base311

yes it would be permanent, but you'd have a S/L bridle... and a regular freefall bridle.. you change pilot chutes, don't you? Gardner

hey man.. no worries. I scoped what we talked about. need two vehicles and a driver. it's a really busy place under there... anyway, next time I plan to be in the area I'll call ahead and maybe we can do that and more. take care, Gardner

Okay see attached: ...this is just a design idea. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! So what do you all think? BLACK NASTY SQUIGGLY DEATH? or not? Apart from a few obvious drawbacks I see no reason why it wouldn't work. The biggest drawback I see is the reduction of pull force as the diameter of the object around which the loop is wrapped increases. Resultant (vector) forces go way up as the angle of the "Y" increases - much the same as with climbing anchors. Another drawback may be risk of snagging the bridle at the point where the webbing layers are stacked. Another drawback may be the wear that the one piece of bridle may get when rapidly whipping around the object to which it was attached. Another drawback is the size of the object to which you can tie off is limited by the amount of bridle you've built into the design benefits? I dunno... other than you take the bit with you when you depart... nothing left behind. The breakload should be increased above a single sandwich-type velcro construction because of the two legs... a little more load distribution. ____________________ This is just an exercise in theory... this has not been constructed. construct and jump at your own risk. you will be a test jumper. Comments? Flames? Suggestions? Later, Gardner

all that said, having the boat is a huge benefit in the final risk analysis... I'd rather have it there wishing I didn't have to pay for it than not have it there and be willing to pay for it. A boat in the water is a good thing/good sense. Gardner

not only all of that, but a person can hike straight up out of the canyon and be at the top in less than 15 min. if you know the route. for anyone who has enough experience to jug 480' it ought not be any trouble at all to find the route... just watch the choss gardner

See: Poynter's Vol I, 4.152 Fastener Tape, Hook and Pile, Nylon Mil-F-21840 this section lists specifications of velcro types, as well as sheer, peel and tension specs for velcro types. Poynter's Vol II, 7.78 Static Line Manufacture This section discusses static line manufacture - and particularly in this volume - shows a sandwich-type construction for the velcro pca. It does not mention pull forces attainable with this construction. I guess the best thing to do is build something and pull-test it. As has been mentioned before, velcro is pretty consistent. The key is to design something that generates enough pull force. in the straight sheer direction, it can hold pretty well; hence the creation of the 'shrivel flap' for wayward headdown base jumpers. But what I wanna know.... how are you gonna get the bit that you left on the object? For me that would be the determining factor as to whether to build it or not. It would be fine for a legal object where you can go back (or an object that you frequent), but it seems to me it leaves something pretty obvious (from the whuffo, "what is this and what's it doing here?" standpoint) behind. ANyway.. lemme know how it turns out. Gardner

Congratulations! Don't delude yourself into thinking the number is a non-issue. You'll see 802 everywhere from now on and think, "hey... that's my number." You earned it. Welcome to the club. Gardner

Just hightlighting this for some folks I know thanks, Gardner p.s. Is it true that you're next door to us? drop a line.

I've heard of some instances where the Feds (FBI, DOD, etc) have leased some space on towers for their communications systems. In that case, I'd say yes - it's possible that there could be some issues with federal jurisdiction. There are some towers that are wholly owned by the feds, too. The coast guard operates quite a few towers for comm, etc. To wit Get the FCC site number during recon and check it against the FCC database b4 proceeding. This will at least rule out fed ownership. Don't know what to tell you about cases where the feds rent space on a privately owned (or corporate owned) tower. I can hear the charge now, "...interferring with communications vital to the security of the nation." That ought to make any solicitor drool. bsbd, Gardner

Although not necessarily irrefutably the cypres's fault, it appears that the cypres fire in this press release on airtech's website contributed to the death of the co-pilot and pilot. Granted, had it been turned off then this may not have happened, but - y'know - shit happens. I wouldn't exactly call this particular fire a 'save'. It's all about responsibility. As the article says, "...section 2.2 of the CYPRES User's Guide states that the Student CYPRES should be switched off when descending in a jump plane." YMMV, Gardner

You look a bit square to me... and you're ugly, too.

...it starts the slow adrenaline drip. Gardner p.s. skin that's good that your palms are sweaty.. any lube is better than none.

you're silly. Gardner

Just a point of technical clarification: JV was tarred and feathered in Nawlins for burning an object that was in Atlanta. Barbaric? Perhaps. Justified? We certainly thought so. He blazed into town, talked a crane operator and foreman into letting him jump (a sweet crane with a hugely phat lz that we were jumping LOTS at night) in broad daylight, got them both fired from their jobs, then gave an over-the-phone interview to the local news station (complete with a color glossy picture of himself), then had the audacity to mention - when discussing with the news anchor what he thought about the workers losing their jobs, "you can't get me now because I'm in Louisiana." Well, the police might not have been able to... or wanted to go to the trouble of doing so, but it was certainly within our reach. In hindsight and in his defense, at the time, the 'net did not exist - so it was more difficult to comply with the 'call the local' rule. He may not have been aware of the locals jumping in the area; nevertheless the rule was in existence in the culture at that time, and he had opportunity to do so (check in at nearby dz's or with others in the sport). Further, his flagrant, audacious, I'm-a-BASE-god-attitude during his over-the-phone interview sent our sensibilities over the edge; we thought our retaliation was justified, and I still believe so to this day. In defense of Tom (help with which I'm sure he doesn't need), he was just the messenger; don't shoot him. In defense of the CO crew... well, they don't need defense either. And freefli - what,"...one hope(s) to accomplish by [that] message..." is the saving of hard-earned, too-few, precious local objects. As someone else has already said, spend a year in the sport, open a few objects on your own, and see if you don't take it personally when someone starts treading on the ground you have broken without your knowledge or without seeking your help. Until then, we have our ways and they will be utilized - with or without your 'approval'. Gardner p.s. edit: meant to reply to d-dog's post... sorry crewpilot.

wow. good thing that bldg wasn't a little taller... or the wind a little stronger. would have been interesting to see the interaction between the jumper/canopy and that concrete thing (WTF is that?) that he nearly hit. bet the pucker factor was kickin' in. I want to see them smash a 20th floor window out and foot launch it from the broken glass opening with the static line attached to a desk or something. sharky's machine with a twist.

Okay so I knocked off work early today and was chillin' in the crib watchin' cnn and saw the army demo team's jump at rockingham racetrack in NC this past weekend. well, this past weekend the wind blew like STINK on the east coast. I guess y'all have already seen it but DAMN! Ouch: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030223/168/3ccnd.html more ouch: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030223/168/3cbwz.html imho those guys were behind the curve when they left the aircraft. hope they heal well. (vibes) on a slightly different note, Emergency Evacuation Systems has done a press release to the news agencies... manufacturers of Evacuchute... http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030221/laffns1_1.html pretty damn cool, actually. their website: http://www.evacuchute.com/ under "testing and certification"... at the bottom... there's a link to a building jump under it. ouch (although admittedly you can't see the jumper pound in... hrrrmmm). and last, but not least, the Marines caught those sumbitches that cut the lines on all those military canopies at Camp Lejeune. (maybe this is old news for y'all, but I hadn't seen anything on it so I thought I'd share). http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=519&ncid=519&e=51&u=/ap/20030219/ap_on_re_us/parachute_investigation_2 anyway... y'all be good now... y'hear? Gardner

Yeah but it'll cost ya.... TIA/EIA-222 - Complete Document Revision: F Chg: Date: 06/00/96 STRUCTURAL STANDARDS FOR STEEL ANTENNA TOWERS AND ANTENNA SUPPORTING STRUCTURES Comments: Superseding Document: Page Count: 121 In Stock: Yes Hardcopy Price: $ 104.00 Download Price: $ 104.00 later, Gardner hey B... pm me. got plans tonight? I'll have my ballz - too bad weather looks like shit.

About 11 am EST yesterday (Wed. 2/19/2003) the 1750 foot tower of WVAH-TV collapsed due to icing. There were no injuries. Transmitter building was crushed. More at: http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/wv/news14.shtml http://www.wvah.com/newsroom/shows/wed.shtml#2 RIP, Gardner edited to make links clicky

it's cool you've brought this up, though. I'm aware of an area that is otherwise unjumpable (very low cliffs with lots of trees beneath). the area does, however, have a set of high tension lines running across the gorge. what are people's thoughts about actually trying it out? as if altitude, gravity and high voltage weren't enough deterrent... it's in a NRA (not national rifle association). thoughts? would a person still fry on the ground wire? I'm not an electrician, but I could stay at a holiday inn express the night prior to trying this. guinea pigs welcome to go first. skin? Gardner

I would like to know, specifically, where this photograph was taken? Vivid romper-room colors... magical mystery locale. A must-do. Pm me and let me know where you are and if you'd be interested in showing this object to me. Thanks, Gardner

it has been my perception, based upon what I've read and seen, that slightly shorter lines yields a little less oscillation (pendulum) in squares. The amount of curve in a canopy translates directly to what would be dihedral in fixed-wing aircraft. more curve - more dihedral - greater stability. Of course there is always a compromise; shorter lines means more curve in the crown-rigged planform and, likewise, reduced projected (useful) surface area. I wonder if this is part of the reason for the shorter lines on the flik? accuracy jumpers used to shorten their lines for this very purpose. since base is all about accuracy and geeking the camera, then maybe this is at least part of the reason this route has been taken on the flik. but what do I know. Later, Gardner

No doubt dude... man, if I had a dollar for every time some whuffo told me about a cliff or a bridge that was, "oh hell yeah it's at _LEAST_ 400 feet!!!"... I'd be a rich man. Truth be told I wouldn't but that's a different issue. Whuffos don't know _anything_ about how tall something is when they're standing on the ground looking up at it. In defense of whuffos it is a _very_ tough thing to just look at something and even roughly estimate its height - especially if you're not practiced. One thing I've found is my former estimates of things have been conservatively LOW. The laser rangefinder has transformed (at least in most of my cases) what was once thought to be 'too low' into what is now 'possibly doable' Anyway, they're all right (ddog, dexter and tom): the only proper way to do an assessment is to do it yourself. As already mentioned, if you don't know how to do a proper assessment of a site, then find someone who can (and will also teach you how); find someone who has opened many sites of his or her own. bsbd, Gardner

LMFAO Hey that's a good one. who's gonna keep the numbers? Gardner

technically the ditch is downstream of the 'football field'. The stream flow is from east to west and typically most jumps are made from the east side of the bridge. therefore, you'll want to stay upstream of the ditch, north of the canyon wall/talus and south of the river. it's big and it's flat. if you end up under the bridge (downstream of the ditch), there are quite a few hidden boulders that will bite you, though if you land on the trail - generally - you'll be okay. hey freefal you might wanna change that pic filename I don't suppose it's any biggie, but once you get the hang of not site-naming then it becomes habit.

Yeah, but I liken Tom's policy of never posting site names (regardless of how silly it may sound/look when one refers to a hugely popular site) to a convenience store clerk's policy of carding EVERYONE for alcohol sales. Yes, it seems really stupid to everyone standing in line when the clerk asks some crinkly, shrivelled codger for his driver license... but one thing is for sure: nobody slips through the cracks and the clerk is safe from the occasional sting op. Some people think you'd have to be a complete moron to leave clamps on a BASE packjob too, thereby obviating the need to count your tools. Because Tom's policy is to never name sites publicly, he's therefore less apt to accidentally name one. The latest case of some moron jumping the wrong bridge because he had knowledge of a bridge in the area - and selected the wrong one - only happened just a few months ago. You just can't fix stupid, but hopefully you can thwart it to some degree. Gardner