TomAiello

To clarify, I was talking about not using any tailgate or masking tape. I was not discussing the use of masking tape to replace the tailgate. To be absolutely clear: I do not believe that any amount of folding of the fabric this way or that is as effective as the use of a reefing mechanism (be it a tailgate, masking tape, or something else) which directly controls the lines. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Watching opening video, I can really tell the difference between slider down with and without the primary stow. However, the difference between 1, 2 or 3 wraps of the primary stow is very difficult to notice. Can you tell me more about what you have observed in these cases? Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Negative. It has ribs made of tape, but there is large hole mesh stretched between the ribs. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That packjob has been discussed at length in other threads (search for the Hong Hookitt Faber pack). The majority of the people using it still use tailgates. I do not believe it is an adequate substitute for a tailgate. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A better mod than the duct tape (and slightly harder to do, but easy enough with a sewing machine) is to attach some spandex in square pocket shapes to the side flaps, and then tuck the top corners of the shrivel flap into them. Any reasonably competent rigger ought to be able to do it. For what it's worth, I think that using a velcro rig with a wingsuit is a very bad idea. For the same reasons, I think that if you are tracking veyr efficiently, you're better off with a pin rig than a velcro one. There have been cases of premature openings on wingsuit flights, and it would suck to be the guy who was reinventing the wheel and came out with a horseshoe malfunction on a BASE jump. Learning from the mistakes of others = good. Figuring "hey, I've done it 20 times and it's worked so far, so I must be impervious to those mistakes that hurt other people" = silly. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

No. The rubber band on the trailing edge of the slider is intended to take a bight of the control lines, to promote nose first slider up inflation. Another way to do this (and a better way, in my opinion) is to sew a tailgate into the trailing edge of the slider, and close that around the control lines. The rubber band on the C line attachment connects only the C line attachment point and the slider apex. It's purpose is to hold the slider up until the canopy begins to experience bottom skin expansion (which ought to be after the lines have gone tight), for better staging of the opening. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You should consider calling that little round parachute a Bridle Chute. Tenacious B decided that was a more descriptive name, and is now in the process of bribing jumpers all over the world to adopt the term. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Direct control is when you use a rubber band girth hitched (aka larksheaded) to the center C attachment point, and you wrap it around a the very center of the slider. The idea is to stage your deployment so that the slider cannot begin to descend while the lines are still slack. This is partly the same thing that the main locking stow in the tail pocket does, and this function is why the locking stow is also referred to as "indirect slider control." In my experience, the more slider you pull through the rubber band, and the tighter you wrap it, the slower your opening will be. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Are you using the direct control stow? I've found that a tight direct control stow is the most effective way to slow a slider up opening. Also, is your mesh slider fine mesh (marquisette) or large hole mesh? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The GFD sticker was removed by one of the local jumpers. We (the local jumpers) try to remove trash, graffitti, etc, from the bridge and it's general area, including the landing area, the hiking trails, etc. The Skydive Lake Tahoe sticker has been on there for a long time, and is very difficult to remove (although one of the locals has been working at it for a while), but the GFD sticker was brand new, so it peeled off easily. The jumper who removed the sticker didn't mean any offense or disrespect to Shannon's memory by doing so. Stitch, I've forwarded his email explanation to your @dropzone.com address. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Translation posted to BLiNC: -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have you considered using multiple tailpockets, for different line groups? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Don't worry. I'm sure Corky Junior is reading this, and will be texting me shortly with a response to your post, which he will then ask me to post for him, since he's not "on those forums" anymore. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In my opinion, legal sites are more susceptible to burning. After all, they can't make an illegal site illegal again--but the authorities could make jumping illegal at a site like the bridge, and that would be the ultimate instance of a burnt site. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Short definition: Anything that makes it harder for other jumpers to access the site for jumping purposes. In most cases, bringing publicity to a site makes it harder for others to jump it (because many sites are less than legal). In this case, the poster is saying that putting tags or other marks on the bridge is likely to be interpreted by local authorities as graffiti, and as a case of "them darn BASE jumpers" not respecting the local people or their (collective) property, the bridge. This makes it more likely that local authorities will ban (or otherwise regulate) jumping, to the detriment of jumpers generally. More on BASE ethics generally, and site burning (as a subset thereof) can be read here. Additional articles on BASE ethics are in the same library, here and here. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It may be that I'm just more familiar with the object, but it's pretty obvious from the photos that he didn't place his sticker over the sharpie writing. The writing was on the top of the handrail, the photo shows his sticker placed on the outside of one of the uprights. Note that I'm not saying that either was a particularly good idea, but I'm not out there removing them either. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In 99.9% of cases I would agree. But it was placed on the outside of the railing on purpose. The skydiving sticker above it has been there forever. Was the skydiving sticker left in place when the other one was peeled off? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If you are really, really low, I'd use a big PC (I like 48's, personally) and present the PC to the air in a manner that reduces or eliminates the potential for hesitation (which is the major downside for a big PC). Consider holding the PC by the very base (at the bridle attachment) only, and "lofting" the fully inflated PC up into the air at exit (a short bridle can be helpful when using this technique, as well). If you are going lowish, but stowing or taking a delay, I'd consider using a smaller PC (like a 42) which will be less prone to hesitation (especially when stowed). Although it will yield slightly less snatch and drag force, the thing that will kill you on those jumps is not reaching line stretch slightly slower--it's the unpredictable hesitations. In either case, my gear and technique choices are led by my desire to avoid hesitations. I don't really mind if I open a little slower/lower, as long as it's as predictable as possible. Predictable I can plan for (and make decisions on the basis of, such as my go/no go decision). Random I have to react to. I prefer being able to plan, rather than having to react to random factors (of which we have enough--which is why I like to minimize them). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Has anyone tried beeswax? Corky Junior recommends it, apparently. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It took him exactly 22 minutes to contact me and let me know that he read that. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've used a tailpocket with stows like that (after seeing yours). Watching the video, it looks to me like there is a significant amount of wiggle imparted to the tail pocket and the pack job as the stows pop. I was concerned that if a rubber band hung up, it could spin the whole thing, so I stopped using that setup. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

He's self-banned. He refuses to participate in the juvenlile antics of the DZ.com forums, because he is so mature. Instead, he reads the forums and rants about them in person, and then has his roommates post things under their names for him. Hey Abbie, you readin' this? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've seen a BASE PC in use with the Seattle crew that has no centerline. It's constructed (by one of their local riggers) as a hemisphere, rather than a flat circle, which makes the centerline optional, per the manufacturer. If you were to do that, of course, you'd be a test jumper, with all the small print that entails. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

They'll be amputating his hand sometime this week. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Meghan you've met here is probably Meghan Annis, who is not the writer of this story. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com