MB38

Have any pictures of you donning it with a wingsuit? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for the clarification. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I would be careful with that assumption. IMO the PF suit requires more control than a small wingsuit like a classic. T'wasn't an assumption. See page 9. I put the quotes there because I, personally, feel that 50 jumps is too few to start jumping the PF suit. [edit: for many/most jumpers] But, regardless, I don't want to lead the thread astray. Thanks for the responses to my questions. To those with experience, is there a noticeable performance difference when wearing the pantz over one's leg straps? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Though I may agree that it's not "necessary," there's no reason to think that we won't ever get to that point. Perhaps it won't be present or usable at a consumer level, but at a professional level [I don't so much mean the 'film industry' as I do more specialized situations] it will certainly come about. Though, for all we know, we could be buying little Canon Optura 4K cameras in 10 years. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the RED camera in the future. While at NAB, I got a chance to talk to Ted about RED's potential application in the freefall cinematography world. Interestingly, it wasn't a perspective that he'd really ever thought of. His description of the RED flash's integration into the unit makes it seem nice and snag-free. I'm interested to see the first frames taken with RED's sensor, particularly to see how it reacts to different [read: not $30,000] glass. Hopefully it won't be limited to the Joes and Normans of the sky. But, to return to the question at hand, iPhoto loves RAW images. You won't have the control you'll get with a professional application [remember, it's a program designed for moms and their point-and-shoot cameras], for merely importing and storing the data... you're in business. But please, put it into a high-end piece of software if you're doing work that warrants it. Cheers. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Now here's a few questions for those with flight experience: To my [untrained] eyes, the Impact seems to fall somewhere in between the PF track suit and Prodigy. How do the flight characteristics compare? Beyond that, from briefly glancing at the videos it seems that most of the suit's lift is derived from the upper body. Obviously the leg wing has a huge effect when in place, but how 'powerful' are the pants sans-wing? It seems that they rarely achieve significant inflation [though I'm probably wrong, I just played the video once a while ago and I can't play it again here]. Additionally, with the larger arm wing and the presence of a leg wing, what becomes an appropriate experience level to jump such a suit? It seems that it would require more control and ability than, say, a PF suit. Does this fall into the "wingsuit" category for proper experience or the generic "50+ jumps" track suit category? Obviously both "categories" can cause tremendous problems without [or sometimes with...] the proper knowledge, experience and know-how. This isn't for my sake, I just think it's information that should get into this thread for any wingsuit-happy students who come through here. With fall-rates and ground-speeds apparently similar [I could be wrong] to small-medium wingsuits, it seems like a more serious piece of equipment than it might appear at first glance. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I've overheard a tandem instructor tell his student [moments after landing] the answer to your first question. When you're the passenger on a tandem rig, you are slightly in front of the center of gravity. The TI is the center of gravity under the canopy and you are out in front. Apparently this puts the passenger just out-of-whack enough to make them feel sick after tight turns. That said, I've never made a tandem. I'm also just passing on information I heard in passing. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

There, that's about what I had in mind. I imagine it might be even more effective with cut-in laterals. That said, I know next to nothing about rigging and harness design. I seem to remember Bill Booth mentioning that belly bands may become an option on the V3? This was during a Skydive Radio interview. Then again, my mind makes stuff up - I could be spouting nonsense. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Out of curiosity [and this may be a discussion for another thread or it may be simple], when is a "low turn" a "low turn"? I.E. when should one look at the ground, think about their altitude and say "nah, I'll take this downwind". I understand that the safe altitude for making a 180 will vary from canopy to canopy and wingloading to wingloading. I also understand that the altitude lost in a turn is very dependant on the type of turn - flat, braked, slow carving, toggle whip, etc. Should it be based on what one determines to be "comfortable" based on what they know about their canopy? Clearly not, too many people have felt "comfortable" with their altitude to make a turn and killed themselves. Should it be a number? I don't personally believe so: that number would change on every jump with the wind conditions and with every jumper per their canopy and loading. Case in point: about a week ago, I made my first jump on a Safire 2 189 @ about 1.1. I was rather far out, but my eye told me I'd make it back in time to turn to land. I risered to point it at the DZ and did a few practice flares on the way back. I flew to the end of the landing area and realized I was a little lower than I wished I was. My guess based on what my [untrained] eyes told me and what my altimeter said a few seconds earlier was that I was around 200-250 feet. Not too low to do a controlled 180. Unfortunately, I had literally never turned the canopy with toggles before. I did what my brain expected to be a flat turn [as learned from other canopies] and only turned about 90 degrees. Long story short, I finished the turn in brakes and stood the landing up fine. As compared to other landings that day, I came in notably faster... I think I had some extra speed from the turn or from letting up on the brakes - not sure which [or I could have had no extra speed at all... I don't have many jumps on this canopy or at all... I'm certainly terrible at judging these things]. I spoke with an instructor who witnessed the landing and he said there was nothing to worry about. If anything, I ended up lower than planned because I entered the turn so cautiously. I spent so much time in brakes that I lost more altitude than I would've if I'd just turned onto final normally. That said, the next jump I did was a hop & pop from 12,500. I got a better feel for things and how to do flat turns and braked turns under that canopy *specifically*, rather than guessing at 250'. So my altitude apparently wasn't too low in that situation. If I was doing the jump again, I would've left it in brakes longer after deployment so I would've had more altitude to play with by the time I got back. I would've - of course - released the brakes at a safe enough altitude such that if there were any complications I could deal with them in time. Cliff's Notes: I felt like I was high enough to turn. During the turn I felt nervous. I landed fine. Instructor says that I did a good [enough] job. Back to the original question, now that my post has become obscenely long: how low is too low? How can one know when they are too low before they start to turn... rather than finding out as they dig a hole? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for the clarification and history lesson, guys. Good stuff to know. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Interesting. What element of having a belly band complicates the BOC pouch? Having never actually seen a rig with a belly band jumped, I'm just guessing. My visualization is that a belly band would attach approximately where the hip rings are on a harness, sucking the laterals in tight on the body as though they were a "back band". I'm sure I'm missing something - whether it's technical or theoretical - because I can't envision how that would interfere with BOC operation. Or am I way off base? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

If only belly bands were cool. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

If anybody has a few minutes on their hands [and a fast connection], this is a fantastic scam story. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

When I started this sport, I had a handful of heroes in mind. In the year or so since I've started, I've met most of them. Gotta love this sport. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I do not believe that alcohol has been linked to any of this past weekend's incidents. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

The next time you have a rig on, sit down and try to pull the rig off over your head [while sliding the leg straps up towards your knees, so you exit the rig butt-first]. You'll be surprised how easily you can get the rig off in this manner. A search will help you most here, but yes - it's possible. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I've had 3. One involves a low pull, a low turn and perfectly saving my own ass by planing out on rears. The other is having a streamer and performing my EPs properly... saving my ass. The third was dreaming about a jet jump. The jet - of course - had a full airline interior and a weird diving board on the side of the plane we would exit off of. I somehow exited without a rig and decided that tracking as slow and flat as possible should help. I ended up landing successfully on top of a building - saving my ass. Weird. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I've kept rigs under my bed [sheet around the bed, no visibility] with a bike lock passed under the MLW and around a secured bed post. Without bolt cutters, destroying the rig or taking the bed with them, there was no chance of losing it. Being under the bed, it was safe from any beer spills. Nobody knew that the rig was ever there. That said, I trust my roommates - I've known them for years. If I was coming into freshman year with a rig? I wouldn't even let my roommate see it. It's cool to some... it's a $4,000 backpack to others. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I built two miniature ram-air canopies when I was about 12. Both safely delivered a payload of nuts on a paperclip to the ground time and time again. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm on your side, guys. I don't know shit and I'm the first to admit that. But - in my humble opinion - it's better to give too much information and get vilified for it than to have somebody without enough experience put themselves off of their apartment building with a brand-new rig and die. One post, asking about a BASE rig? Probably a troll. But what if a non-troll read the thread full of "lol go for it" responses and did? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Do us a favor and fill out your profile

Presumably you plan on waiting at least another 140 jumps, plan on getting canopy coaching, plan on getting a mentor and plan on taking a BASE first jump course, yes? And you've read Nick's list a few times? And you've checked out BASE Wiki to gain as much knowledge as possible? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

You can also get drivers to make .wmv files play in Quicktime. I forget the company, but google it. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

It's definitely not recommended, but possible. FCP is as far as you'll get. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

The short answer is no, it won't be ok. The Photography and Video might be a good section to do a little research. In the end, it should come down to a talk with your instructors [particularly camera-flying ones] and your S&TA. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Almost as bad as seeing a d-bag come out of a skydiving rig off off a bridge. How are people still dumb enough to try this crap [rhetorical... unfortunately, I know the answer as well as anybody else]. I really don't know what I'm talking about.