TomAiello

I disagree with BR. Even at low altitudes, there can be a benefit to jumping vented PC's, especially off solid objects (where you will have near zero time to correct, and hence avoiding off-heading is even more desirable). You will need a relatively small vent for quick inflation, though. I think it's really a matter of finding the ideal balance for your object. I know that Karin's Boyfriend posted a while back saying that both he and she were testing vented 48's at very low altitudes (if you know him, you can imagine how low that means) and had good results with a small vent. Let me see if I can dig up the post. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I wrote this some time ago and posted it to BLiNC. After reading some recent discussion here, I've decided to re-post it in this forum. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm pretty sure that the decision to BASE jump (or any other major life decision) ought to be made in consultation with a spouse, if you are married. I'm also pretty certain that after seeing Lukas' children in the memorial video after the Cold Steel tragedy (I use the term precisely--I do not believe that all deaths are tragedies, I certainly feel that this was) I will stop jumping if and when I have children. I've actually done a good bit of soul searching, some personal thought, and twenty or so pages of writing on this topic. While I'd rather not post that here, if you want to see any of it, drop me a line, and I'll try to scratch up a presentable copy. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Pro: Dampens oscillation from toss, less airspill induced orbiting. Con: More expensive, slightly slower inflation at zero airspeed, which only matters at ultra low (sub 200') altitudes. A lot of people. I am. I thing that the Little Aussie has switched over to using them exclusively. I heard that D-Dog is using them for all his hard object jumps. I believe that all the manufacturers who sell them recommend them. That means that, last I checked, they were recommended by Consolidated Rigging and Basic Research, but not Vertigo or Morpheus. I'd call around and check what their most current recommendations are, though, as I can't speak for any of them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The first one does look like a self cleared line over to me. The second just looks like a squirrely inflation, aided by the short delay, slider, and heavy crosswind. I'm not sure, though. Any other opinions? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've re-opened and examined several rigs after transit. In fact, I kicked (quite literally) a rig around a room trying to duplicate my line over from last year, then re-opened it and examined the pack job. I've never seen the lines inside the tail pocket shifting in any significant way. Some manufacturers use larger tail pockets, and I had heard that they might allow some line shifting (from a manufacturer who favored a smaller pocket), so I purposefully tested the larger tail pockets, and still couldn't get the lines to shift. Can you detail how you closed it, and what size the tail pocket was? I'd love to try to replicate your results. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Actually, I'm pretty sure that in this case RIP, the "instructor", really was sponsored by a snowboard manufacturer, in years (many of them, actually) past, even if he's not on their "official team" this year. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm certain it was not, for two reasons. 1) The wind, although variable in speed, was consistent in direction for the entire height of the object, from exit to landing. 2) RIP and Wire Rider were climbing our elevator tower. They had so little regard for common etiquette that they made no attempt to contact the locals (around a dozen different people) who could have fired up the elevator for them (and kept them out of trouble--by, for example, showing them the correct exit direction in wind). Instead, they simply rolled up and climbed (how's that for foolish? Climbing when the elevator is going... ). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I wonder if he's ever used free lines in the tailpocket? I've yet to see a tension knot caused by freestowing. I did see one tension knot earlier this year (out of thousands of jump), but I don't think it was caused by free stowing--it looked more like a line "whiplash" issue. Regardless, the thing getting most experienced jumpers isn't tension knots--it's object strike following off heading opening. Since that's our major danger, I'll continue to pack to minimize it. I would be curious to see if any skydivers (especially CRW jumpers) have seen tension knots caused by free stowing. They have a vastly larger statistical sample (i.e. way more jumps) to examine. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What kind of canopy are you using? And where is the extra line attached? I've noticed the same type of line abrasion on Ace's and Blackjacks (which both have five lines) in the past. I haven't had a good look at any other five line canopies to check, though. I'm curious if the extra line is causing the abrasion somehow. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Virtually all BASE jumpers discontinued this practice several years ago. The feeling (generally supported by video and statistical evidence) was that the rubber bands increased the off heading rate of the canopy. Basically, as the lines "popped" out of the rubber bands, they imparted rotational motion to the (still travelling toward line stretch, and hence most susceptible to off-heading) canopy bundle. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I thought a lot about this a few years ago when a Red Bull sponsored jumper was on tour, burning quite a few objects around the world. My eventual thought was that I'd rather not involve non-jumpers (of any kind) in what is essentially a BASE matter. I just saw at as too short a step from there to things like calling the cops on a fellow jumper because you disagreed with them. I'm not absolutely certain how I feel about it, but I am a bit worried about the slippery slope that you start down when you invoke outside authorities. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The rule of thumb I've always heard (and used) is that the wind governs the opening until your fall speed (i.e. relative wind) exceeds the wind speed (i.e. absolute wind). It seems to work pretty well that way, from observation. I have noticed that slider up canopies seem more susceptible to wind effects, even at higher airspeeds. I theorize that this is because the canopy is still constricted as the slider descends, and hence can be pushed around by the wind more easily, after it (and you) have already begun decelerating out of the "invisible" background wind, but before it is inflated and flying. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A larger PC will inflate marginally slower than a smaller PC, simply because there is more fabric that has to be inflated. It's the same reason that (ceterus paribus) smaller canopies inflate faster. The larger PC will exert more force on the canopy, extracting it (and getting it to line stretch) faster. This ought to lead to a (again, marginally) faster canopy inflation sequence. Remember that the Little Aussie used a 50" PC with nothing on the topskin (no cap, not even tapes, I believe) to make those jumps. I believe that the absence of weight on the topskin is most important in eliminating hesitation and encouraging faster inflation. If you're wondering about your particular PC's, you're probably best off to just take them out to a good daylight span and do go and throws with each of them, videoing and comparing inflation times. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That's pretty much the same stock lecture. I bet he gets tired of giving it. I've put the link into my rant. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've just posted my BASE Nazi Rant. If you, or anyone you know, are interested in BASE, you might want to give it a read. This post dedicated to Skybytch, and Canopy Nazis everywhere -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

This past week, we were jumping a large TV tower (2000'), with an elevator. There were five of us, ranging from just over 100 jumps to just under 1000, and we encountered various other jumpers from time to time, as we were touring a very crowded bit of the BASE world. Anyway, we had four jumpers on the elevator, and were all set to get to altitude, and put the elevator to bed before the sun rose, then wait for the light and make a dawn load. As the elevator reached 1000' or so, two canopies opened pretty much right in front of it--at around 800'. They were pretty logo canopies, apparently sponsored by a major snowboarding company (I don't snowboard, but I think that's what "Burton" makes). These two pretty canopies were opening in the upwind sector of the tower, and being blown back into the tower and the guy wires. The jumpers had exited directly into a 30 mph headwind, turning a super safe, easy object into an object strike nightmare. Obviously, they missed Outrager's BLiNC post on Jumping Towers in Wind (he posts as "Yuri" over there). The first jumper fought the wind a bit, and pretty much floated straight down, landing just in front of the guy wires. The second jumper had a 90 degree off-heading, and as he struggled to turn his canopy, he was blown between the guy wires of the tower. It was pure, dumb luck that he survived. I was amazed that he hadn't struck the wires, and gotten to ride them 700' to the ground, thereby injuring (truthfully, probably killing) himself, and likely putting our lovely little elevator off limits for quite some time. From my vantage point (on the ground, bedding down the elevator), I saw the openings, and the resultant wind-driven canopy flights. A bit worried, I hurried over to talk to the jumpers (who I did not know). A bit of our dialogue: So, I get home, make a few phone calls and figure out who the jumpers were. I am informed, quite curtly, that they were perfectly safe, and I ought to mind my own business. Oh, well. I guess I'll go quietly mind my business, then. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

BLiNC is the home of the BASE Board and the primary on-line home of most BASE jumpers (including myself). I'd definitely read through everything over there before posting. The atmosphere can be a bit intimidating. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Indy crew is pretty friendly. There are plenty of jumpers in your area. I'd post to BLiNC and ask there, or just wait around here for one of your locals who lurks this board (cue long string of one liners focusing on bodily functions). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have you tried posting to the BASE Board? There are more regular BASE jumpers reading that forum than this one. Also, don't feel too bad about it. I know three very experienced BASE jumpers (myself among them) who have visited Florida this year and been unable to find any locals who were willing to share. I believe it was Nick G who pointed out that Deland was the the first place (and probably still the only one) that he heard the term "locals only tower." Florida has never struck me as the friendliest place to look for local jumpers. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

For general BASE information, you definitely also ought to check out the Australian BASE Association site. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It looks like a good setup to me, especially for beginner BASE. However, knowing your devotion to wingsuits out of planes, I wonder how soon you will be jumping wingsuits from objects. I'd definitely recommend against this rig (or any velcro rig) for wingsuit flights. I'd also probably ditch the Vtec for wingsuit jumps, since object strike is unlikely to be a consideration, and you'll want minimal bulk (and lower cost) which comes with standard (non-Vtec) canopy. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I know one very experienced (500+ jumps) BASE jumper who uses this method for the same reasons. I don't really have an opinion on it, but it seems to be working quite well for him. Does the PC have a cap on the crown? In my opinion, the cap (or lack thereof) is a more important consideration than the extra 4". The 46 may inflate slightly slower, but will also extract the canopy slightly faster--and generally will do these things consistently. A cap, on the other hand, can introduce a weird variable hesitation (sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't). Variability is generally the real killer at low altitudes. From 315' you should be fine either way, but I'd definitely look at reducing the variables (and consider variable reduction to be more important than getting a slightly faster opening most of the time). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yes. Balloon jumps are actually very good preparation for dead air exits, since they basically give you a very high span jump (a 4000' exit point that can't be struck is pretty ideal). Several BASE gear manufacturers have used balloon jumps during First Jump Courses over the years. Prepheckt, aren't you a PTWOB kid? If so, you really ought to talk to AB about career ramifications. I'm sure he'll have some good insight to share. You might also look up bps--he's had a lot of career experience balancing the career and BASE things. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

This thread left me in stitches (laughing). You guys know that Skypuppy has a BASE number under 100, right? I'm just picturing him showing up at Bridge Day spinning "back in the day" yarns... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com