Bluhdow

I burned out on TI work way faster than that. Good on you for sticking with it so long. The logistics of working in this industry make burnout easy. Always having to be available, no (or low) pay when the weather is bad, no benefits or paid time off like a "real" job, zero hopes of building up a retirement fund, etc. The lifestyle is part of the "compensation," and I think it will always be that way. If the lifestyle isn't your jam anymore, go get a proper job with a proper wage and jump for fun again. I spent 3 years as a TI and loved it. I'm so glad I did it. That said, I'm back in the real world and if I never pickup another tandem rig it wouldn't bother me one bit. =)

In related news: Pickup trucks absolutely suck. They are literately slow as balls. I can out race one in my sleep with something even as simple as a sedan. Anyone who recommends a pickup truck clearly has absolutely no experience with performance driving.

Anyone who compares a Havok to a performance suit clearly has absolutely no experience with acro flying.

I've owned about 12 wingsuits over the years. The original Havok is the only one I KNOW that I will never sell. People who bash Havoks are usually fanatics about speed being the only metric by which a WS should be measured. They are also usually choking on light blue Kool-Aide. You should be able to get it cheaper than $500. If you do, it will be the most fun-per-dollar WS you'll own.

My first WS BASE jumps were on a Havok. If you're at the more mellow, "intro" exits the Havok is a great, forgiving choice to get your feet wet.

One of you is saying "speed is important." The other is saying, "control is important." You are both correct. It's just that the underlying preferences are being highlighted. PF is known for precise, clean flying suits. Hence the tunnel and control focus. Sq is known for fast suits, hence the speed focus. For what it's worth, I've flown a ton of stuff and I'll never sell my original Havok. Pretty much everything else has been rotated through.

I don't think anyone will argue that a couple/few are not doing it right. Marketing, that is.

I think it is, at least in some cases. The point is less about the gear, and more about the misconception that exiting an aircraft to fly terrain is somehow less dangerous than WS BASE. Yes, you eliminate the exit risks...but you create new risks that are equally (if not more) problematic. I'm not sure what the motivations are for the OP to pursue a BASE style jump with sky gear, but if it has anything to do with the perceived safety increase of sky gear I think the whole plan is a bit misguided.

It's probably safer to exit from the Eiger with proper gear.

Tony is a master suit designer, and pilot. Websites on the other hand... Don't judge a suit by it's web page. I've never flown a Tony Suit that I didn't like. Also, I fly a Rafale (and love it) and Timski...stop being such a tool. All of the major manufacturers make nice suits. THE 75 IS COMING!!!! Let me guess...the inlets are even lower drag?

Hit up Douggs at Learn To BASE Jump (LTBJ). He and Sam Hardy are organizing a WS skydiving event in Lauterbrunnen next to the Eiger this summer. I think your thread title (Safe flight lines over terrain in the alps not BASE) has a few different contradictory elements. Learning from someone like Douggs will be a good starting point to learn what's out there.

I still have my original Havok "Classic" that I bought about 6 years ago and it's still a very viable platform when flying that style of acro. Between their WS tunnel relationship/research and focus on competition acro I think PF leads that style of suit. *Disclaimer: I love PF, and they have provided me with gear at discounts before, even though I suck at flying.

If you read the thread, you will see that someone suggested doing exactly that. This person is who I was replying to, not the OP.

Eh...you put a lot of words in my mouth (or ideology in my mind, rather). I'm not saying don't teach anyone for free, or that everything should be paid. Never said that, never would. I'm saying that if someone is asking to be paid, and you're trying to not pay them and still receive the service, that's pretty uncool. That hardly seems like a controversial stance to take.

That's nice, and I'm sure he's a great resource for newer jumpers. But buying an experienced jumper (who doesn't coach for income) a beer in exchange for some advice is very different than what was described above. Scheming a way to get free coaching from an instructor who rightfully charges for their services is poor form, in my opinion. It's not that coaches need to be paid to talk to new jumpers, at all. In fact, most coaches I know are open to befriending newbies as it's a good way to network and earn potential future coaching work. That said, there is a line that most professional (paid) coaches will draw between what qualifies as offering a free safety tip, and what should really fall under the banner of "paid coaching services." I think a calculated attempt to cross that line to take advantage of a coach is poor form. I am not a coach. And I don't plan to be. But I found the spirit of the aforementioned post to be in...you guessed it...poor form.