TomAiello
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Everything posted by TomAiello
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I might take that a step further and say that a comparison between two identical people with the same number of total wingsuit flights is meaningless unless they have commensurate skill levels with the respective suits. Even if you have a zillion flights on an S3, your performance is likely to be a bit off on your first SG flight, for example, and vice versa. I guess we're all just going to have to try the suits out for ourselves. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I have to disagree with this statement. Having seen and filmed many a flock were those who were returning after a lay off not only danger others in the flock but themselves. This may be a difference in the types of flying you guys are doing. Scott, do you think that flockers ought to start with a lower end suit when returning from a lay off? Or start with fewer flyers around? Or both? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Let's keep that discussion over at BLiNC. There's plenty of it there, and no real need to rehash it here. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Clicky Post from Paragliding forum reproduced below: -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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More discussion of Miles course can be found in this thread. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Let's try to keep this discussion in the (one) original thread. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Sure. But the trailing edge is sewn to the side of the suit. And the angle between the two is determined by the manufacture of the suit as well. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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It's my understanding that "3-D shape" refers to the fact that the wings locations are optimized to flight, rather than occupying the same horizontal (i.e. 2-D) plane. On every other (non V-1) suit I've ever seen, the wings "line up". That is, a straight line drawn from the leading edge of the arm wing down to the trailing edge of the leg wing will pass through all the wing surfaces. I do not believe this is the case with the V-1. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. If you draw a line from the leading edge of an aircraft wing back to the trailing edge of the tail, you _don't_ pass through all of both wings (tail and main wing). Aircraft have wings with optimized angle of attack (relative to the body). As far as I know the V-1 is the only suit so far to bring this advance into the world of wingsuits. edit to add: If my understanding is incorrect, I'm sure that UncleCharlie can elaborate on where I've gone astray. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Aside from the obvious... Be sure you have adjusted the toggles correctly for the line length. If your toggles are set for slider off, your control lines are going to (effectively) be too short when routed through the rings. And, of course, be sure to use a tailgate (I hope that sounds obvious to the point of trite). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Have you ever seen Ward Connerly? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I believe the photo linked shows a S3+ prototype. I saw a similar suit in use by the same jumper (Robi) when he was still at Birdman. I don't know if you'd call it an S4, but sure, I guess. I believe that suit is actually closer to being a Phoenix Fly V-1 than it is to being an S3. Note the material change on the leading edge. Does anyone know if the S5 is a continued development along the lines that Robi took with the V-1 (and those S3+ prototypes) or an entirely different direction? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I don't know many folks who are part of the "many" you're talking about. In general, the vast majority of people I've talked to about these sorts of issues are just as concerned (or not) about mistakes when made with Americans and non-Americans. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I didn't say I thought it was ok to grab people inside the US. We do have (generally) an operating criminal justice system for that kind of thing. If I recall correctly, I already posted (above) a statement to the effect that I didn't think it was appropriate for our foreign policy instruments to be operating domestically. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I wonder if there is any correlation between vehicle size and political views? Maybe I'll get a "W" sticker for my MINI... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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In some cases you need a replacement part or three. With the file and know how, it's almost always possible to make a full auto gun that continues to fire until the clip is empty (so, one pull of the trigger = one empty clip), but it's not always possible to make a full auto gun that you can stop firing by releasing the trigger. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Wouldn't the precedents surrounding doctors apply then? What was that case with the doctor at UCLA who took tissue from a patient to do research? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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When criminals can avoid prosecution by just being in another country, it seems reasonable to take extra-territorial measures. I guess what I'm saying is that, in the same way I don't believe the army ought to exercise police powers in the US, or that the State Department shouldn't have powers to arrest people domestically, I also believe that all of our normal domestic rules can't necessarily be made to apply outside the US. There really are two bodies of law, and two sets of procedures, one for internal and one for external matters, and I believe such a system has evolved for necessary reasons. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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The trick is being sure that the folks you grab really aren't "Mr. Rogers." A mix up in normal, western, criminal justice can be corrected much more easily than with this kind of system. And even then, the level of injustice done in the meantime is pretty large. Truthfully, if you could guarantee 100% accuracy (i.e. everyone you do the snatch and grab on really is a bona fide terrorist) I'd have no issues with this at all. When you step outside the rules, you're going to have to play the rough and tumble. It's the chance for mistakes that bothers me. What's an acceptable level of error? Perfect accuracy would be great. But any system is going to have some error level. So would 5% innocents getting grabbed be ok? I'm really wondering this for myself, not trying to be sarcastic. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I did get into BLiNC, although I'm having trouble again, now. For the benefit of those who can't access that other thread, it appears that this was an off heading followed by wall strike. Injuries may not have been as serious as initially reported, and apparently the jumper was expected to spend only a short time (one or two days) in the hospital. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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There was a lengthy article about this in Newsweek (or one of the other newsmags?) a few weeks ago. They tracked CIA flights, followed at least one person, etc. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Dude, is BLiNC down, or is it just me? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I'd recommend making another hundred (or couple hundred) skydives before trying BASE. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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I'm assuming that Tree made a typo, because I'm not aware of CR ever producing a vented F-111 PC. This may have been a custom PC, but I'm guessing typo. I agree with your understanding (that venting is unneccesary on an F-111 PC, because F-111 is essentially self-venting). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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Either that or "Crane". If you're wondering if you ought to use it to apply for a number, I guess that's mostly up to you (and partly up to Rick and Joy). Otherwise, it's entirely up to you, and rightly so. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com
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No. But you have reminded me of that one, as well. DexterBASE, isn't Tom D from your area? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com