TomAiello

BASE rigs are currently available in both pin and velcro closures. Velcro was long the standard, and pins are the current majority of new gear, with the result that gear in the field is an almost even mix of velcro and pin. I know many jumpers (myself included) who own at least one of each type. Very interesting stuff. I'm wondering why there isn't just a "side flap cutaway" similar to the wing cutaway on a 3 wing style wingsuit. Perhaps I'll start a thread in G&R when I've had a bit more time to think about it. Thanks for the education, everyone! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does Paralog do 3D mapping? Even without the background map, a 3D map of the flight path is going to be quite useful for some non-airplane folks. With the background map it's pretty much the killer app. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Me too. If it doesn't, Nick, you're going to have to write a second book just about your personal BASE experiences. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Do you have a link for the software? If you want to show a higher quality example, I can throw it up on my web page, so you can link to it from here. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Nextel is the name of the wireless provider in the states that first offerred the PTT option. It's expanded to some of the others now. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I was thinking of it as more of a positive thing. You'd be able to keep everyone informed of BASE related things (like hot objects) really fast. You could have group codes for your crew, everyone in your area, everyone in the country, etc. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Several years ago I knew some jumpers were talking about trying to get a bunch of us together on a PTT type connection. Imagine sitting at work in Tennessee and hearing your phone "there's a bust going down in California..." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Can somebody explain how this worked? Please? I'm wondering if some variant could be used to open a BASE rig in the event of a PC total, like a bridle-over or bridle knot. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Manbird no longer posts on this forum. I'd recommend trying him via email or PM at BLiNC or Flybirdman. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

He doesn't need me to throw himself off. He can use some help, but as far as I can see, it's pretty much all his show. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There is a longish post from the manufacturer in that thread as well. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Very nice! I'm thinking someone is getting long flights for christmas... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Inline images have been disabled in these forums for a while now. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You'd have to be careful not to just make that an insane amount of drag. Bigger wings don't necessarily generate more lift, so just adding extra wing area might actually make the suit fly worse. If done right, though? Yeah, I think you're onto something. Why not wear scuba flippers, and run the suit all the way to the toes of the flippers? I know that just the flippers makes for an incredibly powerful track--I can't imagine them paired with a big leg wing. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Maybe you can leave at the same time as DexterBASE and have a race to see who gets here first... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dude, you need to put some more rice on that thing. The MINI does it in closer to 8. It's a good thing there's no moderator around to move this post to the Bonfire... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If you are only jumping largish Antennas, it may not be worth your while to invest in the bottom skin inlets. Bottom vents aid in cell pressurization, generally yielding cleaner openings and faster time to riser responsiveness. They can also aid in overall inflation speed (which only really matters at very low altitudes). They also cost several hundred dollars extra, so if you're not going to be doing things where they really come into their own (low stuff, solid stuff, and especially underhung stuff), they may not be worth the money for you specifically. If I was buying an unvented canopy for that kind of thing, I'd go with an Ace. In my opinion, it's got the best unvented inflations on the market (mostly because it was designed first as an unvented canopy). If you are opening the field up to vented canopies, I'd go with either the Blackjack with ZP foreskin (as Peter recommended), because that's my personal favorite canopy on a wide cross range of criteria (best inflations, good penetration into wind--which will matter on your antennas, strong flare). If you like the way that the Dagger flew for you, you also ought to consider the Apex (previously Vertigo) Rock Dragon. While it doesn't appear to have quite the penetration of the Dagger, it has significantly superior inflation, and is probably (given that you were pleased with the Dagger) something you'll want to check out. Plus, it'll likely mate (sizewise) well with your Warlock. I've jumped all three of the canopies you asked specifically about (Ace, Dagger and Troll). I didn't like the Dagger's inflation (I felt it wasn't clean enough), and truthfully, I wasn't too comfortable with the swoopiness of the canopy (although I'm sure that's a personal preference issue). Note that I have made a very limited number of jumps on the Dagger (less than 30, and none of those canopies were my own). If you are going with the Troll, I'd definitely get the MDV (bottom inlets) option. Without it, I was most unhappy with the canopy's inflation (both slider up and slider down). The MDV pretty much addressed these issues, though. I like the Troll's flght characteristics (good penetration, good available forward speed in full flight, good sink in deep brakes, good flare). I have several hundred jumps on the Troll (including a good number of both MDV and standard jumps, and a good spread of slider up/down). For flight characteristics, I like the Ace the best. I also think that, unvented, it has far the best inflation of these three (unvented) canopies. It does have more available forward speed than the others, which some folks don't like (personally, I just pull the toggles down a bit more, which seems to address the problem). I've been very pleased with the openings, the flare and especially the responsiveness to riser input. I like the Blackjack even better. I've made roughly 50 jumps on Aces, but several hundred on Blackjacks (which pretty much fly the same). Bottom line? I'd recommend an Ace if you go unvented. If you want vents, try to get both a Blackjack and a Rock Dragon to demo, and see how you like each. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hey, Is anyone planning on being in Twin jumping during the week any time in April? Respond here or PM me if you are thinking of it. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I edited the site name out of the title of this thread. Looks like great fun. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If he still has any, you can get them from Rick H. Do a search in this forum--he posted when he got them from Jean B. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Maybe he's not rich. He might have an 8 inch tongue, and be able to breathe through his ears... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm pretty sure the ski jumping rules disallow any kind of flight aids. I recall reading an article that discussed the evolution of that sport in Scandinavia, and it seems like they've already gone through the stage of inventing, then disallowing, tracking gear. If they'd allow it, I bet it would become a super cool wingsuit laboratory, though. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does that include black powder? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

No, no, you've got it all wrong. You see, they are both victims. You're just caught up with these niggling issues of right and wrong. It's not about what's right and wrong, can't you see? It's about the system that perpetuates this. No one is actually responsible for their own actions. We're all just victims of these conditions. They've set us up. Welcome to the homeland of Ebonics, where city councils have their own independent foreign policies... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I wonder how hard it would be to actually build such a thing? Picture some kind of spring loaded swoop cord system that expands the wings and pulls them up to the arms... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com