980 0 #1 December 20, 2006 so, today, for the first time in my life, I saw a terminal velocity wingsuit basejump... There I was standing on the edge of a giant cliff in Italy and watched Robi and Livia launch a 2-way and fly all the way to the landing area and more before deploying. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I think this is why wingsuits exists. I laughed like crazy for their whole flight. Can't wait until I fly my wingsuits off here this week. cya sam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #2 December 20, 2006 Cool. Let us know how it goes!www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gus 1 #3 December 20, 2006 Nice one Sam, how is this snow? Good luck with your first flights. GusOutpatientsOnline.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KrisFlyZ 0 #4 December 20, 2006 Nice one dude!! Give me a buzz if you are in London before 30 Dec. Kris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 643 #5 December 21, 2006 We won't believe you without pics or video.... Enjoy...be safe! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SullyFlyer 0 #6 December 21, 2006 That first one is awesome - let us know how it goes. You certainly picked a hell of a nice cliff for it... WARNING Wingsuit BASE is a terrible thing. It ruins you for life. Once you fly, you will never be the same. ~ Fear is the thief of dreams... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buried 0 #7 December 21, 2006 Hey Bill, when's your trip to EU for those climbs? Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #8 December 22, 2006 yup. cool is the word! so, this morning I completed my AWBP (Accelerated Wingsuit BASE Program), it comprised 5 levels: 1 - normal clothing freefall and track, 7 sec delay 2 - PF pants & jacket track - 12 sec delay 3 - PF Prodigy flight - 20 sec delay 4 - PF Phantom flight - 30 sec delay 5 - PF Vampire2 flight - 33 sec delay so, 5 jumps from my first terminal BASE jump to my first BASE flight with my V2, might seem kinda quick, but I figured a few subterminal jumps (including slider ups) and a few wingsuit skydives along with reasonable level of currency made this program OK for me I only progressed to the next level if my jumped went flawlessly. I am also being a shameless dirty high puller, it's a good thing my regular jumping buddies aren't here or they would be making lots of fun of me.... The normal clothing freefall was super cool for me, as I was so far away from the wall, even with a less-than-stellar track. Long canopy ride down the talus to the landing area also. The next morning saw me jump the pants & jacket and the forward speed that you can easily achieve is surprising when you have something close by for reference. The Prodigy was a big step up in forward speed. Wingsuit reality distortion started to set in: the ground is just not scary anymore, it does not seem to come any closer as you fly along the talus. I knew of this phenomenon, though and pulled high because of it. The Phantom felt a little like a straight-jacket as I prepared for exit, but as soon as I had some airspeed and put my legwing out, it raced forward and I felt at home, I was briefly tempted to try and fly all the way to the landing area, but I had my progression and I was sticking to it with yet another dirty high pull. Plenty of time to unzip my legwings, shoot some video of myself with the cliff in background, fly around aimlessly and finally land. It was a very impressive sunset just after we jumped. I am glad to have shared the last 3 jumps with some French jumpers we have met here. The only thing I would have liked to change about this jump was the way my canopy slammed me so hard that a little assymetry in my harness resulted in me getting flung around two and a half times into so many linetwists. No big deal as I was open so high and far away from anything. I guess that'll learn me for using the small-hole mesh slider on my canopy, I am going back to large-hole mesh, go figure! This morning confronted me with a tough decision, as the winds were higher at the exit point than any of my previouis jumps here. The small lake seemed tranquil, though. What the winds were doing at opening altitude and for the canopy ride would be anyone's guess... I did not want to make the call, as the other jumper has less experience, no tracking suit or wingsuit and a lower wingloading under a slower canopy than mine, all factors that would make it much harder for him to reach the main landing area in adverse conditions. He did not want to take any of the outs either, as his Crispi boots have given him blisters and he is in sneakers now. 15 minutes at the exit point convinced him that the conditions were not what he wanted, so he opted to walk down. I knew I would go further in my V2 than my Phantom if I have an equally good exit and I was feeling pretty good about my exits, so I geared up and went. I felt stable sooner than in the Phantom and started straightening my legwing sooner. The V2 took off with much more speed as soon as it got flying and I was laughing to myself as wingsuit reality distortion set in and I took a few seconds to look back between my feet at my shadow on the wall, getting ever smaller as I fly away. The rocky talus seemed miles away and I was over the trees and hillsides in what seemed like no time at all. I didn't feel any turbulence as I passed the edge of the wall to my left and into the area of the valley where you are not shielded form the wind anymore. The trees just did not seem to be getting bigger and I was almost 100% sure I could pull right over the landing area and not be low. Being my sensible self, though (just ask anyone who has jumped with me) I pulled dirty high once again, expecting to be dazed from another slammer opening, as I was using the same 36" pilot chute recommended by experienced wingsuit BASE pilots and I thought maybe that was the cause of my previous slammer. I was pleasantly surprised by an opening so slow and gentle that I had time to look up after the swing forward and see my slider not even 10% of the way down the lines yet - nice... my large-hole mesh slider seems to be the hot set-up for these conditions. Wingsuit BASE is everything I thought it would be and more. This is the most pure feeling of flying I have ever experienced. An added bonus is that this cliff is good for 7-8 seconds of straight down freefall, some more seconds (like over 12) if you track well and then if you fly a high performance wingsuit competently, you have around 4000ft of usable altitude from exit to landing... wingsuit BASE changes what is possible from certain objects, it transforms them into something even more wonderful than they already are. It is really very easy to lose track of your altitude in wingsuit BASE, though, and I am coining the term: wingsuit reality distortion for the way the ground is not scary anymore when you are flying your wingsuit over it. I guess that's the Yin to the Yang that is possibly safer BASE jumps, longer delays, more object seperation and the feeling of pure flight that wingsuit BASE is. I think wingsuit BASE is going to make my BASE jumping addiction stronger... I might have no chance of a normal life anymore, but I don't care, I loves the nylon craic!!! As for the snow, it's unseasonably warm here, most of the hike is snowless, there is maybe 50 metres of 1 inch deep snow on the hike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KrisFlyZ 0 #9 December 22, 2006 Thanks. That story brought back fond memories of the mountain and Arco. Kris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #10 December 22, 2006 Good story, Sam! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #11 December 22, 2006 Sam, You're using a BJ with large mesh?"The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #12 December 22, 2006 Quote Sam, You're using a BJ with large mesh? I'm not Sam, but I've used a BJ with large mesh for both wingsuit and non-wingsuit terminal jumps, with no issues. Do you sometimes feel like you're talking "BASE code" ? -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SullyFlyer 0 #13 December 22, 2006 Awesome, mate. That story takes me back to my first WS BASE jumps, too. That addicted feeling doesn't go away, by the by; it only gets stronger. Now you not only need to BASE jump to fill that need, you need to WS BASE every now and then, too. If you find any cliffs up there in Canadia and you're not sure if 2 thousand feet shear with 4k of talus is "safe", just let me know and I'll be up there in a jiff to run some quality control tests for you ~ Fear is the thief of dreams... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #14 December 23, 2006 Was just curious to see if that super nice opening he described was with the BJ and large mesh. I figured vents would strongly encourage the use of the small mesh and any other slowing options..."The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #15 December 24, 2006 yup. pretty much brand new Blackjack 260 with the CUS (ZP on front 3rd of topskin) option the small mesh slider I have for it is the standard slider that came with it and that thing is gigantic, which I believe makes it much harder opening than a smaller slider made of large hole mesh the large hole mesh sliders I have been using are not CR sliders Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eUrNiCc 0 #16 December 25, 2006 Congrats Sam! It sounds like you're making the best of every minute over in europe. One of these days I'll get around to doing some WS base after I get some more terminal jumps under my belt. Seeya!Egad, A BASE life defiles a bad age. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
