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Being a really young newbie in this sport, I was wondering how often most of you get to jump. With the exception of those living within a relatively short to distance to a legal object, how often do you get to feed your need? Ganja "4 jumps, no E's" Rodriguez

Derek, Almost a year after you posted this and I was just sent to it when I asked Darkwing this weekend where I should start. Thanks for an awsome post. Is this an Article now? I had a little trouble finding it buried way in the back of the forums. It deserves to be Top on the list. Ganja

LMAO How many will it take? 1500+ and I still don't like darn door... lol Ganja

I too can relate to that. Heck, I prefer no sitting right by a big plexiglass roll up door even... Ganja

In this case, it's not about what you are afraid of, it's about what the general publice is afraid of. Be it biased, ignorant, right, or wrong, it is the impression of the general public, and they are our tandem pasengers. Ganja

What fantasy world is this in? There are many things that can and do go wrong above 2000' where everyone could not exit safely... ie the tail being ripped off by a pre-mature depolyment... Ganja

It is my opinion that should make your disease known to anyone that may have to help you in a medical situation. That being said, it is not necessarily everyone's business. I would recommend a bracelet or something. On the issue of tandems, I woul dhave to think that it is your moral responsibilty to not be in that close of contact with anyone where bodily fluids could be exchanged. I am not a doctor, nor an HIV know it all, but from everything I, an average Joe, know, bleeding into another's open wound could infect them and pass the disease on. Whether the threat is that real or not, it is the ASSumed impression that most would have. I can see the law suits flying over that issue. Dude, I hate it for you, and only wish the best for you. They've come a long way in the study of your disease, so never give up hope. Ganja

The only time I am ever really scared is when I have to land in an airplane. I'm nervous on every takeoff, landings (in planes) scares the crap out of me. Other than that, I feel like I'm a as safe as possible, and I know the risks. Ganja

The issue I resonded too was a violent spin. In a spin, momentum makes it hard to bring your arms in. Many people have trouble pulling their handles during a spinning line twist malfunction on a sport rig. My thoughts are that in a spin, the momentum would be magnified by any amount of weigth being added to the wrist. I know this is not the normal run of the mill issue, but remember, "It's not just another skydive". I have never found myslef in a spin like this, and hope that I never will. I was responding to the idea that it is a possibility, and that any added weight would magnify the issue. I have not yet jumped one, but am not opposed to giving it my honest review though if someone wants to loan me one. FYI I have a littl over 1500 jumps, including almost 500 tandems. I'm not the mst experienced by any means, but do fell like I am experienced enough for my inoput to be valuable. Ganja

Palms may be free, but wouldn't the added weight on your wrist make it harder to pull your hand in to grab your handles? Ganja

Assuming your page is current, at 17 jumps, I wouldn't consider you a "voice of expertise" on what will or won;t prevent a tandem master from cutting away... Sorry, Ganja

Not a direct reply to Treejumps, but thought it was worth throwing in here... Again, I'm just a baby, maybe even still a fetus in BASE, but It surprises me that no one has even mentioned the fact that unless your jumping a 2 parachute system, that all that emergency training from skydiving, it goes right out the window with BASE. I'd hate to think that one day all my gut reatcion from skydiving would cause me to look up at a lineover and cut away rather than just popping my WLO toggles and landing with my rear risers... There is a whole new set of emergency procedure within the world of BASE jumping, that has nothing to do with skydiving, and vice versa. I'm neutral on the idea of "Do you have to skydive first". I don't have enough experience to make that call yet, but I thought this was worth some discussion. Ganja

Yes, I have been accused of being harsh and dierect before. I typically say it like it is. I do seem to have to eat alot of shoes for some reason...lol I think anyone who knows me will attest to my being TOO honest about things sometimes. Ganja "Sometimes the truth hurts" Rodriguez

That's like buying a Ferrari and saying you won't drive it for a few years.... Put the money in a CD or something, save it, put it somewhere you can't spend it. But the time you're ready to jump something so fast, there may be something better on the market. At a minimal, they will have made changes to the Katana. Every object that comes out new and improved is always going to be improved on again. I have not jumped a Katana, and I'm sure it's a great canopy, but it will change, and it will be made to be better, buy one when you're ready. Ganja

I guess all I can say is good luck dumbass. I hope you dn't dye, but unfortuneatley, you sound just dumbe enough to go off and kill yourself. I'm sure all your buddies will want to thank you in advance for what you're going to put them through. And if I were the DZO where you jumped, I'd be having you fill out your own damn fatalaty report and sending it with you to another DZ. I would not allow you to commit suicide on my airport. Ganja "Buy a shovel, dig your own grave" Rodriguez

Vey interesting concept... With my entire knowledge of 4 BASE jumps, I'm probably not the "ideal" person to respond on this issue, but wanted to voice my feelings anyway. I had 1500 skydives before at my first BASE jump. I jump a very heavily loaded elliptical canopy anytime I'm not doing tandems. I think most skydivers start out like I did, which is in a hurry to downsize. In retrospect, downsizing has done nothing but harm my, just beginning, BASE habit. I have 4 BASE jumps, and 0 stand up landings. First jump, I busted my ass on the rocks. 2nd jump, I busted my ass on the rocks, and split my pants and underwear wide open, not to mention burising my tailbone. 3rd jump, best landing yet, it was dark, and I got lucky and flared right, just sort of plopped down on all fours. 4th jump, I again busted my ass after barely clipping a tree in a parking lot, and my ass is stole sore. How long before a tailbone heals up? I guess my point is, that out of all my 1500 skydives, my canopy control on a huge 7 cell sucks. It has nothing remotely related to how I land my heavily loaded elliptical canopy. I don't think that all the canopy control I learned in skydiving has helped me in BASE very much at all. In retrospect, I wish I had made 100 jumps or so on a huge ass 7 cell before getting into BASE. I guess hind site is always 20/20 though... Ganja "4 jump baby" Rodriguez

If everything you're saying is true and this is not just a troll.... If you want to do something for him, but him insurance, lots and lots of insurance. Oh, and get him to pre pay for his funeral as well. If he is what he says he is, he'll be broken up and/or dead not long after the canopy gets to him. I don;t know who he bought the canopy from, but I don;t think frommy experiences with PD that they would even sell it to him. Of course he could have lied, or gotten around the issues somehow. Ganja "Dead man walking" Rodriguez

Not so uncommon, he hadn;t jumped in over year, it was, or should have been a re0currency jump I'm sure... I tink that was taken a little out of context. I fly right over a dithc at 10 feet all te time, I wouldn;t want to land in it though. Although, it is funny to watch other's splash downs in it.... Ganja

I have never been injured driving or skydiving. As far as friends being injured, it's not really a fair comparison. Most skydiving injuries are self induced, ie. hook turns. Most of my friends don;t drive down I-95 at 80 miles an hour and yank the wheel to see if they can look really cool as they spin thier car around on the interstate. Skydiving has inherent rsks, yes. But I do believe that just like anything else, it is as dangerous as you make it. No, it is not perfectly safe, nothing is. Ganja "Hoping to remain injury free" Rodriguez

You must not spend much time on I-95... It feels pretty dangerous to me. As far as what is more dangerous, I am of the opinion that I am much safer skydiving than driving to the DZ, and/or riding in the airplane. There are a lot of different factors that play into my thoughts, but when I'm in freefall, it is my world, and I control most of it. Ganja "Sure to catch slack for this" Rodriguez

Let me guess, your mom always said. "If all your frineds jumped off of a bridge....." I still blame my mom for my interest in BASE, she somehow doesn't se the humor in it though. Bottom line is, you'd have to be completely nuts to come here to ask that question. Talk to your local jumpers about it. If you don't know, or can't find out who they are, your not trying hard enough. Ganja

I'd sure hate to be the guy that went low on that attempt...

As I understand this thread, it calims that you would not be insured for ANY skydive through the USPA. Is that correct? If so, there were some cliams that homeowners insurance may cover your liability on a jump that you were not being paid to do. It specifically mentione demos, but where is the line, If I land a tandem passenger on someones car, am I not covered because I was being paid to make the jump? Ganja "WCS" Rodriguez

That one is in the Maggie Valley, NC area.

Difference is they do not "fly for hire".... I bet if you take a ride in a lifeflight chopper, you and/or your insurance company get's a hefty bill for that ride. Ganja "I don't want to find out first hand though" Rodriguez