fergs

Hey Squeak, Well I could try and find you an eagle to hitch a ride with.... hahahaha f

Now THAT is an interesting slant on the whole story - let me sleep on it.

An unusual occurrence - I had a collision with an eagle - see seperate post in Incidents. Enjoy.

… close your eyes and picture… … an eagle in flight and a solo skydiver in a wingsuit. The two colliding at 4000’. The human is 90 kgs – the eagle maybe 4. Resultant effects to the wingsuit skydiver, facial lacerations and abrasions, disbelief. Effect on the eagle? I think it fair to assume he was a total loss - fatal - dead. Having said that – at the time I was seeing stars and still in freefall – so my priority was to get an open parachute above my head rather than be intent on seeing a dead eagle spin out of control to the ground. I think I made the right decision at the time … In analysing the event, here’s what I believe happened: The eagle was flocking with me as I flew in my wingsuit. This suspicion is supported by our pilot of the day – who’d earlier seen an eagle soaring at around 3000’ in the vicinity. I believe he was gliding slightly behind and below me to my left, possibly very close. From an eagle perspective, I was maybe looking like a big eagle anyhow –a wingsuit in flight looks like a big bird anyhow. So it seems he simply decided to be inquisitive and flock with me. As I altered my flight / glide in preparation to deploying my canopy, the collision occurred – so the eagle may have been surprised at the sudden change of glide angle and made some sort of evasive manoeuvre and in the process, brushed across me. I’m certain only his right wing hit me (the term “smacked me” comes to mind), judging by the resultant pattern of the injuries to my face. All I saw at the time was a very fast shadowy object appear in front of me as the collision occurred. That was immediately followed by a feeling that a boxer had hit me in the face without gloves. Anyhow, it’s such an infinitesimally small chance of an event that I feel more than a little stunned that it even occurred. Lessons to be learned? I believe that not much can be done about avoiding a bird strike - apart from deciding not to jump when birds are in the area (an impractical action, I'd suggest). A full face helmet would have no doubt saved my face from the abrasions and lacerations. Definately, the wingsuit was responsible for my very survival (although it is certain that the eagle would not have been there without it), as our closing speed at time of impact was not so great. It has already been established that eagles (falcons to be specific) can fly in formation with a wingsuit. A few years back a group of wingsuit base jumpers had falcons fly with them off a cliff and actually take meat from their hands as theyt were in flight. This is clearly documented with video / still pictures and published in magazines. So this is purely an incident that can go down as one of fact rather than one that can be planned for and avoided in the future, in my opinion. But I certainly encourage feedback and questions. Blue Skies, fergs BMCI

Ladies and gentlemen, Are any BMI's planning to be at Eloy during the POPS World Meet? Thanks, fergs BMCI

Hey Hector, A nice post - let's hope many jumpers read it and take heed.Thanks. I heard of this incident a day or two after it happened. A lucky guy he is, for sure. Plus .... I've now started wearing a hard hat for any wingsuit flight I'm on that includes anyone else. Let's all stay safe. Blue Skies and long flights, fergs

Half of Australia? And me. I'm in. fergs

I've seen and worn a prototype - but not jumped it. The ergonomic fit is, well, sweet. Really comfortable, really snug and not prone to moving around the back of the palm. The person who was jumping it had nothing but positive comments - including the digital information on the back. So I plan to order one as soon as it comes onto the market. fergs

Those are definitely two shot capewells. Two shots had a “T” shaped top cover. Pull it down and then the “squeeze the two buttons” were exposed. Squeeze them and pull down on the lever mechanism and bingo, cutaway. Shot and a half’s had a more triangular top cover. Pull it off and the cable loop under springs out horizontal. Thumbs in the loop and pull and bingo, cutaway. One shots looked much like shot and a half’s from the outside, but no wire loop showing below. Simply grasp the cover and pull down, bingo, cutaway. Aaaaah, then came the main “interim” devices. The R2’s, R3’s, tapewells, etc. What a pleasure – drill out the rivet at the bottom hinge of the covers and hinges and substitute the hinge / Velcro / webbing combos. How easy was it then to cutaway – peel the Velcro and pull down on the webbing. Bingo, cutaway. Made us all believe that Velcro was a wonder drug. Although I made millions of suspended harness cutaways on two shots and shot and a half’s, in actual skydives I only made “real” cutaways with one shots and tapewells (an Aussie knock-off of the R-2) – one cutaway on each. Both worked as advertised. As the tapewell was the modern piece of hardware at the time I guess I sang it’s praises at the time – this was mid late 70’s. Sure was relieved when the sport went to a single pull-one-handle technology. For me, that was not a 3 ring, it was a webbing S-wrap device that came in about same time as the 3-ring. I still have a rig at home with this, but haven’t jumped it for many many years. Oh well, that’s my trip-down-memory-lane for the day. I must add, though, that the simplicity and rugged reliability of gear today is literally light years ahead of those heady days of the distant past. But that distant past isn’t really all that long ago. But I salute all the developers who have put us where we are right now – the Bill Booths, Ted Strongs, etc. Blue Skies, fergs

For those of us who do not get parachutist magazine .... it didn't happen until a pic is posted here. fergs

Dave, Bugga - you're right. So it IS all about having the babes drag the guy off to their tents! And if he gets laid enough, he may then have time to look at getting some skydives and completing AFF. Man, I feel like a right dork - thinking this original poster had half positive intentions for his flat-mate. Seems I was wrong. OK, I'll now leave the discussion gracefully, f

Ladies and gentlemen, A little decorum, please..... This has to be the best case of thread-creaping this year! But remember back at the beginning that some guy wanted to get his room-mate a lift to a boogie. That's a skydiving boogie. That's a newish, low jump-number skydiver wanting to improve and learn. That's where we all once were at. That's where we all should be prepared to help. So.... can anyone offer this new skydiving brother a lift? Then he can make lots more skydives. Then he can learn. Then he can be a part of our brotherhood. Then and ONLY then ... can all you hot chicks drag him off to your tents. Blue Skies, f

Depends where you are going to be. Let me know the countries you are visiting and when and i'll see what I can come up with. fergs

Squeak, Then it sounds like you best come over East!! I've got a wingsuit that I suspect will be a nice fit for you. Hmmmm. f

oops. Thanks Professor. Some of the best times I ever had in this sport were at the Freak Brothers Conventions. bozo FB 2186 Nah, don't think I'd fit in at one of those conventions for the freak thingies - jumping hard all day - drinking beer hard all night - partying hard all night - 10 to 12 minutes sleep - get up and do same as day before - repeat for 10 days...go home to rest. nah, cannot be - surely they're a bunch of lunies?!!! f FB-961

Gold Pioneer twin zip jumpsuits with French Paraboots in early 70's - I'm thinking Golden Knights.

Here's mine.... this pic doesn't show it off all that well, but it's stunning with the sun behind / above it.

Including the president . Oh give me a break - you folks in the good old USA hardly speak english at all ... hahahahaha

Of the 35 or 40 different countries I've jumped over the years - the most expensive by far was Japan. They were around $60 USD out of a Caravan (and that was on vacation there 7 or 8 years ago so may be even more expensive today). But the aerial views of Mt Fuji were well worth it - almost majestic. Cheapest was Saudi Arabia - where sport jumping is in infancy stages. Jumps there were free - out of skyvan, C-130's and Kawasaki twin rotor helicopters. fergs

I'm not in Sydney so cannot help - but are you aware that they have a bus that picks up all-and-sundry down town each morning? Give them a call to coordinate, as it may be a convenient ride for you. fergs

No fun without the right equipment or required operational outcome.

Corey, just don't let them know that we don't have ANY states in Oz that are as small as that little ol' Texas..... fergs

Three in 3000 and 33 years. First 1976 - brand new Strato Cloud, blew lines on first opening and spun up. That was a Navy conical reserve. Second 1981 - pull out pilot chute - hadn't sewn down the bridle end out of the bridle bow-line knot at the pilot chute- it simply came undone - I pulled it out and threw, was left with a lonely bridle in the breeze. Is that why we called it a "throw-away pilot chute"? Hahaha. Another round reserve, PISA conical. Third a cpl months ago (24 years since the last one, eh?!!). It was simlpy line twists that refused to unwind - so I just got off. Having owned 5 or 6 square reserves, finally got to use one. A Smart from Aerodyne. Sweet opening, flew well, very soft landing. Blue Skies, f

KC, hahahaha - so was I being a little too serious? In fact, I was expecting to to come back and ask how far west of Texas the state of Australia is .... f

Don't think so - I believe that Bay Area Skydiving is San Francisco and Bay area. That's in the US. Byron Bay DZ is called Skydive Byron Bay (http://www.skydivebyronbay.com ). It's on the New South Wales coast line close to the Queensland border. That's Australia. Enjoy.