Ken

Excerpt from: basejump.org Hi everyone.... After another successful launch on Saturday night at The Clock Hotel, the latest ABA DVD "Nine point eight" is now available... featuring terrain flying, overseas BASE events, home grown footage and lots more! It is in PAL and NTSC formats. Last years vid "Memoirs of a pilot chute" is still available as are the ABA 2004 and the ABA 2003 vids. Thanks to everyone who attended the premiere, it seemed that fun was had by all... and The Clock staff had never seen a beer tab run dry so quickly!! Any queries contact me on [email protected] Have fun... plummy AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

The linked video is of legendary British jumper Dan The Man (DTM) shot by Nick Ridden on the 11 Nov 06 whilst DTM was touring Australia. This 'span' (186') Freefall completed/earned him his Aussie base number. The video can be downloaded from here: http://www.basejump.org/video/dtm.WMV It is less than 500 KB so shouldn't take long to download. We started calling him a 'dirty high puller' after this one. Watching from the top it looked very scary as it was over the sand, not the water. Personally, I could not justify a split second deployment hesitation and the resulting impact and injury. (Long winded way of saying I'm a pussy.) Respect to DTM, Dwain, Tom B and anyone else with that level of skill and commitment. Cheers, Ken AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Received an email from Charlie Urban last week. I have tried replying x 4 but it keeps bouncing back. If anyone has an alternate email addy or can let him know I've been trying to reply this would be greatly appreciated. The one I've been replying to is [email protected] Cheers, Ken. P.S. No, he doesn't owe me any money! AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

I was ropable in the early days of my B.A.S.E. career when a particular (surrender monkey) French wanker, Francois Liot, ripped myself and a few others off for a trip to the big w/f in a place that starts ith 'VENA. and ends in ZWELA' Slim was also sucked in as well as Jeb. To cut a long story short the deal was this: Jeb went to this famous site ended up with all the footage taken and couldn't / wouldn't contact Francois Liot re his share of the money made from it so Jeb graciously paid out those of us that had been ripped off. Jeb took a morale stand that I believe your average American Joe, or Australian considering we are being overun by a wave of musos at the moment, would not have taken. I first met Jeb at a Petronas meet long after the South American affair, however, I came home a better person knowing not all Americans are as they are portrayed over here in the media. My point being that if a fraction of Westerners had at least a tenth of the the moral fortitude, courage and ability of people like Jeb, Ray Losli, Nick DG etc the world would be a better place by far. Jeb didn't burn anyones site in NYC anymore than Thor Alex did. Remember 'the hollow vessel makes the loudest noise.' Ken Miller AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Why buy a Ford and put a Toyota motor in it? My 2 x Fliks in Reactor 4s are Rolls Royces as is my old Mojo in a Perigee. Although, upgrading to a pin rig, same brand as the canopy, is tantamount to taking the factory leather upholstery option. This is O.K. Mixing differing brand canopys and containers is as natural as touching another mans naked body! (Or a horse if you're DDog) It just ain't natural! AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Pleasantly surprised when I found how easy it was to set! Second jump on day after arrival noticed that the screen was already damaged? Buyers beware! If you just want an audible do not waste money on a Neptune or ProTrack. Just get a ProDytter. 1/2 the price and fewer functions = less farting about.

The current legislation, in New South Wales (Eastern Australia) allows for permits to be applied for to B.A.S.E. Jump in National Parks. The N.P.W.S. have a 'management policy' on the sport that says it will not issues permits under any circumstances. If it ever gets tested in a court of law I feel the N.P.W.S. would find it hard to justify that an internal document could possibly have more clout than the legislation. On the civil law front the N.S.W. criminal Act requires that the charge states the name/s of the person that was endangered by any person that was egressing a building using a parachute. Also if no-one actually saw you exit and land you probably didn't do it. Break, enter and tresspass are other issues that have specific defences. So, in reality B.A.S.E. is NOT illegal in a N.S.W. National park. It does require a permit to do it within the law. B.A.S.E. jumping from a building is not illegal in N.S.W. Break, enter, tresspass and endangering other people is though. Cheers, Ken. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Excellent Video Nick! If Richard doesn't pass with flying colours "something is crook in Tallarook!" I reckon Richard owes you a carton of beer. Well done! Ken AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Ahhhh....My favourite subject. Anyway, my 2 cents worth from the A.B.A. website. ------------------------------------------------------- B.A.S.E. jumping is as safe or as dangerous as any other activity humans participate in. In fact for the reasons I will outline one could argue that B.A.S.E. jumping is inherently safe! Any activity, to be safely conducted, requires that the participant: 1. has received sufficient: * information, * instruction, * training and * supervision. 2. Participates in the activity at a venue that is: * graded, and * within the demonstrated ability of the participant. 3. Uses only B.A.S.E. specific equipment. 4. Uses equipment configured correctly for the particular jump. 5. Participates only when the environmental conditions are suitable, E.g; wind, rain, LZ clear etc. 6. Training has occured progresively, e.g: * a controlled 'low level of risk' environment,(E.g: For B.A.S.E. jumping: Pylonless bridge into water.) * a controlled simulated higher risk environment,(For B.A.S.E. jumping: Employ object avoidence and other drills from pylonless bridge.), and * an environment commensurate with the jumpers skill and ability. B.A.S.E. equipment and techniques are different to regular skydiving and jumpers minimise the "real risk" by using only the latest B.A.S.E. specific equipment and up-to-date training. Jumpers mentored by persons that by concensus have been deemed competent by the Australian B.A.S.E. community are given information, instruction, training and supervision to enable that student to be deemed a competent jumper. A high level of "perceived risk" will always follow this sport, but, to the majority of the long term participants it is a safe sport. When we look at professional racing car teams they are 'inherently safe.' that is the risk can be turned up to suit the racers. e.g: the cars despite appearances are not your standard car that are available to us. 1. These cars are designed with safety in mind a long time before the first bolt is purchased. 2. Highly qualified people pilot these machines. 3. They are raced around tracks that are purpose built and free of obstacles such as trees and power poles etc. From this 'inherently safe' starting point we then turn up the risk by introducing onto the track: a. other cars, b. lessor skilled drivers, c. permission to drive in inclement weather. It is very similar in B.A.S.E. in that it would not be inherently safe if we were to say "I want to jump off a 300' cliff. I might need some padding for that." Next person comes along and says "instead of padding, which didn't work, I'll use a parachute!" Another person comes along and etc, etc. As in the racing car analogy we start with: 1. a highly evolved B.A.S.E. specific canopy and container, 2. a very competant skydiver that understands how and why a canopy behaves the way it does given the variables it experiences during flight, 3. an extremly capable operator of the parachute that can position the canopy with precision in the tightest of landing areas. We as jumpers, inadvertantly sometimes, add the risk by exersising poor judgement by jumping in less that perfect conditions, not configuring our equipment optimally and/or not performing the correct drills in a timely manner when required. The latter point is usually, but not always, an indicator that we were attempting a jump beyond our level of ability. So as long as the first three points raised are followed one can see that it is an 'inherently Safe' activity to start with. We then add the risk. On the other side of the coin are activities that are incredibly dangerous, however, have become socially acceptable. These activities include: driving a car, (600+ deaths a year in Australia) smoking and drinking, (22000+ deaths per year in Australia) rock fishing,(50+ deaths per year in Australia) illicit drug consumption, (600+ deaths per year in Australia) And the list goes on....and on....and on. O.K.....But, more people drive than B.A.S.E. jump!? How can you compare them? Answer - It's all about REAL RISK and PERCEIVED RISK. People causing car crashes that result in fatalities do so knowing that people crash and die but, think it will never happen to them as they have either superior driving skills and/or a superior vehicle and/or driving on a familiar section of road or a section of road they believe is within their ability. Of course, because they haven't either superior driving skills and/or a superior handling car and/or have the ability/equipment to overcome the environmental demands of the driving surface they crash and die or kill someone else. On the other hand, the vast majority of B.A.S.E. jumpers understand the ramifications of her/his actions and ensure they apply sound judgement to each and every jump they decide is within their ability. They understand the concept of real and perceived risk and can aportion it commensurate within the existing range of variables. In the exceptionally rare occaisions, a minority of sound jumpers may have a lapse in judgement and kill or injure themselves. This is also known as "The Darwin Theory." Idiot jumpers were going to die that day whether they were B.A.S.E. jumping, driving a car or rock fishing etc anyway. It's all about "cause and effect." So..When put into perspective B.A.S.E. jumping to a trained jumper is a relatively SAFE activity. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Looks like Timmy from Australia to me. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

I concur with Dexterbase. Tom must spend an inordinate amount of time at his puter moderating the B.A.S.E. Zone. His helpfulness is evident on the majority of posts especially when he researches a subject when someone is too lazy or 'not yet competent' to use the search facility. Keep up the good work Tom! Ken. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

It is amazing the amount of blatant crap that has been in the media over here in the last few days. It is a media feeding frenzy where the truth has nothing to do with what really happened and to tell the truth would basically kill the story. It humours and saddens me to think that people, a few of them are even jumpers, could possibly give any sensationalistic fairy tale a milligram of credibility whilst simultaneously casting doubt over the moral integrity of the jumpers that were present at this tragic incident with Jason. And all this purely at the utterance of some parasitic member of the media. Do not believe media reports!! Get the facts a few days later from the ones that were there. We have all lost some good friends recently with Rob, Slim, Niel Q and Jason, not forgetting any of the others, these are just very recent and close to home. Slim's service was well attended and conducted in a manner fitting with the calibre of the man. He, as with all of the others will be sorely missed. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

I am indeed one of the lucky ones! My partner doesn't seem to mind. I think what really got her onside was the holiday to the KL comp. It helps when you pay for the lot including a few days before and after the event. She met other jumpers, their wives and girlfriends and thoroughly enjoyed herself. She took some great video there as well. I was jumping before we met. I was quite firm in stating that jumping comes first though. Having recently (under duress as part of my employment) attended a course which included some 'relationship' training. I ruffled a few of the Padre's feathers when I was asked my views on working on a relationship. My response was "There are 6 billion people in the world. The law of averages says that at least 50 of these would be the perfect partner. If you have to 'work' on a relationship you are in the wrong one." Think of your partner as a skydiving main. If you don't feel good about it; "cut her away." Remember, life's too short to waste time on someone that is not one of the 50 in 6 billion. I hope your woman is the one though!!! AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

A double blow to us all. I've just been told of Niel's untimely passing. I jumped with Team Crank at Petronas earlier this year and as the cut and paste from Nick's site says 'he was a lovely man.' Condolences to Hayley, all of Niel's family, Team Crank and all his friends and loved ones. Ken and Ingrid AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]

Sangiro, Tom and others, thanks for taking the time to reply and to clarify your stand. I can understand and agree the views expressed here. Tom's words here are spot on which is why I was a little frustrated at first but, at the end of the day I have no problems the judges decision. Thanks and cheers, Ken. AB#78 IB#751 BF#??? [email protected]