TomAiello

I'm currently at 178. I think that puts me up about 2 pounds on the week. Not surprising, considering I spent almost a week travelling, and didn't work out during that time. Plus, I went to dinner with various folks a whole bunch, and ended up at Starbucks several times a day (because someone closely associated with this web site happens to have chemical dependency issues with Starbucks). I'm back on the wagon now, though, so hopefully next week will be better. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have you tried clearing out your cookies and cache? I've seen cases where you can't see the changes, but everyone else can, because your computer has saved them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

26 feet is really big for a water canopy. More fabric means less consistent (and longer) inflation, so be sure to pull high until you get dialed in. Removing the diaper is nice, but not strictly necessary. I don't recommend using the diaper, though, even if you leave it on. Diapers aren't all that necessary for sub-terminal jumps. If you are doing long delays on the system, you might consider using the diaper, but I'd talk to some skydiving riggers first, and do some test jumps to dial in the (slower) diapered inflation speed. You'll need to put a handfull of big rubber bands onto your bridle (you only need one at a time, but when it breaks, it's nice to have a bunch more you can just keep using one at a time without removing the PC. When packing, push the rubber band down over the apex around 12-18". This will block off the vent, and encourage faster inflation. There is no need to install a tail pocket. The "standard" method for stowing lines on a BASE round is to put stow bands into the inside of the pack tray, down near the bottom. Any competent rigger ought to be able to do this in under 15 minutes. You just stow the lines into the bands (because off heading generated by racetracking isn't terribly important on a round over water). Alternately, you can use a "nose pocket" (tailpocket sewed to the nose of the round, usually installed at the same time the diaper is removed), but if it's your first experience with rounds, I don't recommend this, as it's a nonstandard technique I've only seen used by a few experienced jumpers. Also, note that your round is going to be very undersized for your "normal" sized BASE container. If the container is velcro, this means it is very important that it have the side flaps stiffened (as the normal pack volume, which generally does the job on an unstiffened rig, isn't present). A few other thoughts: Pin rigs are usually better for repeated water jumps, because the shrivel flap picks up water like a sponge, and the velcro doesn't work very well until it dries out. If you are planning on a lot of water jumps, it's worth the money to invest in a properly sized water container. Marty at Asylum made me a very nice Perigee W pin rig a while back (I'm sure that Apex or Morpheus would be willing to make a similar rig if you asked nicely). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That's what I was thinking. I've seen pin style toggles blow on opening. Disclaimer: In all the cases that I could verify that the error was definitely not in setting the toggle, they were not Vertigo/Apex toggles. They just make me nervous. I'm a fan of the stiffened cloth toggles--but then again, I'm a fan of the WLO, too. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Ah, ok. I understand. The thing is that there are professional translations available of most of the underlying news and source material. So, yes, doing your own translations may leave you open to some errors. But reading the news in your own language, then coming here and discussing it (in your 2nd, 3rd, or whatever, language) seems pretty reasonable. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I totally agree. I've got a (short) list of things I'd be willing to fight (physically, that is) for, and BASE in the National Parks isn't one of them. Now, if you want to take away my assault rifle... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Tune in on Monday, for more news. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I will begin organizing the oppressed jumpers of America to rise up and throw off their chains when you invade. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It's only one of them. But, since it's a criteria that 434 and I share, it's a good place to start building common ground. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

By that logic, no one ought to comment on the politics of a nation that does not share their language. That doesn't seem right to me--especially since we frequently exercise our ability to comment upon, and meddle in (by force if need be) the affairs of nations that don't speak English. Since I don't speak Arabic I oughtn't comment on politics in Saudi Arabia? Seems to me that the necessity to comment (and act) upon foreign affairs is independent of language proficiency. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Warning to all: The local for this jump has requested that all information about it stay off the internet until after it's done. I will aggressively remove posts giving any information about the jump before Monday. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

For the last couple years, I've reported my occupation on my tax returns as "BASE Jumper". But I kind of like "Industrial Gravity Tester" better. Maybe I'll change it this year. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I get these all the time, and they are very helpful. A more formal "report to moderator" button might improve the current informal system, but I'm not certain that it would do so. We also have a fairly good amount of "peer pressure" moderation (people posting and saying "hey, dude, you're out of line"), which a think is a positive consequence of a functional community. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dude. Ease down on the English grammar rules. It's pretty uncalled for when someone is writing in a different language. In general, I agree with you on this (rather large and nebulous issue). But I think it's funny that BASE is pretty much legal from cliffs in Norway, while the US National Park Service has banned it. Which country is the "land of the free" again? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Your google "experiment" has no control. Here's a potential control, but it's about 5 years out of date, so I wouldn't expect it to be too accurate. edit to add: according to the "google hits" methodology, There are also an awful lot of Christians who don't like Jesus. More than 2 million results! That Jesus character isn't even liked by his own followers. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

We're invading Norway, and "liberating" all those cliffs of yours... You've got to be bored to death, to be posting in Speaker's Corner. Still snow all over everything there? It's 45 degrees (F) here, and the weather is beautiful and sunny. Of course, your stuff is a bit taller than our wee little bridge. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It's absolutely for real. Loic pretty much defines "badass" in the wingsuit arena. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You do know the story about Feinstein (then mayor of San Francisco) attempting to ban all handguns in the city except her own, don't you? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Booth's Law #2 - "The safer skydiving gear becomes, the more chances skydivers will take, in order to keep the fatality rate constant." While I totally agree in the aggregate, I believe that I, individually, could use advancing gear to stay safer (rather than using it to take additional chances, but stay at the same overall risk level). In either case, the sport advances (the more risk averse folks stay alive, the less risk averse folks continue driving the envelope forward). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

At the time, this was a groundbreaking flight. Currently, those distances are fairly normal for high end wingsuit pilots (so, about 10 folks). Lukas was a very good pilot. If you search the forums (this one and incidents) for his name, you can find more information about both him and that particular flight. Blue skies, Lukas. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The first is Fastest Motherfucker in the Valley (Lukas Knutson). The second is from Soul Flyers (Loic). If you're into wingsuit video, check out the latest stuff on the Morpheus site. There's some video of Robert Pecnik flying the Phoenix Fly V-1 that is pretty amazing. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Sorry about that. I was at PIA, and spent all day today getting home. Lots of connections to make it back to Twin Falls. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I have personally used a hook knife. Video is here. Stills are here. I think that without the hook knife, that would have hurt quite a bit more. I don't think there was another way to clear the malfunction. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Your removed forum post was clearly advertising. You might want to check the Forum Rules on that topic. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

More money also means more R&D, and safer equipment. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com