bother doing up that chest strap before you go”? I was about to wing suit EP 4 in Norway I had 300 jumps Walk your landing area, if you can’t walk them and there is no excuse; get a good brief off someone who has. They look very different from 300 or 3000ft than they do from the ground Don’t arrive at the exit point at dusk for a long wing suit flight only to launch after dark thinking the landing area is over there some where, under canopy 500ft over a pine forest and churning white water is the wrong time to be still trying to find it. I never did! Assess your object properly Is it high enough - for your comfort level Does it have a landing area Does it have outs What height do you need to be under a flying canopy to make the landing area Can you make the landing area if you have an off heading Check landing area for hazards Check all you outs, even if you don’t think you will fly that far Down winding onto a residential street with both end cells brushing trees is not a time you want to be looking into the darkness asking your self why you didn’t do a wires check Prioritise you potential object strikes form worst to best Plan before hand it will save valuable time and mistakes under canopy Example London B (still to be opened) 65L over head railway power lines – avoid at all costs 180 Glass building no altitude to turn around, nasty landing directly underneath 45R Vehicle Park, large tightly packed vehicles, broken glass topping wall 90R Main Road, watch lamp posts on foot path, wait till empty before exit Left and right of narrow landing area road lamp posts plus parked cars 20R Narrow dead end road primary landing area Sink it in before the wires If you are going to do stupid things, wear the appropriate protective clothing Just so no one misunderstands BASE is a stupid thing Helmet Knee pads Elbow pads Back protector Ankle / wrist protection / gloves Full Dienese body armour I’ll let you make the decisions on what you wear and when BASE is a free unregulated sport and I hope it stays that way That gives you every right to wear or not what you wish But watch a few object strikes and you will start to work out if you are unconscious or your knees and elbows are smashed it is a little hard to back your canopy out and turn it around. My helmet goes on every jump, the only one it didn’t I had a PC hesitation and hit large mature trees under a still pressuring canopy, put your helmet on I am on my 3rd , I broke my first two. The first striking the cliff, it did its job I walked away, It was an Oxygen A3 not my helmet of choice any more it doesn’t come low enough at the back of the head to fully protect your neck and the base of your skull. I also split open a ‘Mad Max Ski’ bouncing my temple off a sharp rock on lonely landing area. I really should stop down winding into rocks, but I was low and the gorge was tight and I needed to stay out of the grade 5 white water at all costs. The rocks were a considered option that I am glad I took. The water would have been very bad. A new helmet is cheaper than a new face My current Mad Max is split at the Jaw from an off heading on a low free fall with no time to turn around, some times you just have to accept the landing you are given. Don’t do your first wing suit BASE exits from your local 1000ft A because you want some practice before you get to Norway Don’t learn to do aerials on a 5 sec to impact jump 4 seconds down is not a good place to be lying on you back, feet in the air, still trying to unwrap the PC from your foot Don’t stand back and watch as some one with 35 jumps tries to copy you Watching them pitch head down on their back is very very scary Don’t try to launch 3 way RW moves off BASE objects when you can not make them fly from a plane, carnage will ensue Don’t free fall your brand new unjumped canopy from 170ft and call it a test jump Even if it is exactly what it was designed to do You might find you hit the rocks a little hard while still trying to correct your opening stall Did I mention back protectors; they help you walk away from things where you shouldn’t be able to Always take some warm kit to the exit point, 2 ½ hours shivering in a t-shirt is a very long time to wait for a broken down police car to move from you landing area Be careful committing to objects that you can not retreat from if the wind or situation changes, jumping in high winds into a tight city street in day light is not pleasant, a lot can change while you have to wait for that police car to move. Park your car facing the way out, turning it around when injured may be difficult Consider dumping a larger med pack that you would be able to carry on or as close as possible to the landing area, the crawl to the car might be a very long way. Don’t jump into cloud when you don’t know how thick it is, If you ask your ground crew for cloud depth make sure they know your exact exit point. Punching 11 second of cloud with big ledges at 7 seconds is not smart. Instrument ratings are for aircraft with instruments not wing suits. Taking a compass bearing from your exit point to your landing area during a hole is not sufficient If you are doing go and throws sort your PC for such, don’t just pull it from the pouch packed for stowed and exit. In the time it takes to unravel and inflate those trees are getting very big If you solo fully understand the consequences of your actions. Make it a considered decision. I do it a lot but do not recommend it to any one. LEARN FIRST AID you owe that much to you mates and families, if nothing else take a 4 hour course, if you can, make it a week. It may one day save your friends life or your own child’s life. How can you justify not doing it. Learn basic climbing rope work, it can help you get up and down from some other wise un accesses able or dangerous exit points, it is not hard to jump short ropes down, climbing down from the roof off a B I know is very interesting, a rope would have been very nice. You can protect yourself even if you are alone. Make sure your jump buddies know who to call if you go in. Make sure you know directions for the emergence services or the addition mates you are calling for help All jumpers on the load should carry a radio, not just first and last. If you have a radio you can talk to the rescue crew if you are hung up. If only the first and last have a radio you can still call up and pass on landing conditions before they jump but the one who needs it half way up he wall might not have it. Learn to talk veiled speech so you can talk pre or post jump on the radio and any one listening hears something else. Do not land down wind up hill on hard ground, unless your girlfriend has a fetish for crutches Practice canopy water training, if you are going to jump your wing suit, practice getting out of it the water. Deep, cold Norwegian fjords with no boat coming is not the place to learn. Be very careful when conducting reccies at the top of objects. slipping 15ft down a 2000ft wall onto, a small narrow ledge is not fun. Having no choice but to climb back up the same slippery corner, because your rig and radio are in your stash bag and you are in no position to retrieve it or gear up is even less fun especially when no one knows you are there. When the fjord is white capping and the more experienced jumpers are walking away, go with them. Backing a canopy on to a small rock landing area is not a good flight plan. Canopies dry quicker than bones heal. Water proof your gear (radio’s camera ect) if jumping over water, or that out might a very expensive decision If you are going to jump in the mountains learn your basic outdoor skills. Map compass GPS. Carry the clothing and equipment to hike back down. I’ve seen people take 6 hours to find the road again in Norway when the cloud came down. If you are planning a sunset jump from a remote exit point, also plan the night walk down. Carry GPS, compass, Torch, food, water ect. 6 hours in a dark forest is a long way 5km into a pine forest in the dark, having missed the landing area you didn’t need to see, now trying to find the trail you never had time to walk, no food, no water, no map, not even a torch or GPS, what if that off landing hadn’t been so soft? If the injuries are life or limb threatening Fuck the object, fuck the gear call all the help get the casualties out of there, if it is less serious then always try to self help first. Don’t let the new guys go it alone. We need to guide them and educate them, not just ignore them and hope they go away. Some of them are here to stay. If you are reading this hopping to start base DO NOT GO IT ALONE if you are lucky you will only get badly hurt I’m sure there is much more. I’m sure you can all add more. Please do so Learn every thing you can from every body And a few of us might make it to the end of this game.

jumped 98ft SL on my MOJO (thought it was Bigger). never got breaks, PLF'ed Grass Landing area I havent repeated it yet, so it was just a one off Greeny

CRW: as Tom says I think CRW is very important to base. It teaches you not only how to fly your canopy, but will also give you a lot of skills and confidence when you have all just pulled low off your multi way and now you have too many canopies converging on too small a landing area. Being able to fly canopies relative is very important in base. Water training: If you are intending to fly your wing suit in Norway get fully strapped in (with your rig on) and learn how to get out of it in the water. Having done it in the pool will take away the fear and help you relax when you swim for real. First Aid: If you are going to play dangerous games you need to know how to deal with the consequences. You are being very selfish to your friends (and family) if you don't take the time to learn at least the basics Greeny

Becareful if you buy a full suit of armour. I use the Dainesse Shuttle Suit (Jacket with built in shorts). Great armour, but I have found the more you get and the more time / effort to put it on the less likely you are to wear it. I exited just before Yuri with just knee pads and helmet as protection the rest of my suit was in the trunk of the car.....................

Of cause I do, have you seen the way I drive?

Why do you want Paracutist or for that matter Skydiving to cover BASE? You have your Magazine right here, a place where you can all publish what you want and post the pictures / video that you want. Why let the USPA decide what gets included? Why have to wait a month and then pay to see only a few pages (paragraphs) about what we do........... Skydiving and BASE are different sports the same way Skydiving and paragliding are different sports Paracutist doesn't cover paragliding (why should it?) keep our magazines on the internet where we can all access them 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Keep them where we regulate them ourselves not the the media or our sponsers telling us what we can and can't write KEEP BASE FREE................... or lose the sport we love! Greeny