peterk

Seriously... The way it works in this country is that you prove that someone is guilty. Not that I have to prove that I am innocent. Go find a plane to jump out of and stop wasting your time in front of the keyboard.... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Or maybe the reason why jumpers aren't lining up in droves to support the rumors is because they are completely not true? Just a guess. Please see attached picture... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

http://www.chutinggallery.com/services/safety/far105.htm#105.17 Are some FAR/BSR's more serious than others? What was that saying about throwing the first stone??? http://www.chutinggallery.com/services/safety/far105.htm#105.17 --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Wow, MikeyB, Please PM me! This sounds ridiculous, and doesn't sound like the way a USPA senior representative should be conducting herself... Even the President of the United States can get impeached, am I correct? --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

MikeyB, are you talking about the farmer near your dz, who calls the local sheriff every time a jumper lands out? And the fact that a criminal trespass ticket MUST be issued and fought, weekly, in county court? I was also wondering why the USPA Regional Director has NEVER attempted to contact the city, county, or local law enforcement to prevent and eliminate the constant harassment and legal issuances, including the farmer threatening to shoot at skydivers, in the air and on the ground. Seems like just last month (oh wait, it was) that I had to go to county court with a friend to fight and win without USPA assistance... And this has gone on for years and years, with a blind, or overlooking, eye... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

I agree that this is all BS. However, with all the time spent on whining and complaining on dz.com about the NPS, how many others took 20-30 minutes out of your day to write a polite, well-worded letter to the NPS to request a permit to jump at your favorite National Park? --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

To the contrary. If your "aircraft" has an empty weight of less than 254 pounds, and a few other rules, you do not need ANY inspection, or even a license to operate it. If you want to build an RV4 or Lancair, the FAA needs to see pictures, that show the aircraft in various stages of assembly, with you in frame, showing that you built it. There will be, of course, a final inspection, but it is not one where they spend an enormous amount of time, just as you said, to ensure it is airworthy. You do not need to become an A&P mechanic to build and fly your own plane. Why would I even have to talk to a rigger to build and try it out? I will ensure that my container and canopy are airworthy, as well. But back to the original question- Why am I not allowed to follow the same rules and procedures that aircraft are under, to jump with an experimental harness and canopy? Failure would cause far less damage than a poorly constructed aircraft. --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Yes, JP, again, you know everything about everything. I would assume by your last statement that you have never participated in a homebuilt aircraft, or the laws concerning ultralight operations. There is little inspection involved, since the FAA is understaffed, and has better things to do like inspect 747s. Much less your rig. I will build a BASE rig, soon. Just out of curiousity, when someone lands a wingsuit without deploying a parachute, where will that fall, and under what jurisdiction? It would essentially not have anything to do with parachutes, and the pilot is flying a aircraft suit. Should the suit have some kind of TSO? Maybe it should have one now? --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Then let me jump one out of a plane legally.... Why is there the perception that non-TSO'd gear is somehow less safe? The Skyhook that is supposed to be a huge breakthrough for safety, and replace the RSL, has been around in non-TSO'd parachute applications for well over 10 years. The list goes on and on... Shouldn't the USPA work for us to encourage the open and free flow of ideas and designs, instead of smothering us with more laws and regulations? BASE gear and technology is cutting edge today, mainly because anyone with the confidence to test an idea that they believe is superior is free to do so. And why does it seem that the USPA has simply become a political puppet for riggers who need money every 120 days, based on a 50 year old idea? Why does a parachute system cost $4000-5000, just because it has two stickers on it that say "FAA approved"? Wouldn't skydiving be improved by less bureaucracy, and lower entry cost? And safety would improve. The FAA couldn't care less what happens with the rig that you jump. They are the same FAA that has 747s flying all over the place, and international airports all over to worry about. Why does the USPA continue to encourage rules and regulations that inhibit safe and economical ideas and equipment? If you disagree, explain to me the difference in a jumpmaster and instructor? Exactly my point... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Would you support the creation of an “EXPERIMENTAL HARNESS/PARACHUTE” category? Why is it that with no training, minimal supervision, and no license needed, I can build an airplane in my garage and fly at several hundred knots- under the experimental aircraft category. People are encouraged to design their own aircraft, with their own ideas and try them out, with minimal FAA government interference/involvement. However, if I want to make a parachute system better, or make one on my own in my sewing room, I would violate several FAA part 105 rules. Just because I want to improve on a design, sew my own skydive gear if I have those capabilities as a rigger, and test it at my own risk. What if it wasn’t offered for sale, just my own design for myself, that I trust to save my own life? The current system seems to be bogged down in politics and bureaucracy, stifling progress and innovation. I can build and fly a plane, and if small enough, don’t even need a license or permission. But I can’t jump out of a plane with a parachute unless I am interested in spending $50,000 for a TSO process that is, for all practical purposes, impossible for the average skydiver. --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

I was thinking, just in case you HAD to take this bad boy off the super hot site, if you stuck your hand into a couple nose cells, or lined them up and deformed them, it would lose all of its superpower and air would rush out as if they weren't there. But with all the ways that this would kick ass, I would or could bring my Zero-p Blackjack to the places that give style points for quick getaways... I also think that this airlocked canopy would be more ideal for short-delay, slider-down, solid object jumping. (Bs and Es) --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

I can think of several reasons why airlocks with bottom skin vents would rock, and the only downside would be stashing your gear after a hot jump. - Having a fully inflated canopy after an object strike, from the inability of the air to escape from the nose, and the vents/valves allowing the airflow to pressurize the canopy from below, which is pretty much where the canopy is going. Canopies don't develop much lift when they are collapsing. - Rapid inflation. If you've seen more than 5 openings, you've noticed that some canopies will inflate, and then collapse, and cycle less and less until it is flying. Jellyfishing. When a airlocked nose/vented/valved canopy opens, it would slam the nose shut, not allowing the air to rush out, and hopefully giving you a rigid, flying wing sooner... - Increasing range of control. With the same idea that a collapsed wing won't develop lift, the airlocked/bottom valved and vented canopy could allow the canopy to fly, and develop some lift, well past where the canopy's AOA will not support lift, but instead won't collapse and take valuable time to reinflate... - If you run into crazy, canopy collapsing turbulence from wind rotors and wind gusts, it shouldn't collapse, but then again, the canopy probably didn't open very well in the windstorm you jumped the cliff in. There are more advantages that I can think of, but imagine a canopy that would inflate quickly and solidly, and would remain rigid and developing lift despite a number of potentially sucky situations we can often times find ourselves jumping. Etc, etc, etc... For those that would love to demonstrate how easy it is to post on dz.com, please note that this idea has been tried and worked well. Certain factors stopped the project, but it will be reevaluated in the future, I am sure. Send me a PM if you want to discuss this idea in more detail, I would love to hear other people's ideas and comments. I have three CRs now, I promise if I have to build it myself, my fourth will have an airlocked nose with bottom skin vents and valves... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

It costs $85 because the FAA was allowed to become involved, and skydivers are willing to pay that much money without complaining or looking for cheaper alternatives... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

If you are trying that hard to impress a bunch of strippers with your BASE videos, they would be a lot more impressed if you bring a bunch of coke instead. You'll love Radix, its nice to see that the RedBull and GoFast jumpers have some things in common after all! Enjoy your party. Call me heterosexual, but if I go to a strip club, I'm not going to watch BASE videos with titties bouncing in my face... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Hmmm, I think that might be the trick. I just bought some 4-4pins on ebay for $0.99, I think the 6-4 cables should be about the same. It would just save me the hassle of making sure that out of the 4-5 cameras on every trip, where everyone wants all the angles, nobody gets left out... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

What would be involved in making a firewire hub? It would make things so easy to have everyone (more than two) plugged in at once, so we could all capture each angle, and go in a circle... I found a couple on ebay, up to 8 can plug in at once, but they have the 6-pin connectors, not 4-pin. --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

What would happen if it broke? Nothing. You would have a non-collapsing PC... Right? --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Well, if Johnny Law hasn't figured out that BASE is happening in our fair city, they will by mid-January... Isn't there an easier way to sell DVDs and get laid, without advertising to whuffos, strippers, and the cops that work inside that place? And how many jumpers live within 500 miles of here, that you have to post this on a worldwide forum for every NPS ranger, narc, and lurker to see? I haven't posted on this website for a while, but this is incredible... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Scotchguard all rigs when you get them new... Then, cutaway the main, remove the hook knives and reserve cards, etc.. I've been using the washing machine, not for agitation, but as a huge, self-draining bucket. I let the washing machine fill up empty, cold, and put some laundry detergent in, mixing it with my hand, maybe even let it shake a couple times to dissolve. Then, lower the container in and lift it in and out, until you get bored. If it is highly soiled, you can sprinkle detergent on the fabric and kind of work it in, but just walk by every time there is a commercial, or the skydiving movie ends, and lift it up and down a couple times, again, until you are bored or the movie starts again... I'm not a rigger, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.. Not really. But red Moab dirt gets into my rigs, and clashes with blue. And that Scotchguard idea? Priceless... PS You look hot in your avitar, give me a call next time you are in town... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Why would the manufacturers have to post? They are making profit from it. Just like GM charges $1500 for crappy non-steel rims on cars that cost about $250. There will always be more profit on add-ons, stainess and articulation... And it is all good. And I allow them to... This whole thing started becuase someone wanted to know if they thought everyone on the internet would think stainless would look cool on their new rig... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

I really don't care, and I don't get huffy-puffy about internet stuff. I am too busy jumping to care what is happening in virtual worlds. And I am completely for supply and demand. What does annoy me, is when "internet experts" say one thing, which is completely false, but when someone else does about 2 minutes of research, they completely reverse their opinion... I don't have time or energy to keep things in check... Example: Formerly working for a manufacturer, and being in the industry for a *few* years, I can tell you that the cost from the suppliers is that much higher. No one is really getting rich from Stainless upgrades. And if you think producing stainless hardware, or the raw stainless it's manufactured from is cheep, you're ill informed. ---------- Then... ---------- Gawd forbid that someone who has spent 30 to 40 thousnad dolars on equipment, 25 thousand on the TSO process, pays payrolls of many thousnads of dollars a week, and stocks 10's of thousansands of dollars in inventory, make a profit. Geeezz.... xxxx is one of the cheepest containers avaliable and you guys are beating them up about their profit on Stainless? I am all for them making extra money from those that can and are willing to pay for it, just don't use your "expert status" on dz.com to say that they are scraping by offering the stainless upgrades with little or no profit from the goodness of their hearts... And again, I don't care. Stainless is the last option that I would want on my current rigs. But I am bored at work, getting hungry, etc... Smile, and carry on.... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Damn, how quickly some people want to misunderstand the internet so they can start posting sh*t all over the place. I am all about the manufacturers making money on add-ons. And it is a great idea that you can choose it if you want, the add-on price is right there- take it or leave it. A crappy GM CD player isn't worth $750, but some people want it. Good for them... The part that annoyed me, and the part that you can't deny, is that it does NOT cost $195 extra for the manufacturers to add stainless, and that is why they charge $200. And those prices that I found are for me to buy one or two, I would imagine that the manufacturers buy a couple at a time, and get a price break. Don't get all huffy puffy on the internet, change your story depending on the posts above your last post, or just rant to show how smart you are. Accept that you can either get the stainless or not, that is the price, take it or leave it, and pay the articulation for $150 when it is just two small rings and about 10 minutes more of work... Deal with it, or get the FAA out of it so I can just make my own gear and not have to involve all the FAA TSOs that make skydiving so friggin expensive that I have just about stopped... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Dj-associates --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

Jose should not downsize. I have seen him jump. Please, Jose, please!!! --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

How? You take the hardware that you need, stainless or not, and put them into the box/bin that all the other parts go into while they are waiting to get put together. I think its great that they have determined the price that keep profits maximized, but it shows how relatively little the stainless adds to the cost of materials when some companies offer it as standard, and still maintain extremely competitive prices... --------------- Peter BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime