TomAiello 25 #1 May 6, 2005 Due to multiple inquiries, I am posting this now: I will hold a First Jump Course and BASE skills camp from August 27th to September 2nd, 2005 (Saturday to Friday) in Twin Falls, Idaho. Course will begin at 8am Saturday (27th) and conclude at 6pm the following Friday (2nd). My goal is to make this the highest quality, most comprehensive, formal BASE education course offered to date. This is not a complete course in expert, or even intermediate BASE jumping. All BASE jumpers must continue to educate themselves throughout their BASE career. The course will focus on basic BASE skills, with an additional emphasis on the history and ethics of BASE, and the teamwork necessary to many BASE jumps. In addition to standard First Jump training, the course will cover appropriate brake settings, advanced packing techniques, object avoidance techniques, object evaluation, and landing skills. Time and jumper aptitude permitting, we will also cover unpacked jumps, particularly as used for emergency situations, and multi-way jumps. I will accept a maximum of five students in this course, although I would prefer to have only four. Students will be accepted based on my evaluation of their qualifications. I will give preference to students who have audited a prior FJC. This course is intended for students with no previous BASE jumps, but I will accept applications from jumpers having less than 20 jumps. I will also accept a maximum of two non-jumping auditors in the course. If you want to audit the packing and discussion segments, I will also ask you to help out with some of the other parts of the course (such as ferrying cars). Auditors should be people interested in BASE who have not yet sufficient pre-requisite experience. Course requirements: 1) Gear: Because we will customize brake settings during the course, you must have your own gear to participate. 2) Mentoring: You must make a reasonable effort to find an experienced jumper local to you, who can help you with your jumping when you return home. You must provide me with contact information for this jumper, so that I can talk with them. If you cannot locate someone, I will assist you in doing so. This requirement will be waived for jumpers in an area where I am unable to locate a suitable mentor. 3) Prerequisites: You must have appropriate canopy experience, as evaluated by me. I will ask for details of your experience when you contact me, as well as contact information for people able to verify your experience. 4) Reading: I will require all accepted applicants to purchase and read [I]BASE 66[/I], by Jevto Dedijer, and the micrometeorology portions of [I]Understanding the Sky[/I], by Dennis Pagen. Course Syllabus: Day 1: Packing Discussion: The risks of BASE Video and Discussion: Impact (Discovery Health), Over the Edge (Justin Kardi, Jason Fitz-Herbert) Exercise: Letter to family Packing Discussion: Differences between skydiving and BASE cultures Video and Discussion, Exits: Lemmings (Will Forshay) Day 2: Beginner Exits Exit Training Discussion: Logging jumps Landing Area Preview Discussion: Jumps, landing, flight patterns PCA BASE jumps Video and Discussion: 2004 ABA Compilation (Australian BASE Association) Day 3: Deployment Discussion: BASE ethics BASE jumps: Hand held Discussion: BASE community BASE jumps: Delay nomination, Hand held Video and Discussion: BASE Community Self Regulation Day 4: Floater Exits Discussion: BASE History BASE jumps: Stowed or hand held Exit simulation: Floater exits BASE jumps: Floater exits and/or stowed. Discussion and Exercise: Appropriate Brake Settings Video and Discussion: From Gravity Came Groundrush, Nobody But Me BASE Jumps Like I Do, Para-Care (John Hoover), Boenish El Cap Jumps (Carl Boenish), Gravity Sports (Dennis McGlynn) Day 5: Object Avoidance Drills Discussion: Object Avoidance Avoidance Drill BASE jumps Discussion: Insurance Avoidance Drill BASE jumps Discussion: Object Evaluation Day 6: Object Avoidance Drills Avoidance Drill BASE jumps Packing, Part 2: Packing without tools Avoidance Drill BASE jumps Discussion: Recognizing Skillful BASE jumps Video and Discussion: Radix (Jimmy Halliday) Day 7: Landing Drills BASE jumps: Landing Drills Video and Discussion: BASE malfunctions and correction. BASE jumps: Landing Drills Video: Lemmings Extreme (Will Forshay) Space is limited, so I will accept the best prepared applicants. If you want to come, you must contact me via email ([email protected]). When you email me asking to come, please include: 1) Your total number of skydives. 2) Your total number of CRW and Accuracy jumps. 3) Your primary skydiving discipline. 4) The names and contact info (email of phone) of: (a) any BASE jumpers in your area who know you, (b) a BASE mentor who has agreed to help you progress, (c) any skydiving instructors who are familiar with your skills, (d) either the DZO or S&TA of your home drop zone 5) Any other relevant experience (paragliding, rock climbing, etc) 6) An explanation of why you want to BASE jump 7) Anything else you think I should know about you, or your preparation I will begin accepting students on June 15th, but I will hold at least 1 spot open until August 1st. Applying early will improve your chances of being accepted for this course. I believe that all BASE jumpers should make contact with, and learn from, their local BASE communities. If you have an experienced instructor in your area who is willing to travel to a legal span to provide instruction, whatever they charge, I will not accept you into this class without an agreement with that instructor. I will continue compiling a list of instructors in specific areas. If you are an experienced BASE instructor who wishes to be included in my list of areas, please contact me via email. There will be no charge for this instruction. I may require students to make a $100 donation to a local Twin Falls charity, but I have not yet determined an appropriate charity. If you have any questions, post here, or PM or email me.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #2 June 8, 2005 Ok, this announcement is back up. Note that I have altered the course dates slightly, so that it ends on the Friday before the Labor Day weekend. This will allow students to meet and jump with other jumpers during the Labor Day weekend, when there are usually many jumpers visiting Twin Falls.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #3 June 8, 2005 I will begin accepting students for this course on June 15th, so applying early is to your advantage. I will hold some slots open until August 1st, when I will admit the final applicants, in order to allow people who aren't sure what their schedules will be like that far in advance a fair shot at the course.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littlestranger 0 #4 June 8, 2005 How many pages does my essay have to be? When is it due? Do you accept late work? Will I get extra credit if I turn it in early? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skibumhass 0 #5 June 12, 2005 bugger this dirty little kiwi will be dropping his arse into twin falls some time after 10/9 i think i will have a talk to jonney utah Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
78RATS 0 #6 June 14, 2005 Quote Will I get extra credit if I turn it in early? Spoken like a 4.0 Student. Rat for Life - Fly till I die When them stupid ass bitches ask why Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #7 July 21, 2005 Just a reminder that you have only a few weeks left to apply if you want to come to this class. I've got two slots left that I'm holding until August 1st, at which time I'll pick up where I left off in sending invitations. If you've applied, but not yet heard back, hang in there, because there will be a few more folks who I can't invite until August 1st. I've had a total of 27 applications for the 5 slots in this class, so competition is fairly tight. If you need to know sooner, to plan things, and you haven't heard, feel free to email me and I'll let you know where you are on the waiting list. The top 2 on the wait list will be invited unless I get a better applicant by the end of the month. Thanks!-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericmillionaire 0 #8 July 21, 2005 well I'll be there the 26th-28th for the FJC with Apex. Sure am glad I spent 1100.00 on the course when I could've done it for almost nothing! Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #9 July 21, 2005 Roflol, with a nickname that reads "ericmillionaire" that's pretty funny. I have done both Tom's free course as well as Apex 1100 dollar course. Both are great and worth the money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #10 July 21, 2005 QuoteSure am glad I spent 1100.00 on the course when I could've done it for almost nothing! Honestly, I think it's worth the money. Apex has probably the most experience teaching of anyone on earth at this point, and I recommend them to anyone looking to take a first jump course.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #11 July 21, 2005 And much more importantly, Jimmy and Niko will sing along some Tenacious D, whereas Tom is a fan of country music. That alone is worth spending 1100 dollars to take Apex and not have to go through Tom's course. Just kidding, both courses complemented each other quite nicely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ericmillionaire 0 #12 July 21, 2005 Yeah, I figured both courses were basically the same but I choose the one with Apex because it is just 1 weekend as opposed to an entire week. I''ll have to brush up on my Tenacious D -- only thing I remember is something about a Clevland Steamer?? Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JaapSuter 0 #13 July 21, 2005 QuoteYeah, I figured both courses were basically the same but I choose the one with Apex because it is just 1 weekend as opposed to an entire week. Fair enough, but Tom's week long course does cover a lot more than what Apex's weekend course is able to offer. If you have a great mentor back home, Tom's extra curriculum items might not be necessary for you. But to equate the three day course with a weeklong one is not entirely fair. That said, Apex does do more than just huck you off the bridge. They spend a fair amount of time discussing various objects and the required skills and analysis that come with them, as well as ethics, gear, etcetera. QuoteI'll have to brush up on my Tenacious D -- only thing I remember is something about a Clevland Steamer? You'll fit right in. Nice work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TomAiello 25 #14 July 21, 2005 Back off the country music before we send you home to Denmark... -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JaapSuter 0 #15 July 21, 2005 Roflol. Still waiting for your BASE video with the corniest but most applicable song ever... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ericmillionaire 0 #16 July 21, 2005 Nothing againist country music Tom, I just prefer listening to musicians with talent! Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ericmillionaire 0 #17 July 21, 2005 You guys have any tips on things I can practice before getting there? I'm worried about packing because my pack jobs on my skydiving rig are horseshit they are the ugliest pack jobs ever. I don't want my BASE pack jobs to llok like that. I've tried some things under canopy with my rear risers but that is it. Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TomAiello 25 #18 July 21, 2005 Check out Adam Filipino's Consolidated Rigging Canopy Drills. I think that Jimmy will send you a set of drills he wants you to practice as well. For packing, there's no substitute for practice. I'm a big fan of the uber-controlled pack job, but I'd recommend just learning what Apex teaches you, and sticking with that until you've got it down. Lots of different pack jobs work, and you're better off to get good at the one you learn before you start trying variations. If you have a local rigger, watch some reserve pack jobs. That'll give you some good ideas for how to start into a BASE pack job.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JaapSuter 0 #19 July 21, 2005 QuoteYou guys have any tips on things I can practice before getting there? Having found your way onto the forums is a great first step. Now try the search button and the archives and you'll be golden. There is an amazing number of existing posts that give great advice on many things you can do before your course. QuoteI've tried some things under canopy with my rear risers but that is it. There is much more to it than just trying some things with your rear risers. Try stalling your canopy to the point where your pilotchute dangles in front of your canopy for a long time. Back up immediately after opening and turn your canopy around. Maintain a log of your heading performance immediately after opening. Find the stall point of your toggles. Play with your front-risers too. Pack intentional toggle releases and linetwist. Try several rear riser only landings. Do a few intentional downwind landings and PLF. Do a few intentional ultra-low approaches and low flat turns and flare-turns. Work on accuracy. Do many high hop-and-pops with large seven cell canopies. Do many coached and contest tracking dives. Some of these you want to clear with a coach and jumpmaster before trying them, especially those that might interfere with landing patterns of others. Its good if you have a big canopy and open high, just jump out last and you can land after everybody else and pretty much do anything you want. Make sure you tell them anyway though, and don't hook yourself in! Know how to do a flat-turn! To learn how to pack better; here are three good tips. Buy several packing videos. Apex will send you one if you book a course with them. Johnny Utah offers one on his website. The Basic Research and Consolidated Rigging websites offer manuals that describe packing. Take these videos and manuals and try each packing method several times, even if it's just with your small nine-cell into your skydiving rig. You'll have to improvise a little, but you'll learn something regardless. Completely dissassemble your rig. Disconnect your RSL, pull the cut-away handle. Seperate the risers from the container. Open up all four connector links and take out all the lines. Take off your slider. Disconnect the pilot chute and the D-bag. Now leave the room and ask a friend to get back in and make a complete and utter mess out of your entire system. Then head back in and reassemble the whole thing. After that, go make a jump on it. It forces you to really think about how your gear works and ask yourself simple questions about things like line-continuity and connector-link orientation. You'd be surprised how many people with more than a hundred jumps have a hard time doing the above. Ask your rigger if you can watch him do some reserve repacks. You'll learn a lot! You can go to the pool and practice exits. Why not get some kick-ass BASE videos and watch them all? And finally, don't hesitate to post questions here, there's a lot of people significantly more experienced and smarter than myself that will gladly give great answers to your questions. Have fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ericmillionaire 0 #20 July 21, 2005 I've tried some of those such as stalling the canopy so the pilot chute is in frontand backing up after opening. If also tried that thing where you completely disassemble your gear. I bought a new canopy last year and hung it up on my clothesline so I could hook it up to my risers and a strong breeze came along and turned my lines into a pile of shit. My DZ has a 7 cell I can use. Maybe I'll jump it this weekend and practice some more. I got that tape from Jimmy and Ive watched it a couple of times and read the manual too. Thanks for the advice. Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skreamer 1 #21 July 21, 2005 QuotePack intentional toggle releases and linetwist. You as a low-time skydiver are giving this advice to another low-time skydiver? Jesus, I can just imagine all the chops when all the other newbies reading this decide to try it out. Jaap, I think your intentions are good but maybe you should be a bit more careful with the advice you hand out so freely. This guy is on a Sabre2 loaded at 1.3 - I don't think packing intentional toggle releases and line-twists is a great idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ericmillionaire 0 #22 July 21, 2005 Where's your sense of adventure skreamer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TomAiello 25 #23 August 1, 2005 I now have 3 confirmed students for this course, and have sent out the last 2 invitations. As soon as I get confirmation from those students, I will declare this course closed. Should one of those decline the invitation, I will move down the list to the next applicants. I had a large number of qualified applicants for this course. So, I will hold a 3 day FJC in late September. I will give preference to folks who were high on the waiting list for this class. I'll make a separate post (and send emails to those people) as soon as I have confirmed the last students for the labor day course.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites HydroGuy 0 #24 August 1, 2005 QuoteI now have 3 confirmed students for this course, and have sent out the last 2 invitations. As soon as I get confirmation from those students, I will declare this course closed. Should one of those decline the invitation, I will move down the list to the next applicants. I had a large number of qualified applicants for this course. So, I will hold a 3 day FJC in late September. I will give preference to folks who were high on the waiting list for this class. I'll make a separate post (and send emails to those people) as soon as I have confirmed the last students for the labor day course.Tom, PM sentGet in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites 0
ericmillionaire 0 #12 July 21, 2005 Yeah, I figured both courses were basically the same but I choose the one with Apex because it is just 1 weekend as opposed to an entire week. I''ll have to brush up on my Tenacious D -- only thing I remember is something about a Clevland Steamer?? Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #13 July 21, 2005 QuoteYeah, I figured both courses were basically the same but I choose the one with Apex because it is just 1 weekend as opposed to an entire week. Fair enough, but Tom's week long course does cover a lot more than what Apex's weekend course is able to offer. If you have a great mentor back home, Tom's extra curriculum items might not be necessary for you. But to equate the three day course with a weeklong one is not entirely fair. That said, Apex does do more than just huck you off the bridge. They spend a fair amount of time discussing various objects and the required skills and analysis that come with them, as well as ethics, gear, etcetera. QuoteI'll have to brush up on my Tenacious D -- only thing I remember is something about a Clevland Steamer? You'll fit right in. Nice work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #14 July 21, 2005 Back off the country music before we send you home to Denmark... -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #15 July 21, 2005 Roflol. Still waiting for your BASE video with the corniest but most applicable song ever... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericmillionaire 0 #16 July 21, 2005 Nothing againist country music Tom, I just prefer listening to musicians with talent! Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericmillionaire 0 #17 July 21, 2005 You guys have any tips on things I can practice before getting there? I'm worried about packing because my pack jobs on my skydiving rig are horseshit they are the ugliest pack jobs ever. I don't want my BASE pack jobs to llok like that. I've tried some things under canopy with my rear risers but that is it. Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #18 July 21, 2005 Check out Adam Filipino's Consolidated Rigging Canopy Drills. I think that Jimmy will send you a set of drills he wants you to practice as well. For packing, there's no substitute for practice. I'm a big fan of the uber-controlled pack job, but I'd recommend just learning what Apex teaches you, and sticking with that until you've got it down. Lots of different pack jobs work, and you're better off to get good at the one you learn before you start trying variations. If you have a local rigger, watch some reserve pack jobs. That'll give you some good ideas for how to start into a BASE pack job.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaapSuter 0 #19 July 21, 2005 QuoteYou guys have any tips on things I can practice before getting there? Having found your way onto the forums is a great first step. Now try the search button and the archives and you'll be golden. There is an amazing number of existing posts that give great advice on many things you can do before your course. QuoteI've tried some things under canopy with my rear risers but that is it. There is much more to it than just trying some things with your rear risers. Try stalling your canopy to the point where your pilotchute dangles in front of your canopy for a long time. Back up immediately after opening and turn your canopy around. Maintain a log of your heading performance immediately after opening. Find the stall point of your toggles. Play with your front-risers too. Pack intentional toggle releases and linetwist. Try several rear riser only landings. Do a few intentional downwind landings and PLF. Do a few intentional ultra-low approaches and low flat turns and flare-turns. Work on accuracy. Do many high hop-and-pops with large seven cell canopies. Do many coached and contest tracking dives. Some of these you want to clear with a coach and jumpmaster before trying them, especially those that might interfere with landing patterns of others. Its good if you have a big canopy and open high, just jump out last and you can land after everybody else and pretty much do anything you want. Make sure you tell them anyway though, and don't hook yourself in! Know how to do a flat-turn! To learn how to pack better; here are three good tips. Buy several packing videos. Apex will send you one if you book a course with them. Johnny Utah offers one on his website. The Basic Research and Consolidated Rigging websites offer manuals that describe packing. Take these videos and manuals and try each packing method several times, even if it's just with your small nine-cell into your skydiving rig. You'll have to improvise a little, but you'll learn something regardless. Completely dissassemble your rig. Disconnect your RSL, pull the cut-away handle. Seperate the risers from the container. Open up all four connector links and take out all the lines. Take off your slider. Disconnect the pilot chute and the D-bag. Now leave the room and ask a friend to get back in and make a complete and utter mess out of your entire system. Then head back in and reassemble the whole thing. After that, go make a jump on it. It forces you to really think about how your gear works and ask yourself simple questions about things like line-continuity and connector-link orientation. You'd be surprised how many people with more than a hundred jumps have a hard time doing the above. Ask your rigger if you can watch him do some reserve repacks. You'll learn a lot! You can go to the pool and practice exits. Why not get some kick-ass BASE videos and watch them all? And finally, don't hesitate to post questions here, there's a lot of people significantly more experienced and smarter than myself that will gladly give great answers to your questions. Have fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericmillionaire 0 #20 July 21, 2005 I've tried some of those such as stalling the canopy so the pilot chute is in frontand backing up after opening. If also tried that thing where you completely disassemble your gear. I bought a new canopy last year and hung it up on my clothesline so I could hook it up to my risers and a strong breeze came along and turned my lines into a pile of shit. My DZ has a 7 cell I can use. Maybe I'll jump it this weekend and practice some more. I got that tape from Jimmy and Ive watched it a couple of times and read the manual too. Thanks for the advice. Gun Powder Eric Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #21 July 21, 2005 QuotePack intentional toggle releases and linetwist. You as a low-time skydiver are giving this advice to another low-time skydiver? Jesus, I can just imagine all the chops when all the other newbies reading this decide to try it out. Jaap, I think your intentions are good but maybe you should be a bit more careful with the advice you hand out so freely. This guy is on a Sabre2 loaded at 1.3 - I don't think packing intentional toggle releases and line-twists is a great idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericmillionaire 0 #22 July 21, 2005 Where's your sense of adventure skreamer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #23 August 1, 2005 I now have 3 confirmed students for this course, and have sent out the last 2 invitations. As soon as I get confirmation from those students, I will declare this course closed. Should one of those decline the invitation, I will move down the list to the next applicants. I had a large number of qualified applicants for this course. So, I will hold a 3 day FJC in late September. I will give preference to folks who were high on the waiting list for this class. I'll make a separate post (and send emails to those people) as soon as I have confirmed the last students for the labor day course.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HydroGuy 0 #24 August 1, 2005 QuoteI now have 3 confirmed students for this course, and have sent out the last 2 invitations. As soon as I get confirmation from those students, I will declare this course closed. Should one of those decline the invitation, I will move down the list to the next applicants. I had a large number of qualified applicants for this course. So, I will hold a 3 day FJC in late September. I will give preference to folks who were high on the waiting list for this class. I'll make a separate post (and send emails to those people) as soon as I have confirmed the last students for the labor day course.Tom, PM sentGet in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
