TomAiello
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Everything posted by TomAiello
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All three incidents occured during deployment. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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The original manufacturer removed the 3 ring system and replaced it with a fixed riser setup. I am uncertain. But I do know that I have 100% confidence in the skills and knowledge of the person who inspected it prior to the second jump. I don't know. I saw the rig in question up for sale a while back. I've got no idea if that original owner jumps 3 rings, or even jumps at all, anymore. Neither of the two back to back did. They were here, and resulted in medium speed water landings without injury. The camera-snag release was at a terminal wall, and resulted in the level of injury you'd expect (fairly serious). That jumper has since returned to jumping (the incident was some time ago). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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In one case, it was concluded that a camera mount had snagged the yellow cable and yanked it out of the 3 ring assembly, effectively cutting it away. In the other two, which happened back to back on the same rig (even though it was inspected on re-assembly by a manufacturer who happened to be on site) no cause was found. That rig was later inspected by just about everybody, including the original manufacturer, without anything really turning up. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Warning: I will not let this thread degenerate into yet another BM v. PF bash-fest. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Two questions: 1) Is BASE really a quest to pull off the most "sick-ass shit"? 2) What is your basis for comparison, that has led you to conclude that any particular group of jumpers is "sicker" than any other? How many different groups have you jumped with and/or observed before making this conclusion? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I can think of three. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Next week's episode: Jeb Corliss. "Black jeans and tennis shoes? What is this the 80's?" "Are you going BASE jumping, or to a funeral?!" The future is coming... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Nice flight. It kind of gave me chills. I watched Lukas do the same flight in reverse (launching from the other wall, opening in front of the wall Vesa launched from) a couple years ago. I was even sitting in pretty much the same place as the camera. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I hope BASE is never reduced to just another way to sell energy drinks. Mine too. I spend a lot of my time and energy trying to help people who are learning BASE to do so safely, and well. One of the big reasons I do this is because Pete did the same for me. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Is the angle of attack of the S3S wing changed, or is it still straight front-to-back as in the previous S3? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Can you explain why you think this? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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When I teach jumpers (not out of airplanes), I almost always take them out at least once in bad conditions, then wait for them to make the call to back off. I think it's good mental practice, and it also gives me the opportunity to reinforce the "backing down is a good call" mentality. What's that old saying? Something about "I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air..." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Also, there is no sidewalk, so you have to do it when there is no traffic (very early morning is best). And, there is real potential for object strike, because the canyon walls are quite narrow. Unless you know what you're up to, I'd not recommend adding this one to your Idaho BASE vacation. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Yep. It gets jumped a fair bit. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Lots of people...if there was water underneath it. Seriously, in many cases you're better off under a round when jumping a solid object. Minimal forward speed and in-place turning make object strike much less of a possibility. Landing? That's another question. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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No problem. In this context, there's no real issue with discussing the locations, and they are necessary to set the historical background. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Several. So far I've done: (a) don't mate the toggle at all (b) set the brake above the keeper ring (so it slides off) (c) use a thin strand of floss to simulate a brake setting, which broke at opening If you have any other ideas for some tests to try, I'd love to do those, too. I've also made several attempts at getting the ring to dislodge during opening, but so far I haven't found a way to get it to come loose. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Yes, and yes. I suspect that one of the things that keeps the brake set is the friction between the line and the cloth stub, which is greatly reduced with a smooth metal pin. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I know that some people had trouble with the pins getting bent on slider down stuff, and I believe the manufacturer said they wouldn't recommend using them for slider down. I'll let Russel post a description of his system. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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This is a pretty cool weather site that one of my students showed me this week. It's intended for air sports, so it has all kinds of useful information that isn't usually included in standard weather forecasts. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Did you see Russel's ring-release riser system? It appears to be a good way to use LRM without the possibility of losing a toggle to a premature release. I've only put about 30 jumps on it so far, but my results have been good. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I can't speak for everyone, but I'm teaching riser corrections to avoid imminent impact, followed by toggles (once no longer pointed at the object) to conserve altitude. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Latest report is fractured tailbone and L5. That sounds kind of weird to me, but anyway, that's what I heard. He's supposed to be out of the hospital in the next few days. He was apparently jumping a camera and going low on a 2 way. Sounds like he fixated on the footage and lost altitude awareness, resulting in a very low pull and hard impact into the water. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Have you seen premature brake releases on cloth stub toggles? I've only seen it happen with pin toggles. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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huh? Don said that he had two cracked vertebrae in the lumbar spine. It sounds like it's going to be one of those "two days in the hospital and a month in a back brace" kind of things. I'll post if I get more info. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com