NickDG

Many like to stay with what they know - And people who owned the original Prism (SP) want another one . . . So the reason for having both is customer demand. I don't know about one being simpler than the other, I mean it's not brain surgery in the first place. We still get requests for the Vertex even though the DP is a totally updated version of that rig. NickD

Thursday - 7:50 AM The DC-9 just took off from Perris . . . NickD

They haven't changed anything . . . This is from a minute ago. NickD

While - occasionally I catch Todd working on it – picture a stove with so many burners you'd need binoculars to see the last row – that's where the SP is . . . The last time I asked him is the last time a customer asked me three weeks back. Todd said to tell him, "Don't make any plans or buy any plane tickets." NickD

>>"Where is that moron?"

"Ohio Teen Drowns After Base Jumping in Lake Martin" [The actual Headline] WSFA - Montgomery, AL, USA A teenager from Ohio plunged to his death during a daring jump from Chimney Rock on Lake Martin. 16-year-old Kyle Reaves and dozens ... http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5109969&nav=0RdE NickD

It's never been a constant that I included a person's nationality on the List. I did it more in the beginning as it was sometimes the first reported BASE fatality from that country, but then if you go down that road, the second BASE fatality becomes mentionable because it's the second from that country. It later became more in line with keeping track of particular objects in that this one now has five fatalities and that one has four. I try not to infer much into what these things mean, that's up to you, and for a hopefully smarter than us generation later on. In the end I think it makes little difference as we're all doing the same thing in pretty much the same way - and in terms of BASE "types" - there's the too timid and the too courageous to be found everywhere in this world . . . NickD

If you get two dummies you'll have twice the chance for a mis-rig . . . NickD

I never understood people "hating" the ACLU . . . Can't you see they argue for all liberties and on behalf of all that are oppressed - and not just the freedoms you like and agree with - and that's what makes it work. They will argue you should be able to jump El Cap in the morning and on another's right to burn the Flag that same afternoon . . . Have a happy and fun 4th, everyone . . . And oh yes, that has something to do with freedom too . . . NickD

WoW . . . I felt like having a cold one after watching that! NickD

>>You didn't miss the satire warning, did you, Nick?

Someone mentioned the Poison Ivy later that day, but I didn't get a dose . . . NickD

>>Nick, when was the last time you were at the convention?

Isn't that the same thing PD said about raising their prices? We are raising our prices and it will be better for you, the skydiver . . . NickD

That was very well thought out and written . . . >>The fact of the matter is that the WFFC is a business

>>The ONLY drawback i see is it's not the hot setup for WS flight since you have a big blob on your back

Although I've been on night "bandit" CRW jumps, are there night bandit free fly jumps now? And for thirty plus years I always thought "BASE" was the darkside? If there is a darkside to skydiving - it's the fleecing of the general public with tandems . . . and in the process, the fact, we lost our souls . . . that's pretty "dark-sideish." NickD

Please stop calling it a hike . . . The boat had left and with no ride waiting in the campground I decided to "hike" out. “Oh cool,” I thought, “a meandering little path through the woods - how enchanting . . .” The next thing I know I'm hanging by my fingertips over a place called You-Fall-You-Die while the loose earth deserted below my feet. I got past that part figuring two things – that was the hard part – and there’s no going back down that way. I’m not a climber by any means. To climb for a BASE jump, usually means ascending a steel ladder or a staircase. My metal laden legs and no-flex foot joints just aren’t good at this stuff. I get to a spot where there’s a old rope in place and rough corner to negotiate. Rocks give way here and grabbing some vegetation seems safer but very spooky none-the-less. How long has that rope been sitting in the sun I wonder . . . Then I got lost for the second time. In some places the trail is easy to follow with lots of footprints – in other spots I’m just guessing. The stash bag slides around on my back effecting my balance, so I actually throw it up the trail ahead of me a few times, and a few times it almost went tumbling back into the canyon. At first I’m thinking, man, I need some climbing gear for this – than I realized what I really needed was a full blown Sherpa and a Guide. Where the hell is Miles . . . ? After getting by that corner I sat for a minute or two trying to figure which way was the right way when I heard another jumper coming up the path. He swept by me saying hello and he was practically trotting up the hill. My own stupid inability to admit I could have used a hand precluded my doing anything but smiling back at him. Well at least I could follow him. But, by the time I got up and set my bag on my back he was long gone. The next person who came up the trail was going to get lucky. I’d had it with the humping, pushing and pulling that stash bag up the trail. The next person who came along was going to get gifted. “Well, hello there young fellow” I’d begin, “say there’s a practically brand new BASE rig in this stash bag - so you want it?” I work for a BASE gear company - I can always get more gear . . . But nobody came along and anyway it would have been lame on my part. In retrospect I should have just sat at the bottom and waited for another jumper who knew the way – but why? It’s just a “hike” out. Then I came to the Cliff-Tree-Rope thing. This one I decided to attack technically. So I sat there for a good ten minutes (catching my breath) and figuring it out. I tied my stash bag to the bottom of the rope, then shimmied up between the cliff and the tree, then pulled up the bag. One and half hours later (yes, ninety minutes - a personal best) covered in a layer of fine dust from head to toe- from slipping and sliding through the dirt trying to grab onto something – I crested the rock wall of the upper park and surprised a group of tourists on the other side. As I calmly dusted myself off, I said to them, “Hot tip, don’t go that way . . . !” So climbing out like Miles did (when I make my own record attempt) I should be able to get in sixteen jumps in 24-hours! I’m not writing this to embarrass myself, although I suppose that ship already sailed – I’m writing it for the other old and broken boned BASE jumpers out there who look over at that meandering little trail through the woods for the first time and think it’s just a hike . . . NickD

>>"when they already had a bad rep for heading problems ">>I never knew they had a Bad Rep.

I made about 45 or 50 BASE jumps on a Cruislite back in the eighties when they already had a bad rep for heading problems. I had two or three 180s with it but, at the time, always thought is was more my fault than the canopy. However, landing on payment downtown in no wind is no picnic with just 220 square feet. And yes, I agree these are only water canopies now . . . NickD

If looking for a common denominator in the three static line fatalities on the List - I think it is being alone . . . They weren’t alone on the load they were on, but they were the last to launch. I’m pretty sure this is true of the first one, a British fatality off a low bridge in 1987, and I know for sure it was the case with the second one few days before Christmas in 1995. And it sounds as if this is the case in the latest one. Don’t let the fact there have been only three confirmed static line fatalities fool you as there have been dozens of close calls. The Brits (the kings of static line BASE jumping in the early days) had more than a few saves by virtue of high speed mud and water and dozens of others (not just Brits) have experienced damaged canopies and funky openings. In any case the first static line death was probably inexperience, the second was bad judgment, and this last one is - I don’t know – But I do know someone standing behind him on the tower could have easily said, “Hey dude, watch it - you got the bridle in front of you . . .” Static line is a funny thing. I’ve seen canopies across the board damaged unbelievably with several cells blow out of the top skins to less serious cases of separated ribs, and we never seem to find out why. I've seen 600 lb bar tacks completly blown out -so where is that force coming from? Jumpers usually report a normal launch but then a harder than normal opening. Did the bridle catch on something and load up prior to the break cord? We never seem to find the answers to those questions. The other thing to understand is how “static” and “dynamic” loads effect 80-pound break cord. If you take a single strand of 80 pound break cord and slowly and carefully hang 80 pounds on it (static load) it will hold it. If you take a five to seven pound weight, attach it to a similar single strand of break cord and “toss” the weight into the air so it loads the break cord while moving (dynamic loading) the break cord will fail. This is especially worrisome as the peeling force on a Velcro rig can be as high as 7 pounds. So many jumpers use a double length of break cord which effectively gives you double the strength and bit less where the knot is. The best method seems to be the “double double.” You use two separate and independant (double length) break cord loops and the first loads up prior to the second and opens the container and pulls out the canopy. Then the second one breaks. This essentially gives you two chances to get a canopy if either of the break cords fail for any reason. However, what ever advantage is gained by that type of static line rigging is lost if the bridle is fouled in any way. NickD

Here's more info from this afternoon: The jumper was PCA-ing himself after helping two others get off first. The bridle got in front of him and he launched. Although the pilot chute inflated the bridle is essentially wrapped around his body. He realized something was wrong and fought with it and did manage to get some canopy material out but it was entangled with his body also. He died immediately on impact . . . NickD BASE 194

Very good, Yuri! NickD

The first report from the weekend did mention a pilot chute, but the lastest one did not. It always takes a while to get the details sorted out . . . NickD BASE 194

>>From personal experience Nick, this attitude of yours just gets you unpopular!!!!!! I know. Because I am.