TomAiello

That's all right. One day, when I am cool enough to be out "Shreddin' the gnar, getting radical, stabbin veins for pure adrenaline!" I'm sure I'll come to my senses. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

MDV is an acronym for Mono Directional Valve, so no forgiveness is necessary. Mono Directional? that suggests only one way? that is completly against the design of what the MDV actually is???? I thought (actually I know) MDV is a Multi directional valve and not mono. This is from the fact that the valve closes in various directions.... compared to the "flaps" that most valves have... According to the advertisement on Page 12 of this months Skydiving, it stands for Mono Directional Valve (P-MDV is explained parenthetically as Penta-Mono Directional Valve). I believe that mono directional is meant to refer to the fact that air can flow into the canopy through the bottom skin, but not out. Hence, the valve is mono-directional, where the previous Vtec (no covers) system that had dominated the market initially was a bi-directional (air could flow in and out) system. See also the Morpheus Web Site which gives this explanation (under the Products: Canopies heading): -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Since this is a boobies thread, I've moved it to Bonfire. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The span is high enough to do this. As soon as the one who holds the pc sees that the student is stable he can let go the pilot. It is a 46" pilot chute. This way the student can enjoy freefall a bit longer. If the PC holder removes the canopy from the container, but not to line stretch, and then releases the PC, he can easily induce line slack in the deployment, greatly increasing the chance of a malfunction. For this reason, in my opinion, "Freefall Assist" PCA's (where the PC is released once at bridle stretch) should release the PC while the container is still closed. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Are you sure he's not using the second one (a protruding piece of statuary to exit from that puts you further from the object)? To my knowledge, the term Gargoyle has no other usage relevant to BASE jumping. Please ask your mentor to explain it, and them email me and let me know what it is. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Where is the landing area? Gargoyle: a pin closed BASE rig from Morpheus technologies. Gargoyle: an ornamental statue or figurehead protruding from the side of a building. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If I remember correctly, the camera guy was handheld, and only DW landed in the water. As noted above, though, the cameraman posts to these forums, so I'm sure he can step in and correct any errors in our collective account of his jump. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

CR only offers the ZP foreskin (not full ZP topskin) on their Ace and Blackjack canopies. They offered a full ZP topskin on the Mojo, but at present the Mojo is not being produced, although there appears to be significant demand for it, so perhaps they'll decide to restart production. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The owner of that footage is a regular on this forum. Why not ask him if it's ok with him? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've moved this thread from Speakers' Corner to History and Trivia. Hopefully, folks who want to contribute something useful to help Jo can do so here, and we'll avoid the arguments that started in the Bonfire. Please remember that Jo is entitled to post her opinions and ask questions, just as every member of these forums is. Personal attacks will not be tolerated here (or elsewhere in these forums). If you want to share something with Jo, please do so. If you think she's on a wild goose chase, I advise you to just ignore this thread and spend your time elsewhere. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It wears out from being dragged against the ground when you stow the lines. There has been at least one actual failure of the white line from this (which was caught prior to jumping) and at least one failure of the white line in use (which was possibly from this as well). The white line has failed once and put someone into the hospital. Why not look for a superior alternative? Remember that the original system is engineered to work in a skydiving environment, and one of it's main criteria is functioning in a high G cutaway (which doesn't apply to BASE). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In the US it's called the Deductible. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I prefer no hole in my risers. However, one argument in favor of the hole is that it's easier to gear check at exit (because the rings are exposed). Another is that new jumpers who are used to skydiving gear are more likely to be familiar with it. The hole doesn't weaken the riser enough to matter in most applications (at least not with a type 8 riser). I think there's a post somewhere in the Gear and Rigging forum in which Bill Booth gives the whole history and explanation on the reversed risers (which were first developed by PdF as an alternative to type 17's with a hole in them, if I recall correctly). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Morpheus will build them either way. You just have to tell them what you want when you order them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

For what it's worth, I definitely agree with your thoughts on the integrity style (reversed) risers. That little white string is by far the most fragile part of your life support equipment. Anything that protects it is a big plus in my book. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It would also probably be useful to list your experience with each piece of gear. Quite honestly, I see many, many people who swear that "Gear X is the best," but turn out to have made 95% of their jumps on that gear. Without a basis for comparison, what makes them form that opinion? Many people strongly hold the opinion that whatever gear they own is the best, and turn out to believe that because someone else told them that when they started jumping, so they went out and bought that gear, and have never used anything else. Perhaps something like this: "Of my 350 jumps, 150 were made on a Rig A, 100 were made on a Rig B, and 50 each were made on a Rig C and Rig D. I liked Rig B the best because of X, Y and Z, compared with Rig A, where I saw H, J and K." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I have risers from Apex, Morpheus and Asylum that are all built like this. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Follow up question: Do you care about legal issues? I'd say a desert southwest tour would be pretty good if you want legal stuff. There are several other areas where things are good that time of year as long as you're not concerned about legality. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Exactly. Adjust your exit and pitch technique to minimize the chance of hesitation. Pre-inflating your PC (holding it by the bridle attachment and "lofting" it upward in an already inflated position) can help greatly reduce the chance of a hesitation. Before I tried a freefall under 200' for the first time, I set a video camera up on a tripod and made around a hundred (seriously) practice exit-and-pitches from about 6' into a foam pit. My goal was to have the PC inflated and pulling consistently by the time it (the PC) reached the exit point. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

How much cold are you willing to tolerate? Most of the desert southwest has fairly good jumping conditions that time of year. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Can you explain what leads you to conclude this? I prefer Asylum risers personally, but not for strength reasons. I'm unaware of any substantial difference in the structural strength of the two. But, I'm pretty sure that you've got to be hitting the risers harder than most BASE jumps, so it's likely you've done more research than I have on this. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Our friends at the Stavanger BASE Klubb are looking for help designing a new graphic for use on the Kjerag BASE jumping t-shirts and sweatshirts. Anyone can submit a design, so if you're a graphic designer or not, give it shot. The design should include Kjerag in some way. Aside from that, get creative and see what you can do to express the spirit of BASE jumping, and jumping in southern Norway, at the world's premiere big wall BASE destination. The designer of the best graphic will win free jumping registration and free pass for boat and bus rides at Kjerag for a season of their choice, and will get to see their graphic on shirts worn by jumpers from all over the world. The Stavanger BASE Klubb is the non-profit group of jumpers who organize bus and boat service, instruction, and self-rescue equipment at Kjerag. They also represent all of us when they negotiate with their local authorities to keep jumping accessible for BASE jumpers from around the world. All proceeds from merchandise sales will be used to continue to improve, develop and protect BASE jumping at this amazing site. Graphics or questions should be submitted to Vibeke Knutson at Vibeke.knutsonATchello.no (with the obvious anti-spam substitution). Graphics must be received by April 1st, 2007, for consideration. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

As far as I know, the pendulator in Lysebotn is the biggest one that is in regular use. The ones I've built have all been smaller. You don't really need very much freefall to evaluate a student's exit. With practice, you can tell in pretty much the first 2 feet if it's scary, just fine, or kind of in the middle. It's the scary ones that most need the pendulator. In my experience, that's about 1 student in 5, with 2 more being in the middle, so the pendulator is helpful, and the last 2 pretty much nailing the exit from the first try. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've never heard of a case of a jumper stealing a BASE rig. I know of a half dozen cases where they were stolen by non-jumpers who then attempted to resell them on ebay, pawn them, or (in one really ridiculous case) just show up at the local DZ and try to get someone to buy it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've since modified the system to prevent this, but I think what happened was that as the jumper exited, some slack was created in the pendulator line, and the carabiner that was attached to it bounced up, somehow snagging it's locking ring on the sheath of the rope. That's my best guess, anyway. It was a pretty weird thing, and I still have trouble visualizing how it's possible. At any rate, I've switched the attachment point to 2 pulleys (and 2 separate lines), and it's no longer an issue with that system. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com