TomAiello

I bet you could have used a drink after that. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If that's the video I'm thinking of, then the canopy was definitely spinning. You can see a complete rotation before the jumper gains control with toggle input. The canopy only flew straight with around 3/4 toggle input on the opposite side (which is why the jumper is using one hand and his teeth to manipulate the knife, and you never see the other hand--it was busy keeping the canopy flying away from the cliff). On a BASE jump, your very first priority is to avoid object strike, which is why canopy heading is addressed before issues with the canopy itself. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

As far as I know, this has actually happened in Washington, involving Ebay and a much lower bridge a few miles from where the poor jumper should have been. I'm sure somebody can fill us in... That could lead you to think it just might be a good idea to lean over the rail and look down before you jump.... Actually, I think the lesson there was "have some idea of how long it takes a parachute to open, and what constitutes an acceptable landing area." I'm pretty sure that even had that guy leaned over and looked (I'm actually assuming he did), he would have had no idea whether or not that bridge looked good. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You might want to ask Mick Knutson if he has any data for it. At one point I think he was talking about issuing Chicken BASE numbers, so he may have some collected. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I want one. I got Chicken BASE in the summer of 2000. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I don't believe anyone was trying to imply that. I think the discussion was about the relative risks involved in two potential first jump experiences. Neither is (or has been painted as) "ultra risky". That's a term I'd reserve for things like low buildings, in bad conditions, at night. Making a judgment that one way or another is more risky than some other way does not imply that either of them is absolutely safe, or that either is ultra risky. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Harrisons keep Night BASE. I know of a couple active state and country lists, kept by various folks. Last I heard screwBASE was being kept by Vertigo, and I believe naked BASE was also. McConkey BASE is kept by Shane McConkey. Believe me, you don't want to see the card he sends out. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Beer is for skydiving, mate. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Still, MontBlanc has an excellent point. Many visitors to the terminal wall take side trips to that one. I've added a note to the bottom of the site guidelines sticky. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Of course I do. That's one of my primary concerns. You should have seen me the first time we did it. I removed everything I could think of that might be a snag point, tied my cutaway handle down so that it couldn't snag (and potentially get yanked out--now that would be a nightmare), took off my kneepads, heck I even considered going barefoot. I think that a bridle snag would be bad, but probably not life threatening (at least not immediately). I've seen a PC torn in half just above the bridle attachment when it snagged on a jumpers boots as he deployed, and both jumpers landed safely. ...or drag from the bridle popping the pin(s) before the subsequent toss by the catcher? It's probably best to have the thrower wear a velcro rig. But that's mostly because of the potential to tug on the bridle, rather than the chance of bridle flap extracting the pin. With a proper pin closed BASE rig, this hasn't been shown to be a problem yet. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What kind of delay did you take? Go stowed? I'm pretty sure that it was the only jump he was ever injured on. Beware those ultra low freefalls. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Repost. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Take a cell phone. Use "virtual ground crew". Either arrange that if you haven't called by some time, one of your friends will call in the cavalry, or call just before exit and tell them if you don't call back in 15 minutes, to come looking. Some people like to keep their virtual ground crew on the phone while jumping. I don't like that, as if you do go in, it's going to be unpleasant for them, and if you get into some hairy situation, there is some chance they will distract you. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

To create a safety factor on catch and release jumps: If a jumper misses his catch, he must freefall to the bottom of the line, and open lowest. This means that if you have multiple throw/catch combinations (as far as I know, no one has attempted this yet), you need to allow enough room for the subsequent "catchers" (who aren't actually catching anything now) to go lower than the guy who missed his catch. It also means that everyone has to pack with the same slider configuration (i.e. everyone has to be either up or down, to match everyone else in the jump). That way, you can rearrange the opening order in freefall, after a catch is missed and the catch and release is aborted. (Be aware that with 2 slider down jumpers, the second guy gets a fairly decent delay, and consequently brisk opening--I doubt that a third jumper could be added into a slider down arrangement, as his delay before opening would likely end up being out of the slider down range.) Basically, this means you have to have at least twice as much altitude as you hope to use. For example, had I missed catching Russel's PC at Bridge Day, I would have had to hold off pitching until after I saw Mark opening. That would have put me pretty low, but survivably so. (As a consolation, if you have all that room, you can hold for a while after catching--at the GoFast! Games, Mark R. and I took about 3.5 seconds after the catch, before initiating the deployment.) If you don't follow some sort of timing guidelines like this, you're looking at a potential wrap (or worse) if you miss the catch. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Well, one of them was there to take my First Jump Course. And I know the first ever US Marshal 2 way happened at Bridge Day this year. So, um, I'd say the purpose of at least those 2 guys was the same as the purpose of most of us--to jump, hang out with other jumpers, and have fun. I believe there were some other Marshals on duty to work security for the event, though. They started showing up in 2002, the same time they added the heavy security at either end of the bridge, and the National Guard presence, post 9/11. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm using Dianese. Mine is motorbike armor. I have the Summer Body Safety (in two pieces, called "jacket" and "pants"). I don't have any model numbers, and I believe these have been updated since I purchased mine. I was in a shop last week with a friend, and compared the 661, Dainese, and Fox versions of the armor. He ended up purchasing the Fox. The 661 appeared to have far less spine protection than either of the other two, and the Fox was about as protective as the Dainese, for less money. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It's in there now. I know everyone is going to love the soundtrack. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've uploaded the video to SkydivingMovies.com. It should show up in my folder there whenever it's approved. Russel, let me know if the second raw clip works for you. Mark, the raw, full quality footage is around 145 mb, if you want me to email it to you (or send it some other way). Let me know. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If you're a hot chick, you also have to do your 10th jump in your underwear. Seriously. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I believe that when Lonnie says "winter" he means "sub-zero temperatures." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yes. I tried to upload it to SM.com last night, but there was some kind of problem. I'll try again soon. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have you considered a line for "simple solo" jumps, and a separate line you have to go into if you want to do a multiway, or something requiring extra setup time? That way the solos wouldn't have to wait around while a 3 way got ready, or you flaked a canopy out for an unpacked jump, or whatever. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There's already a thread at the top of the wingsuit forum. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I know a guy who had his camera cleaned off by a riser strike. He never recovered it. More than one person who has lost a cut away main permanently. I also know a couple of jumpers who lost their entire rigs after landing. You've got to be careful where you land, and make sure you aren't delivering anything. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Russel's first jump was done with Collin Scott. His second jump was done with Mark Krasinski. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com