TomAiello

This looks like the same article posted here, with updates (newer photos, addition of latest wingsuit fatality, slight changes in the steps on PC packing). Are there any other changes that I missed? edit to add: I think it's a great article, and I'm glad to see it getting distributed as widely as possible. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I can't correct the various online versions. They are all housed on sites that don't belong to me. Waaaaay back (when Morpheus changed their address and asked me to change the article), I sent an email out to all the various folks who had it up on their various sites, letting them know. After that, I don't really have any control over it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I bet KMonster would. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The idea of having an "overall world champion" is kind of silly. It's neat for the press, and the tourists, but I don't think it matters so much to the jumpers themselves. Heck, as long as it helps them do whatever they're doing (getting access to sites, getting money to jump, whatever), I have no problems with pretty much every BASE jumper describing themself as a world champion. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Is it not correct in the .pdf I posted? I thought I had it right. Let me check... edit to add: pretty sure it's right in the updated version. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You know... Flirting, like in prison. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Are you talking about me again? Myself, actually. In reference to a conversation SkyMonkeyONE and I had in person. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What about "Elders"? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Permanent, debilitating injury is most people's biggest fear. In evaluating my own jumping career to date, I'd say the biggest cost was actually losing good friends. I haven't been paralyzed, but I have had severe injuries, from which I still feel almost constant pain. The loss of people I valued is a much higher price. I doubt it. There are some jumps where there is no real "rush", and you can choose to do those for the fun. But you can always find that nasty fear-rush by just doing riskier jumps. It doesn't matter what your level of skill (or jadedness), standing on the edge of a 200 foot building with your PC in your hand, looking down at a pitch black street in swirling winds--that's always going to bring back the fear and adrenaline. It changes. I think that's true for almost everyone, but in different ways. For me, the jumps I'm still "in the game" for are the really deep, spiritual ones. You don't really get the fear-rush on those, just this intense, centered calm. That's a different (and long) topic, though. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It varies a lot. In my experience, beginning BASE jumpers are either seeking risk, or relatively oblivious to it. The ones in between are the rare ones (and the good ones, I think) who have an honest appreciation of the risk level, but choose to accept it. Truthfully, being able to accurately evaluate the risk of various jumps is something that most of us have had to learn through (often painful) experience. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I skydive for fun precisely because it's not dangerous, by comparison with other parachuting activities. This is a very interesting topic to me, because I know many people who wouldn't BASE jump if it weren't dangerous. I'm no longer one of them, but I do know those feelings. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Are you saying they might turn out to be overweight and middle aged? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I like "lifer". "Three digit" is ok, but do we call some other folks "two digit" and the hallowed "single digit"? I'll try to stop using "old timers" though. While we're on the subject, my personal pet peeve term is "whuffo". I freakin' can't stand labelling all non-jumpers as "whuffos". Not that we're going to see that one leave the lexicon, ever. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A quick forum search for "Iceland" returns this thread. I'd say you ought to contact Bennii. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've already done that. I updated the Getting Into BASE article at the same time. It just hasn't made it onto the web yet. I also added some things about insurance, and modified a few other things, as well as updating the addresses and such at the end. I'm hoping that Apex will finalize their new web addresses, so I can have all the updated info in there before posting the article. Here's a .pdf of that article, in it's current (but not final) updated form. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I wrote this piece (quoted below and attached as .pdf) by request for a presentation at PIA. I'd appreciate any comments or feedback on it. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

One of the reasons that BASE canopies do so well in turbulence is that they have a lot of "give". When they hit dirty air, they tend to wiggle around on themselves, effectively absorbing the impact of the turbulence without transferring it to the pilot. If you create a perfectly rigid wing, you are going to be getting every bit of the turbulence yourself. I'm not saying this (airlocks and vents) is a bad idea, but I don't think that turbulence is necessarily going to be the best application for it. There are lots of other potential advantages: deeper stall point, maintained pressurization during object strike, wider control range, maintained pressurization during double riser stall (object avoidance), etc. Have you considered how to deflate the canopy after landing from a "need to get away quick" jump? That's a question that occupies my mind. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Vertigo tested an airlocked BASE canopy several years ago. They abandoned the project for a variety of reasons. Adding bottom skin valves (not available at that time) may be a way to revive the idea. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Please read the Before You Post! guidelines linked at the top of every page in this forum. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Not yet. But I heard a rumor that one is in the works. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm with Faber on that one. I did take unvented canopies as low as 175', but that was before vents (of any kind) were available. Nowadays, with better options out there, I wouldn't do it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Different valve systems are definitely different. Basically, it's a trade off between inflow and seal, with some better valves doing better in both areas. In my opinion, Stane's MDV design is the best one going right now. I like it significantly better than either the Apex or CR valves. Those two are fairly close, although I do like the Apex valve a little better. (Go figure, because I like the CR canopy best). I'm about to have dinner, but I'll try to post more later. There's actually a lot to the differences in valve systems. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Somewhere in Spain, I'd say. I changed the name of the attachment. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Someplace else. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There is a contact button at the bottom of the page, which has the email address. I'm assuming that it's not printed on the page to minimize spam, so I won't reproduce it here. I'll PM it to you. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com