TomAiello

Unless he had a custom _very_ deep brake setting, this is unlikely. Factory brakes come set for a loading around .75 or so (the manufacturers recommended suspended load). Adding additional weight means the brakes are too shallow, not too deep. I'd guess that a 300 pound jumper under a 322 canopy with factory brakes would have tremendous forward speed on opening. I'd also guess that the appropriate deep brake setting for such a wingloading would put the tail line attachment points down near (or past) the A lines, when packing--so it ought to be very obvious that the brakes are so deep, even on casual inspection (because the tailgate would have to be moved several inches to accomodate the new brake setting). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have you seen the video clip in this thread? A few thoughts: We're not necessarily talking about a very low opening speed or time. This might be a terminal deployment, or it might be a go and throw. If you watch the video linked, you can see that the canopy is being spun by the orbiting PC, despite the bridle not being "spun up" tight. The negative effect of an orbiting PC is not a result of the bridle twisting. it's a result of the extraction force shifting directions. Imagine if you could do a PCA, and halfway through, run 20 feet to the left, then run back 20 feet to the right. It's a bit like that. The canopy moves toward the PC (or anchor point, if fixed). When the PC (or anchor point) moves, the canopy changes direction in mid-deployment. This can also lead to slack developing in the system while it moves to line stretch, as it changes directions. The multi bridle slides--it doesn't necessarily peel. It can slide back up the lines and still remained mostly closed. That means that force can be exerted sideways (kind of like crossloading your risers by dipping a should during deployment) from the instant the PC reaches bridle stretch. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That's pretty much what it looks like to me, too. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I absolutely agree. I feel strongly enough about it that it gets it's own paragraph in my "First Rig" article. Why not to produce the PC's standard with that system? My understanding is that it's harder to produce PC's that way. But I agree with you that it ought to be standard, even if that bumps the cost up a few euros. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yep. Mine are just like that. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've moved this from BASE to the Bonfire. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Nice job, Tigers. The Dawgs didn't look their best, but they didn't look their worst, either. Auburn was fantastic. I'm pulling for you guys to win it all, this year. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It has to be bad translation. Asymmetric attachment is _bad_. Very, very bad. It might mean that the ParaAvis PC's have a loop style attachment point (like the Paratech PC's, some CR PC's, and I believe some newer Asylum PC's [not 100% on that]), which pretty much makes assymetric attachment impossible. If that's the case, I'm a big fan. In fact, I paid more to have all my PC's custom made that way, back a few years ago. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think a larger PC is more likely to strip the center cell and/or deform the (freepacked) canopy as it extracts. The difference in extraction rates (and resulting tension) between the various lines in this scenario could cause all kinds of weirdness. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Many BASE jumpers own multiple sets of BASE gear, as well. It's far more common than in skydiving. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Usually it's too large a PC that can cause malfunction, not too small. Undersized PC's can lead to slower openings, pc's caught in burble, insufficient snatch force, etc. But I can't think of a reason that a smaller PC would cause a tension knot or line over. Malfunctions like that would result from an oversized PC. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Woof! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Those jumps were done before the availability of bottom skin inlets. At the time the Mojo was the best canopy for low jumps and zero airspeed inflation. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The US government operated without income tax for most of it's history. And without anything but customs duties for quite some time, as well. There are other ways for governments to make money. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Unvented Flik is not exactly renowned for clean openings. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That's a question that is sure to cause a lot of argument. I think it's going to boil down to personal preference. For sure, get bottom skin inlets. After that? Model of canopy will depend on the jumper. I know that successful freefalls of 173' have been made on Mojo, FOX Vtec, Flik Vtec, Troll MDV and Blackjack. I know that successful freefalls of 156' have been made on FOX Vtec, Flik Vtec and Mojo. If you are ultra low, having ZP topskin will help inflation. Also, I'm quite a fan of the new Troll center cell valve for faster inflation at low airspeed. Also remember that the most important component in ultra low freefalls is the PC and PC toss technique. These are more important than canopy choice because PC hesitation can kill you. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

At 255 pounds, you'll definitely want to use BASE gear for BASE, rather than the MT-xx. Despite wingloading considerations, a BASE canopy will serve you better. It certainly will. And it will probably be jumping out of airplanes. But don't make the mistake of thinking that a good skydiving canopy is by definition a good BASE canopy. The two are entirely different things. Be careful that you do not overestimate your knowledge. Book learning only gets us so far. Be respectful of those with field experience--they came by it the hard way. I'm not trying to harsh on you, but I do think you ought to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking you know everything about BASE. No one--not Dwain, not Slim, not Todd, not Marta, not Adam--no one knows, or every will know everything about this sport. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Clicky -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Short. Will you be exiting from a hovering chopper, or will it be moving forward? Don't forget you have to add aircraft speed at exit to your downard fall rate, for opening purposes. If that thing is moving, I'd use a slider. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Tree, be nice. We don't know anything about fitness level here, just overall body weight. Hey, I resemble that remark! Seriously, if you're going to be fat (like me) you need to be thinking alot, and preparing. The BASE gods do not love us bigger boned jumpers, so we need to work extra hard to cheat them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think that your odds of survival jumping that canopy from a terminal tower with a tailwind are fairly good. I think they are significantly worse than the your odds of survival jumping proper BASE gear, though. Note that I am commenting only on the canopy, and assuming that it is in a BASE specific container. I, personally, would be unwilling to jump a skydiving container from a tower of any height currently existing in the world. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You could do that with almost anything. But what's the point? If you want to do more BASE, you're going to need appropriate gear. Just doing a "one off" jump seems kind of silly. Plus, you'd be tempted to do it again, and then try something else...and all of a sudden you'd find yourself on the roof of a building with an MT1-XX... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What's that old saying about stones and glass houses? Put down the pipe, and step slowly away. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'd like to see it. Either here, or via email or PM. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That's a nugget! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com