Thoughts on jumping slider down from a helicopter?

[tfelber 0]

I am considering a slider down jump from a helicopter using a BASE canopy in a skydiving rig, any thoughts?

What about max delay?

[clint 1]

What up T. Shelley did a slider down out of an ultralight. She did a 2 sec. no problems. No more than 3, I would guess.

Clint MacBeth
Skydive Moab 435 259 JUMP
M.O.A.B. Mother Of All Boogies Sept 19 - 23, 2012

[nicknitro71 0]

Why?

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Faber 0]

sounds like a really bad idea to me...
the rotors push winds downwards which could cause a mal on your canopy(just guessing)

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[tfelber 0]

Why? Because I want to experience a slider down jump at altitude and there'll be a helicopter next weekend at the MOFO Boogie. Otherwise, I would try it out of a baloon.

At some point in time my velocity will equal the velocity of the wind produced by the rotor. I would assume this would be very soon into my freefall.

[clint 1]

you asked why? well, you never want to take more than a 3 second delay with no slider.

Faber, I agree it could downwards but I think it's a good experiement. He's wearing a skydiving rig! WHat could go wrong?

We'll know for next time. Make sure your reserve is good! haha. I actually don't think it would have alot of effect on the canopy. You'll be at least 100+ ft away from the heli.

?????

Clint MacBeth
Skydive Moab 435 259 JUMP
M.O.A.B. Mother Of All Boogies Sept 19 - 23, 2012

[cornishe 0]

what about the downforce from the blades? how powerful effect does it have? How much room between the chopper and the ground, and you and the chopper, do you need for that turbelence to be a non-issue?

a

Abbie Mashaal
Skydive Idaho
Snake River Skydiving
TandemBASE

[clint 1]

at altitude? How how? 4500? or 11000? the higher you go the harder it's going to open.

Clint MacBeth
Skydive Moab 435 259 JUMP
M.O.A.B. Mother Of All Boogies Sept 19 - 23, 2012

[nicknitro71 0]

I would not do it out of a chopper.

Go to the potato bridge for that!

Memento Audere Semper

903

[clint 1]

He has a reserve! He's jumping a skydiving rig. Remember that. Try, try again.

Clint MacBeth
Skydive Moab 435 259 JUMP
M.O.A.B. Mother Of All Boogies Sept 19 - 23, 2012

[tfelber 0]

Hey Clint...what's up?

The why was in response to nick's why.

I've done several helicopter jumps and two balloon jumps. There's not a huge difference between the two except for the noise and a downward wind for a brief period of time on the helicopter.

I've seen a lot of BASE video and the openings, slider down, appear quite severe. I would like to see if I get my bell rung at altitude before I go doing any low altitude stuff.

BTW, saw the article in Parachutist but haven't gotten a chance to read it. Good photo of our demo team though, eh?

Hope to see you soon...

[nicknitro71 0]

I forgot about that thing called reserve

Well, let us know how it goes and make sure you tailgate the crap out it!

Memento Audere Semper

903

[clint 1]

I thought the Why was for me. I wasn't sure if you knew that 3 sec is the limit for no slider.

The article was great! Good picts too.

Clint MacBeth
Skydive Moab 435 259 JUMP
M.O.A.B. Mother Of All Boogies Sept 19 - 23, 2012

[hookitt 0]

My Friend Blake tested out his first self built BASE rig that way. He wore a 2nd Parachute to appease the pilot. (Yes I know it wasn't technically legal and Blake knew it too)

He took about a 2 and 1/2 second delay.

Good luck! I'd work on that exit position first though.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

I've seen a lot of BASE video and the openings, slider down, appear quite severe.

Hey Tony. Now I'm no BASE authority, but the 39 slider down/off openings which I have experienced (taking no more than a 2 1/2 second delay ... usually much less) look much worse than they actually are. If you have good body position and are not head low, then you really aren't slammed as bad as the video makes it look like you are slammed. Now as previously noted by others, if you take a 3+ second delay, well I don't even want to think about it.

If you want to do this out of a helicopter (or a balloon) and are jumping a skydiving container with reserve, then go for it (just don't take a 3+ second delay). Otherwise get yourself up to the span in potato-land to experience a slider down/off opening as they are intended to be jumped.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[pope 0]

Quote

I am considering a slider down jump from a helicopter using a BASE canopy in a skydiving rig, any thoughts?

What about max delay?

OK! Just tell me when and where.

[nicknitro71 0]

To be featured in CONTINUUM III.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

What about max delay?

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

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Calvin19 0]

no expert but i do have some time...

keep in mind helicopters usualy can't stay in a stationary hover when at high altitudes (due to air density. different for every chopper) just be sure your pilot is not already doing 60 knots when you exit for a 3 second delay! (yes, i know the vert+horizontal speeds build and decay independantly)
sounds like fun.

-SPACE-

[fenceline 0]

Faber is right. Check the skydiving fatalities in relation to an entry around 1994 (?). Low jump from a helo with a quick deployment of the pilot chute. Ended up rapped around him and he went in. Just a thought to consider. Was on the movie set of Firestorm.

[flite 0]

Sounds like fun. One additional thing to consider would be the days winds and stability of the airmass. If it's a light wind high pressure day I've heard the rotor wash/turbulence can be more severe and longer lasting.

[Faber 0]

why do you want it slideer off out of the chopper?? i would surgest doing so from a ballon,and slider up af an heli(note i never jumped off any of them items).
I think the blast from the heli will at some part mess your packjob up and leaving you behind whith out the feeling of the opening you want to feel...

besides of an object you sure can pull off more than 2,5sec slider off dont be such girls

atleast get video so we all can see

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Ferry 0]

I would also try from a balloon. And I know of someone who got unstable and opened after 8 seconds. I don't know if anything happend with the gear, but the jumper broke his nose with his knees.. Perhaps you can take someone with you to hold your pilot or be patient for your first BASE sliderdown jump. But with a reserve you can give it a try and just open after 3 sec no matter what your bodyposition is, could be good vid

Ferry

[tfelber 0]

Quote

...opened after 8 seconds.

OUCH!!!

That is one of my concerns... Though a PCA sounds like a good idea. I plan on doing at least a couple of practice jumps slider up from the heli to ensure I can exit stable. PC in hand would be my preferred exit, but if you hesitate too long you're kinda @#$%ed.

The idea came from watching a friend of mine do a low exit from a balloon. I just wanted to add some altitude and had access to a heli next weekend...

[Treejumps 0]

I don't think that your heli pilot will want you hanging around with a PC in hand. Bad ju-ju. If you are so aorried that you won't be stable, then don't do it slider down. Practice slider up, stowed, from a reasonable altitude. Once you are solid, then try something new. I still say don't even mess with slider down from a heli. If you are so frail that you are worried about your body/health from the shock of slider down openings, it is probably best to not consider BASE. The opening shock is the least of the problems.

Good luck