sethgray

My concern was specifically the state of the nylon in the actual parachutes; the container I was sure could be cleaned (as they say clothes can be cleaned). The stuff that got me really concerned was that all the sites say that heat is typically used to inactivate the residues, and solvents/solutions in places where heat couldn't be used (and all of those options sounded like bad ideas for nylon) I had a post at Basejumper and I got everything from toss it out to 'air it out', I'm just hoping for a regulation based rule to see if I can force replacement of the rig due to unrepairable damage if its going to kill me the next time I go jump it. BASE #958

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010798157_nicole15m.html My rig was being borrowed by this lady's neighbor, my friend. When the police went in for the dude, they surrounded the target house with teargas, then gassed the target house (as to eliminate any clear escape route). BASE #958

Does anybody know how to remove teargas residue from a rig (container, main and reserve)? It was exposed to HIGH levels of teargas (70 canisters). Can this even be done? BASE #958

Pack?! Mount some engines to that badboy and fly up there! I figure with the extra payload abilities claimed in the article, 6 of those nifty 55lbs thrust jet engines should do the trick for vertical takeoff BASE #958

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352477,00.html# Looks like the military has done a bit of work on the concept, and I'm glad to see that they haven't completely killed the idea of allowing consumer enjoyment! BASE #958

I still don't buy it.

What mods have you tried on your SFly Expert? I have two of these suits, one new stock, and one old and 'improved' I have found that really like having my wings unbalanced toward more tailwing, and am considering extending the tail on one or both of my Experts. But before I do that, I am curious to see what mods other people have done to these suits. BASE #958

Wouldnt this also be counter-productive? Unless you mean it the other way around. What you are saying here would decrease the lift..not increase... You need air passing slower over the top of the wing then it does underneath, creating a low pressure 'sucking' the wing up. Increasing drag on the bottom and having a smoother surface on top to speed the air up seems to do the excact opposite... See, you knew what this stoner meant . I was just thinking that currently all the suits are made to be slick all the way around for increased speed, and thus control and lift. I wonder if we could get performance increases by inducing drag where it may help us, instead of keeping away from it like the plague BASE #958

Yuri, its not NEARLY as cool as gaffers tape (but sadly, not much is). Shark skin is kindof like that new (1999 new) 3m mouse pads that are a huge grid of microscopic pyramids, except the sharkskin's microscopic texture tips are pointed all one way to give directional bias. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.astrographics.com/GalleryPrints/Display/GP2127.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.astrographics.com/GalleryPrintsIndex/GP2127.html&h=360&w=360&sz=17&tbnid=vM_BDWLNmYeHiM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshark%2Bskin%26um%3D1&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1 BASE #958

This actually gave me a thought: Would it make sense that if the top/back surface of the wingsuit was as slick as posible, but the bottom surface had more of a directed pattern--like sharkskin--wouldn't the resulting difference in airspeed (between the air going over the back skin and the bellyskin) give us better lift? shit, if you did the top/back with the front 1/3 zp and rest f111 you'd even get the whole "suck the air over the top" thing going on... am I just rambling, or does this make sense to anybody else? BASE #958

I'm hoping to find an old friend. If anybody has recent contact info for him, I'd appreciate a PM. Thanks, -Seth BASE #958

So who do we superheros talk to about the delayed packages? seriously, thats a damn nice helmet, do you have any problems with the windshield () fogging up? BASE #958

if you take offense to that, I'm sorry, thats your own deal. I don't consider you 'the person' who taught me to base, if I had to name one person who I felt taught me the most it would be Scotty or Powell. No offense intended, because I learned alot from you, but thats how I feel. I have the experience now to tell the difference between the good and bad parts of how I got into base. Like I mentioned to you this morning when you said you felt I was acting like a 'base governing body', I dont' want to be an authority and I don't proclaim to be an authority, but I disagree with being as carefree and open with information as some people choose to be in this sport. Its not wrong of me to withhold information when I feel its the wiser choise, I'm not imposing my views on anybody, they can always go elsewhere. Its not wrong to have differing oppinions, its wrong to impose them on other people. BASE #958

here are few things that come to mind that could have an impact on your possible delay: 1. Pilotchute choice 2. your exit speed (poised or running) 3. how clean the object is (underhung, bulges or outcroppings) 4. slider (which you should NOT have on for anything this low) 5. impact site: water, trees, landable ground a. do you need to open high to be able to fly out to a landing area? b. if water, do you have a boat to get you, or can you easily swim to shore (if so you can take a longer delay) 7. aerials (sounds like you don't have much experience, so I would personally advise against this one) 8. multiway (again, my personal suggestion would be to wait a while before you get into these, but not everybody does) BASE #958

are there pictures of the Trigger on the Pressurized site? I couldn't find anything other than the tracking suit BASE #958

I'm right behind you Ray BASE #958

Ok, so the time is now... Pics, Prices? BASE #958

So off the tangent of object preference and back to the real topic of what to do about unsafe inexperienced new jumpers. Can anybody think of other serious solutions besides the following? 1. Ignore them, and hope the problem will work itself out. 2. Take up the role of mentor to educate in order to minimize damage 3. Keep communication open, but only give life saving information Or, does everybody think this isn't really a problem that needs addressing? My frustration is that I don't like any of the options I’ve listed, but can't come up with any others that are feasible. BASE #958

SBCMac, I'm not arguing for such a transformation. The topic and problem is what to do about the new jumpers getting into the sport in progressively more wreckless situations. I am trying to protect some people from themselves, for a few reasons: If a jumper dies in our own city (in the case of you and I) it will increase the heat of our own objects, and support legislature to inhibit our ability to jump objects as freely as we do now. Specifically, I have problems with people getting into the sport who have been repeatedly informed by experienced jumpers that they are not ready. And with the 'passing the buck' attitude taken by many experienced jumpers when newbies call on them. No, this is a discussion forum that I use to ask other jumpers opinions about things. My asking questions, and giving opinions doesn't make me a 'governing body', it shows that I'm concerned, and looking for answers. funny thing, I tried calling you to make jumps for a few years with you, with no responses, so don't give me a hard time for your old decisions. If you honestly have any issue with me, my gear, or my jumping habits, I'm more than happy to discuss your concerns anytime, give me a call. I asked a question, I didn't demand an answer. The point I was trying to make (or work toward) with the question is that none of us are legally entitled to even be on many of the objects we jump. interesting contradiction. I extend the same offer here: if you have a problem with me, please give me a call, I'm happy to discuss it with you. Mike, you disappeared for over two years, and in that time our city's (and arguably, a far more reaching area's) jumping population has taken a turn for the worse my opinion. This topic stirred me into posting on DZ, and this thread is the result of that concern. I'm not professing to be authority, I'm trying to decide what position I'm going to take on all of this. If you ask the two new jumpers who you have been in contact with, you'll find that I've been very candid with them in this regard. -Seth BASE #958

I didn't say anything about buying me beer. (I like Bridgeport IPA if your out shopping) I haven't been a part of any production video. I don't play videos at dropzones. I don't have a 'look at me' website. I don't think the forums are a problem, but I do think that the amount of information available on them is. I do jump a cliff in my local area in daylight, and I don't want that to stop, but I don't feel that is something I should have to give up, just because people like you lied to get into the sport. And you don't sound sorry for getting into the sport without 'permission' as you put it, but perhaps you should be sorry for getting into it irresponsibly. Eventually, you most likely will. Oooh, on the note of 'permission': This is a self-regulating sport, not an unregulated sport. This means that participating members regulate each other, as well as new jumpers. This only works if we take criticism and advice to heart. This self-regulating element of the sport goes hand-in-hand with the 'tight-knit' thing we were discussing back on page 1. If I had to speculate, I would say that your local jumpers didn't think you were ready as far as skillset to jump, or that you didn't take constructive criticism well, or both. How close am I? BASE #958

Greeny, It sounds like you feel ENTITLED to be a jumper... why is that? What you label as 'clicky', I label as 'tight-knit', and I agree with Leroydb that this trait is one that has kept the sport alive, not hindered it. And finally, the fact that you lied about all of those things to get gear and training really helps put your opinions and views in perspective. -Seth BASE #958

I wouldn't. Mostly because of the 'local mentor' factor (50 jumps isn't enough to be teaching others to jump in my oppinion). Also, around my neck of the woods A's aren't the easiest of jumps--due to bust--so the fact that the offer for initial objects were for A's would worry me as well. However, there are places where the A's are the safest and easiest objects around... so that part wouldn't necessarily be the same in every region. But I would think the 50 jump wonder instructor should be a concern no mater where you are. BASE #958

The tone isn't the warmest and most fuzzy of all the messages I've read, but the message is one of serious concern that I also personally feel is being overlooked more and more with time. BASE #958

REFERRING TO: "But they all can't be correct. Jesus didn't allow for that. He was absolutely exclusive in that regard." I think your missing the point: You feel that a man named Jesus was a god, so what he taught was divine docterine... For the rest of the world that views Jesus as a man, those teachings were simply his oppinion. Just because the leader of one religion condemns other religions, doesn't make them less true: the condemnation is one of the beliefs held by the man named Jesus, NOT absolute fact. BASE #958

To answer your question, no, I personally do not. But just to point something out: you are likely insulting those who are polytheistic by asking which ONE god they worship. BASE #958