TomAiello
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Everything posted by TomAiello
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I've split this off from another thread. I think this is a separate, and important, topic. DrewEckhardt makes some very good points regarding the transferability (or lack thereof) in canopy skills from skydiving into BASE. As my own comment, some of these same thoughts apply (perhaps more so) to folks looking to transition from other types of inflatable wings (parapente, for example) into BASE. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I split this off another thread. That thread diverged into three or four topics of conversation, and I'm trying to clean it up. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Just a reminder that today is the last day for "first round" consideration. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Fog usually forms layers where there is a difference in air temperature (which causes the condensation which is the fog). The boundary zone between temperature layers is also a generator of turbulence in many cases. So, I'd guess you hit a turbulent boundary between air of different temperatures, different humidities, and possible also different flows. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I really think that training in a safe environment (pool, trampoline, etc) is the way to go. When it's possible to practice in relative safety, why try it for the first time in a high risk way? Your Mileage May Vary. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Average opening altitude is hard to pin down. People make their own choices on where to pull, and it's greatly dependent on the object. From terminal? From 200 feet? I think the question is too big. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Careful about your assumptions there. There is a BASE course at a TF campus and while it doesn't involve jumping that's not beyond possibility. I'm very careful about what's in the College of Southern Idaho curriculum. However, there has been a high school BASE club in Boise (still is, I believe) that took high school students for actual jumps here. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Sure. I think it ought to work fine. You'd want to check sizing with Morpheus when you ordered the container. MDV (Mono Directional Valve) is the vent option on the Troll. If you are going with a Troll, I'd definitely recommend it. I'd also say that the center cell vent is a good idea, if that's a separate option. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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In my opinion, you've got the order wrong. The canopy is a far more critical component than the container. If you are going to purchase a package, I'd strongly recommend selecting your canopy first, and going with the container that comes from the same place. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I just keep picturing Rick reading this thread and laughing his ass off... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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When Mark K. times the low pull video he has (hitting the water just as the slider reached the links), the pull was at just over 4 seconds. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I'm pretty firmly convinced that Morpheus has the best customer service in the BASE industry.
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If you do a search in the Bonfire forum, someone there actually captured the video from a large number of BASE jumps on GTA. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Same story. You are a test jumper. Sliders have big effects on openings. Expect changing your slider to do things. Be sure to test jump in a safe environment. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Sliders are specifically matched to the canopy. If you are switching sliders between canopies (or between sizes), consider yourself a test jumper. I think I've got a Mojo slider here. What size Rock Dragon? I'll try to measure the thing... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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On my Classic, a long time ago, I dumped too late after realizing I wouldn't clear that hill. I ended up landing (quite soon after dumping) on one of the trails on the back of the hill. I still have the screws in my ankle. So, much as Yuri may taunt me, I think I'm with J on this one. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Have a look at the lower guy in this 2 way photo (click on the photo to enlarge it). I think that's the kind of thing that 736 is talking about. Many BASE jumpers are this fast on the risers. Few skydivers are. You need to be very careful doing this early a grab. I've sprained my thumb twice going for risers that weren't yet taut. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Wouldn't they be able to do training in Prodigies? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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What kind of info are you looking for? There are some folks on this forum with experience rope jumping, but as far as I know there are no formal training programs available, and very little written information. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Just a reminder that I'll begin accepting students for this on Friday. At the current rate, it looks likely that I'll fill the class with people who apply before then. I may try to hold a spot, but be aware that I'll give preference to those who apply by Friday. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I did some jumps on SG this past week. I'm still trying to find time to post my thoughts, but; This swallowing of the handles was very pronounced on my rig (I actually jumped the suit with 2 different rigs, and it was an issue on both). I ended up running super tack thread through the bottom of the handle openings (the reinforcement tape), and tying it around my hip rings, to hold the openings down past the handles. I wouldn't have been willing to skydive the suit without doing this, as I wasn't comfortable with the lack of access to the handles. I think this was in large part because the suit wasn't sized to me (it was too large). And heck, on the vast majority of my jumps, I don't have those handles on the front anyway. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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You are correct. Abbie was posting from my house, in the middle of a party. That post probably isn't one that should be taken too seriously. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Jeb, Iiro, Ted and I just watched (it's howling wind here) a documentary from the way back, in which Nick (with extremely short hair) is jumping that donkey span in the desert. We were thinking maybe that was just after his first victory over this thing. So, Nick, time for a sequel? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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That's what I meant. Look at some of the big wall stuff being done with tracking pants, especially in Norway. You've got guys tracking down long talus slopes at angles approximately the same as the talus, then dumping at very low altitudes. This seems ideal for that kind of application. Plus, since the surface area is bigger than the tracking pants/suits, it ought to start moving sooner, allowing those kind of jumps to be done with less vertical at the launch point. Also, since it's designed around a "don't need to cut it away" principle, there's no reason not to use this suit for very subterminal stuff. I'm betting we see people getting noticeable forward movement with this thing, even on objects like 600' cliffs. That means we're likely to see, at some point, folks doing jumps where they out-track obstacles, even though the whole jump is subterminal (which is the kind of thing I had in mind when I said that bit above). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com