Tom's equipment article

[ramon 0]

I don't base but a bunch of my skydiving buddies do. They are always talking about this and that, and I ask questions etc about the gear (vents tailgates and so forth), but I sort of miss the picture.

Your article about gear was really interesting to me.

I am curious about one thing. In the Base competition in Malaysia last year a saw a bunch of pictures (possibly team Ill Vision) all opening very close to each other. Is this a common occurence among "fun" base jumpers doing 2 ways etc to have openings that close to each other (planned or un planned)?

thanks

ramon

"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce.

[motherhucker 0]

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opening very close to each other. Is this a common occurence among "fun" base jumpers doing 2 ways etc to have openings that close to each other (planned or un planned)?

Yes...and no. It totally depends on the object, as well as the two way. After an interactive multi way, there is typically not a lot of time to waste. Every time your canopy opens, you need to be ready for a line twisted, lined over 180 with your canopy on fire. You don't have a lot of time to react as you do in skydiving (usually). These reflexes are going to allow you to avoid a collision should that scenario play itself out. With that said, you also plan your jumps very carefully, and stagger your openings as much as possible. On terminal jumps, it is not as big of an issue, as you have the time and airspeed to gain adequate seperation. On lower sub-terminal jumps, however, sometimes seperation is achieved by one person jumping slider off, while the other slider is up--sometimes you just stagger your opening altitudes, sometimes you just have to face away from each other and fucking pray you know what you're doing. The best advice I can offer is plan your jump, and know who you're jumping with. Did I mention you need to KNOW WHO YOUR JUMPING WITH? You open close to people on multi ways. That's just BASE. Yet that seems to be just another one of those special differences that seperate this sport from other parachute sports like skydiving--It's just super fucking cool to hear your buddy's canopy open right in your ear, watch it inflate, hear them say ouch, that hurt my fucking neck, man!
There is a really cool photo that was on the cover? of I think ParaMag (one of those super cool european skydiving magazines who aren't afraid of BASE like those USPA-holes) In the photo, there is a two way jump from what might be a crane, in maybe Brazil? Anyhow, the high guy looks like he's taking a bite out of the other's inflated pilot chute--not a pleasant thought--I heard he just bounced off the inflating canopy below, but Who knows?Can anyone confirm or deny this shit I'm spewing?

[motherhucker 0]

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There is a really cool photo that was on the cover? of I think ParaMag (one of those super cool european skydiving magazines who aren't afraid of BASE like those USPA-holes) In the photo, there is a two way jump from what might be a crane, in maybe Brazil? Anyhow, the high guy looks like he's taking a bite out of the other's inflated pilot chute--not a pleasant thought--I heard he just bounced off the inflating canopy below, but Who knows?Can anyone confirm or deny this shit I'm spewing?

[bump] anyone?

[Dd0g 0]

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There is a really cool photo that was on the cover? of I think ParaMag (one of those super cool european skydiving magazines who aren't afraid of BASE like those USPA-holes) In the photo, there is a two way jump from what might be a crane, in maybe Brazil? Anyhow, the high guy looks like he's taking a bite out of the other's inflated pilot chute--not a pleasant thought--I heard he just bounced off the inflating canopy below, but Who knows?Can anyone confirm or deny this shit I'm spewing?anyone?

Haven't seen that photo, but I do have good video of me dumping early on a two-way and my fellow jumper getting a face-full of pink PC right as he hit line stretch. Actually, he gets his hand up in time to ward off the PC but that visual of PINK for a few frames is pretty entertaining - at least for me, since I was low slot!

Of course, this was the same fellow who has fallen through deploying canopies not once but twice, and those are just the ones I know about. What's the common denominator there?

It is quite surprising that we don't have more multi-way fatalities in BASE (caused by colliding jumpers). While we can argue that they are fun and so forth, it's hard to argue with a straight face that they are safer than solo jumps. With careful planning they can be nearly as safe as solos, but it is sad but true that from time to time BASE folks don't do the most careful planning in the world. Who knew?

The trick to being safe on multi-ways is to always be the low slot, and to always take it to the dirt. That way, you get to the ground first and nobody can dump in front of you during freefall.

Peace,

D-d0g
[email protected]
www.wrinko.com

+~+~+~+~
But this, surely, was the glory that no spirits, canine or human, had ever clearly seen, the light that never was on land or sea, and yet is glimpsed by the quickened mind everywhere.

[Hooknswoop 19]

A method for 2+ ways I have heard of is the low guy holds a bandana or rag is his pull hand. If the top guy hasn't pulled when he sees the bandana leave the bottom guys hand, he pulls quick. Like a really fast, hard to miss wave off.

Hook