TomAiello

I've got a FOX with around 350 jumps that I'd definitely classify as ragged out. However, it has had an unusually hard life (it was my first BASE canopy). I'd say it has around 40 water landings (1 in salt water), several tree landings (14 patches, all told) and a lot of packing on sub-optimal surfaces. The openings are a bit less consistent than I'd like--although bottom skin vents have helped a lot (I'd bet that the effect of secondary inlets on an old canopy is roughly four times their effect on a new one). The canopy has virtually no flare remaining. At this point I only use it for water landings, really muddy landing areas, or those canopy-confiscation loads in NPS land. I'd hazard a guess that a canopy that is well cared for should last around 400-500 jumps. However, a well cared for BASE canopy is usually an oxymoron. Even now, when I'm trying hard to preserve my newer gear, it still sees all kinds of use that a skydiving canopy wouldn't. At least my BASE gear gets less UV exposure. Hope this helps. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What he said. Have you ever tried to land a Phantom? I've got around 50 phantom jumps, and I'd not want to try to land one on solid ground--especially not if there were any obstructions. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

http://www.pisa.co.za. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Last time I was at Lodi, hop and pop jump tickets were $5 for 3 grand. Not sure what they are now. Still, it didn't appear to put the other Northern California DZ's out of business. People prefer different DZ's (or gear dealers) for a variety of reasons. Price is only one of them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've used virtual PC to run both the jumptrack software and the GPS software (both the map uploads and the track downloads) on two different Macs (G4 tower and G4 powerbook). Some difficulties (USB-Serial converter) that were easily overcome. No software problems at all. PM me if you have trouble getting it to work. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It's a little cheesy, but the one that's been in my head all day is Robert Heinlein: "We pray for one last landing On the globe that gave us birth; Let us rest our eyes on the friendly skies And the cool, green hills of Earth." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Is there a source link for this? I mean, that's a pretty strong statement. Can we really attribute and translate it correctly? (Not calling you untrue, but so many things said these days are he/she said kind of thing...and no, I am not forgetting the reaction to 9/11). I just saw that on NBC, too. I'm pretty sure the Iraqi spokesman made the statement in English, so translation isn't an issue. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've used this method quite a bit. I need to work on smoothing my flight profile, though. I tend to have quite a bit of variability (i.e. poor flying skills), and the GPS data is pretty choppy. I've heard that Protracks work for BASE, but I've never tried it. I know some guys who've been pretty convinced that the data they got was right, though. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You might want to post this in the "Places to Jump" Forum. In a minute, I'm sure Bill will move it there, and I'll get dozens of PM's telling me it's already there, and what kind of fool am I? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

82 on the Central Coast of California. I bet it was downright hot down in the LA area. Florida sounds pretty chilly. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Explanation, from friendly, anonymous Finn: What was going on with this cyber-pup? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Reminds me of a story I heard from an experienced (400+ jumps) BASE jumper. He went and tried bungee, and had video of it. Just as he reached the length of the (slack) cord, he started frantically reaching behind himself, trying to find a PC. He kept at it until the bungee cord pulled him back. Looks terrifying to me. I'll stick to safe, not so scary, stuff. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Well, I'm just lazy as hell, too. Actually, the first discussion board I ever got on had a lot of anonymous bickering and name calling. I kind of figured if I wasn't willing to sign my name to it, I shouldn't ought to be saying it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dude! You gotta call 'em McConkeys! He hates it when you call 'em McConkeys! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Can't you just use the little check box at the top of the column that says "delete"? Or does that just do one page? I've never used it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The jury is out on McConkey altitudes. I've heard several people say they think they are faster than PCA's. I tend to think they're a tad slower (somewhere between a PCA and a free fall). I don't know anyone who's done real research (i.e. cameras and lasers) into it to find out. McConkey heading is usually very good, if you maintain line tension. If you don't, anything can happen (cue wisecrack from a nameless DZ.commer, on Tom's latest building McConkey off-heading). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

For many years (I've changed it now) this was my password for a variety of accounts. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A-hem...are you sure? Some people just aren't familiar with the true answer... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Spence, Have you talked to Yexotay (I know you know him--PM me if you don't know who I'm referring to)? He's got a ton of paragliding time. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Zenister, you ought to talk to Huckin' Idiot. He's a pro skier (the kind that does all the twisty flips--I hear he's fairly well known for it), and he's been doing some cool ski launches off cliffs that are otherwise super-gnarly (severely underhung for a foot launch). If there's an expert on that kind of thing, it's either him or the jumper from the Eastern Sierras, who has ridden his snowboard off several big walls in foreign countries. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I believe Skinflicka has already claimed #1. He seems like the ideal choice to keep the numbers. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Mr. Aiello is my father. I'm Tom. Lukas was actually well known for getting short delays, and incredible distance. He flew very, very fast, and had a fantastic glide angle, but tended not to float as much as other fliers. I've heard that he once took under 45 seconds from an exit point that some other jumpers were making nearly 90 second flights from--but he still travelled farther forward. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Fastest Motherfucker in the Valley, Lukas "Cold Steel" Knutsson is, sadly, no longer with us. He was an amazing human being, and I think we all miss him more than we'd like to admit. At the time, that was a groundbreaking flight. It's still probably one of the top flights ever made. See this incident thread for more info on him. For more info on the flight in the video, see this wingsuit thread (my posting partway down has a transcript of his email describing the flight). The (very moving) memorial video is on headdown.net (search for the video simply entitled "Lukas Knutsson". Blue Skies, Cold Steel. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Actually, this web page (and these pictures) were what originally started BASE jumpers doing McConkey's (and a whole bunch of other, silly, unpacked jumps). The paraglider in the picture was the first person I know of to attempt such a maneuver. A novice BASE jumper, who was also a very experienced paraglider, posted the pics on the BASE board. The rest is history... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Very good pictures on this page. This is an advanced maneuver. Please don't try it without really understanding what you are doing, and preferably having instruction from someone with experience at it. There is a very real potential that you will entangle yourself in the canopy, resulting in serious injury or death. Edited to add: While the photos on this page are good, and illustrate the general idea, the jumper is a paraglider, so the technique is slightly different. Having that much slack in the lines on a BASE McConkey would be very bad form. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com