kirrz

You're right, it's not. And it's pretty easy to think that it would be because there are no descriptions whatsoever, so just want to alert others too! I would never have thought of that. Thank you for the heads up! Emailed the seller, we found a way to work around the error.. and so I am finally going to have the book!! There are still 2 more copies on amazon uk for anyone else that is interested... Thanks again!

Tried to do it from the link of the UK site you posted.. same error: Dammit!!!

I have ordered books off the actual site & it's all good. But because this book is out of print, they only have it available used from certain registered sellers. I have tried adding ones from different sellers to my cart and checking out numerous times but I keep getting an error saying they can't ship it to that area.. So I gave up. Maybe Europe is on the OK list but Asia isn't.. who knows.. Maybe you can order a copy for me too & I will get the cash to you...

Of course!! Commercial planes are pressurized!! It completely evaded my mind! Thanks!

I am not disagreeing, I am just curious. If this is true, does that mean every time you use a laptop or a hard-drive based iPod when on a flight, it is doing something bad to the device? And if so, what is it doing exactly (feel free to be as technical as you want). Cheers!

I looked it up on amazon.com the other day and apparently there are numerous used copies available from their registered sellers starting at 5cents... it wouldn't let me order though because I don't live in the US.. Might be worth a try for someone who does..

Here is the collection of sources I have so far: http://www.basicresearch.com - 1 poster under Accessories http://www.despair.com - look under Insanity - it is very cool but they only do postcards or a 5'' x 7" mount http://www.thomasulrich.com - some really really awesome photographs Vertical Visions - http://www.vertical-visions.com/stockphotos.php - extensive collection http://www.buzzpictures.co.uk/searchresult.asp http://www.fotolibra.com - if you run a search for base, there is 1 photo - I have been told by dmkellett that he is putting more photos on one of these days Aerial Extreme http://www.aerialextreme.com/stock_photography/basejumpgal.htm - another extensive collection Aerial Focus www.aerialfocus.com/ - Tom Sanders is very helpful, all you have to do is ask Johnny Utah - [email protected] - is currently in the process of putting together a poster that sounds very cool A contact I have been given for professional BASE photos & posters but haven't contacted yet: D.J - [email protected] And this one is a website I stumbled upon through google.. it's completely in Russian so all I did was click on the links that say BASE.. there are so many photos and some of them are gems! I think it might just be someone's private collection, I haven't tried to contact yet but maybe someone on this forum knows more.. http://www.glavpryg.ru/photo.shtml There you go! Thank you to everyone that helped me out, I had no idea there would be so much out there!!

Hahahahahahaha

Hahahahahaha, I am actually Sikh too and that is so typical it makes me laugh! It's funny that you talk about rebelling.. I have just written a 3 page straight-from-the-heart to my dad that I will put infront of the folder.. and the first thing I said was that I know my history of being an impulse junkie will hinder him believing that skydiving is actually a rational decision. My family's lived in Thailand for 4 generations.. went to an International school, then boarding school overseas and now am at uni in Sydney.. so they aren't really as backward as first generations.. I think it is more the danger factor that he is stressed about. Thanks to everyone who told me to just do it. I have pretty much told him it is something I am going to do anyway, I would rather have him know about it, discuss his concerns with me etc. And I also said that I could not tell him and do it behind his back but I don't want to taint skydiving with immaturity because I am serious about it. I also said that I know he won't actually cut me off, I am just worried that it will sour our relationship which is the last thing I want. I said "Now you can use that as a guilt trip “if you do it, I won’t talk to you” but is that really what you want it to come down to?" And I concluded by saying that all I want for my 21st birthday (March) is for him to accept that I want to skydive. .. that is my best shot.. I'm still going to do it. now i'll just feel less guilty because i've been honest. thanks guys!!

All the advice so far has been really thought provoking and useful! The money thing is a bit different.. see I grew up Indian.. and the mindset is pretty much dad takes care of you (financially) and then husband takes care of you. But I'm stuck in transition generation where I will go have a career and make my own choices but because I'm the first generation doing this, its all a big battle and a learning process for everyone involved. He won't cut me off but the thing is because of the patriarchal mindset, I will never actually be cutoff and be able to do the whole independence thing. It could sour our relationship and that's the last thing I want to happen. I know my dad is a reasonable guy, just stubborn and overprotective sometimes. I have compiled in a folder a whole bunch of articles, statistics and technical information to try to show him: a) the stigma assc. w/ skydiving is a product of media hype b) the parachute is like a machine, if packed properly, it will open properly c) skydivers aren't out to kill themselves and safety is always priority no. 1 d) the number of fatalities arising from human error are large in proportion to total malfunctions e) it is a highly highly regulated sport I figured I'll give him this info one of these days and we can argue about it rationally in 3 months time, at least he will be properly informed. All input has been and is very very much appreciated!! You guys have made me decide not to act like a spoilt brat but approach this maturely instead.

Ok.. so I started AFF, did 2 jumps, didn't bother telling my parents about my new hobby because it was all in the heat of the moment, I knew they wouldn't approve and there would be big fights and figured I would have to come home for 3 months and I'll work on it then. Now I'm here.. and from little things like sky diving movies on my desktop & wanting to take diving lessons.. dad caught on and says "I hope its not because you want to go skydiving. Because I will never allow it." To which I reply, "well if I earn my own money, I'm over 18.. so there is no question of your consent." He says "there is no way. Do you know why no insurance will cover sky divers? Because its that dangerous, that's why its called an extreme sport." So I told him that we would have this argument again in 3 months.. during which I will gather adequate evidence and prove to him that it is not as dangerous as the general conception is. I know that I could just go do it.. but I grew up in an Indian family where the concept of family is all-important so I would feel too guilty.. I would rather play clean. I was wondering if anyone else had to go through this 'placating the parents' phase.. and what you did. Also, does anyone have any ideas on arguments I could use? So far I have a Forbes publication of the world's most dangerous sports where skydiving isn't listed but scuba is (he would approve of scuba) and I was planning to go through the fatality list and show that its never because the parachute didn't open.. it's because the person made a mistake. Sorry this post is so long.. Thanks!

I will post all the links, I am just waiting for a few clarifications first..

Thanks guys for all the PMs and replies! I never realized I would have that much of a choice! There are some really really brilliant photos, I'm so spoilt for choice.. I'm inclined towards building jumps at the moment.. I'm still looking through all the links I've been given.. And that 'insanity' one is awesome! I'm going to see if they can poster size it. Thanks so much everyone!!

I would like to buy a poster or enlarged photographs (professional quality) of someone base jumping. Does anyone know if I can buy them online and where? I've done searches but all I can find are commercial skydiving posters. Thanks!

You're absolutely right. I'm from Thailand and there is no shortage of labour and the competition is so intense that it drives up the quality ten-fold. Even though the minimum wage here is something like AUD$7 a day, workers know that if they don't do it properly, someone else will - and so they try harder. I live in Australia for a large part of the year and at first I was of the thinking that first-world = better but now I can definitely say that this is not true at all. I know its not Honduras but I figured the third-world connection was similar enough for me to put in my 2c.

fearless?

i would say.. male.. young.. reckless.. rebellious.. dangerous..

...curious to read other views...

Can't.. will be stuck in Bangkok til March.. It sounds like it will be great fun though, everyone at the DZ has been talking it up! Have a blast!

I started my AFF in Picton recently and because I have to spend 3 months in Thailand, I figured I would just finish my jumps here.. I went to the DZ yesterday and it is so different! Turns out they only jump Fri-Sun and for the AFF, they do it like a camp. They fly in instructors from Singapore and run the course intensively over 3-4 days. At Picton it's a very come & jump whenever system.. So I have made the decision (& it killed me to do so) that I will just save up over the 3 months and then use the money to do all my jumps back in Picton rather than taking it over 3-4 days and not being current when I get back to Sydney anyway. And I don't have the money in bulk. It sucks though because I am still eating, sleeping and dreaming about jumping off a plane but I can only read about it for a while!

Do you know what the file type is? What is the extension at the end of the filename? There is a program called VLC Player and there is a Mac OSX version for it. Without knowing the file type of your movies, I can't tell you whether it will play it but its a handy program to download anyway because it plays a wider range of media file types than any other program I have ever used on a Mac. Hope it helps!

I just realized something.. I am being trained at the moment under the APF guidelines, when I change DZs, they work under the USPA outline. Can this work?

I just started doing my AFF (set to take Stage 2 soon) at Picton in Australia. I'm going home to Thailand in less than 2 weeks for 3 months and because of time and financial constraints, there is no way I can complete the whole AFF at Picton in the next 2 weeks. I have been in contact with someone at the DZ in Thailand who told me that as long as I brought all my documentation, I would be able to continue where I leave off. I was wondering whether swapping DZs during the AFF is a bad idea? Also, is there an ideal stage at which to swap? (The maximum I could do here would be stage 4, 5 maybe pushing it). Would I be able to come back and start on my B-rels in Australia after completing in Thailand? And also, the AFF course in Thailand is advertised as stage 1-8 being the full course. Here in Sydney, there is a Stage 9 which is 3 solo jumps. Does anybody know what the difference is? Thanks!!

I've lived on the 32nd floor for most of my life and spent countless nights of my childhood looking out from the balcony wondering what it would feel like to jump and fall.. I've just started skydiving and I am definetely interested in exploring BASE although I probably won't get there for a while yet.. I was wondering if you BASE jumpers could tell me.. what does it feel like to jump off a building and the fall? Also, it would be cool if you guys could share some first jump off a building stories!! Thanks!!

I did it!! I had my AFF1 jump and man it was fun but dramatic! Turns out I kicked a bit upon exit (which seems to be my reflex) but everything went well. One of the JMs had to deploy for me because I was reaching too low when it was time to pull.. probably a good thing because I would have forgotten to hold onto the ripcord. Then, I found the target and flew towards it... the arrow didn't change direction.. I had passed the DZ then I had a feeling something wasn't right when the arrow was still pointing ahead.. I was waiting for radio instructions or someone to guide me but there was nothing so I found myself in a paddock, took a chance, flared, did a PLR and it was all fine. Turns out one of the tandems had the same colour parachute and the TA radio-ed "If you can hear me kick your legs" (all I heard was "can you hear me?"). At that very same time, the tandem passenger kicked so he thought that was me. I survived! It was a blast! And I will never be afraid of a parachute again!