Jasmin

Having seen a certain pretty damn good BASE wingsuiter foul up the occasional exit, I can only hope to God you're joking. Edited to add: What a waste of a perfectly good wingsuit. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I wasn't sure about the shipping on suits, so I talked it over with jimmy and we thought 'bugger it'. So I called Jari last night and we're flying from Australia to pick it up. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

You don't have to date another jumper to be ahppy, you just have to date someone who's as much into their hobby and interests as you are. Deosnt' matter if its scuba, rock-climbing, horse-riding, whatever. As long as you're both occupied enough and don't mind doing your own thing over the w/e's, you tend to get by fine.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Dude! As Fergs said, speak, and more importantly, listen to Bobby. Had bobby been any unluckier, his suit older, or had the impact been higher on him (ie he was lower), you would not have the chance to talk to him about wingsuits and low tail planes. On the topic in general: Ensuring wingsuiters safely clear the aircraft, is fast becoming something people need to get drilled for not thinking about properly and then doing properly. Otherwise I fear we’re soon going to be seeing a thread on here about someone losing limbs or their head… Proper pilot breifings are another one. If you jump at a dz where they power off for exit, ensure they're giving you enough time to clear the tail before they power up again. Jari nearly had his head collected this way. edited to add: The topic of tail strikes also gives yet another good reason to wear a helmet when wingsuiting.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Congrats on coming home! If you're after work about Sydney I'd try Picton or Wollongong. If you're after swooping and ff, I'd try Picton. Robbie and Drew are usually about, among others. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

My pick of the lot after 8 years of jumping and 20 years of being a dz brat are: Nsw-Picton Qld-Ramblers Vic-Nagambie ACT-Temora (not quite ACT, but I love the place) If you're coming to Sydney, let us know and I'm sure one of us can get you to the dz (PM me if you want something definite). Failing that, turn up to Picton and you're sure to find someone to play with! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Yes but that doesn't help those of us that are o/s..... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Notice that the posters all say 2004.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

From what you've described, the footage you saw was not of this jump but a similar one. G/Rod's jump (his 600th I think) was as planned-straight line dock with G on Rod. I'll scan and post the photo tomorrow. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Yeah or get your girlfriend to PCA you off. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

G and Rocket Rod did one at skysisters, with about 5 or 6 other atmonautis docking on her whilst she rode him. Nice photos, might scan when I get a free moment. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Jimmy will send out an e-mail to everyone soon, but it'd be great to catch up, its been 5 years!!!! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Ummm.... Anyone heard anything about this?? March has been and gone.... And I'm trying to budget Europe.....

Thanks for the replies everyone, we reached him this morning. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Hi all! I'm trying to reach...(insert drum roll)...Paul Fortun... If anyone has his details, or if he's reading this, can you please pm me? Ta muchly

Caution: Remember that: A) This is tampering with evidence and could get you jailtime. There was a case in Australia that particularly sh*ts me, most of you would've seen the fooatge and some of you just might know the story. A jumper handed over footage to rescuers, to aid in the treatment of a severly injured jumper- which didn't seem that unreasonable a request at the time. The short version of the subsequent events is that the footage ended up on the nightly news before the parents had been contacted and the 'helpful' jumper was prosecuted on a number of counts (the injured jumper wasn't). They even tried to go after the 'helpful' jumper for the cost of the chopper rescue. The advice I've heard, was that if its a jump on the grayer side of legal: -if its your footage: destroy it, lose it, blank it, heck accidently drop it in the sea, but don't hand it over. -if it's the deceased's footage: you're tampering with the scene if you touch it.... Personally, I wouldn't want footage of me ending up on tv or in a "check this out" e-mail.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Dwain also did platform/dive training. Find out where your local dive squad trains and see if they'll take you on, but be honest, tell them what your end game is. We drive 30-40 minutes to go to training, but the results are clearly visible- it's how Jimmy got as good (at aerials) as he is. Edited to add: Deja vu. There was a thread about BASE aerials on this forum not too long ago. You might want to search under 'aerials'... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Ditto, can't say enough about what I think of this course. Whether you have 5 jumps or 5000, you will learn something and it just might make you rethink the way you fly and how much emphasis you put on packing and flying your canopy..... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

One week on its old news, but it did get 60 minutes (in Australia) their highest ratings of the year. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I agree with you in theory, that objective reporting is about reporting both sides. But in reality, reporting is as much about perception as it is about stating what has happened. Objective reporting becomes an oxymoron because, inevitably, its not what you say, but how you say it. I wouldn't classify a blanketing statement that BASE is illegal, whilst showing footage of Norway and Malaysia, as objective reporting… If the inevitable fatality and ‘illegal’ comments get accompanied by comments about legal jumping and events, then that would be progress on objective reporting.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

-I agree on the haribrush thing Tom, but you know what its like trying to tell the boy what to do! -The Garie beach thing has got a mention (but its in the back forum, not the public one). I'm chasing this up with Giles and Channel Nine, I even managed to get an apology out of the 60 minutes producer. Cesslon, I'd really like to not reheat that little debate- at the end of the day, you weren't there. If you've ever watched a mate die or had to ID a friend or family member, you'll know that no one has a right to judge someone living that nightmare. Don't get me wrong, you're entitled to your opinion and your right to voice it, I'm merely beseeching some care and sensitivity when doing so. This thread is a testament to the media's view that their job is all about perception, not about the truth. Objective reporting is an oxymoron. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

With the aus crew, it seems that the more you contribute to the sport, be it organising, taking on students, opening up sites etc, the more sh*t you cop....go figure!? Edited to add: xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Wow, didn't check the forum for a few days and sounds like I missed all the fun! Arguments here typically become a brilliant example of ’its not what you say, but how you say it.’ If you have to stoop to personal insults to make your point, you probably didn’t have an argument worth defending to begin with. [/end of mother-style rant] Getting back to the 60 minutes piece… It came across as a rush job- it lacked direction and didn’t address the two postulates of the introduction: 1) Why they considered themselves to be world-class athletes, and 2) Legality and precedent. Both here in Australia and overseas. (Having incorrectly stated at the beginning that BASE was illegal). I told the producer the same thing and the effect on her was like smacking her in the head with a brick…she didn't take it well. Edited to add: Before I forget, “Dude, its like being born! Woo!” has to be one of the more memorable quotes of the year! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Cesslon, there's a big difference between naming a site and naming a region. ie "...this cliff at *** town/park/lookout/property etc versus "...this cliff in **** region/state" Edited to add: that region contains privately owned areas you can jump with owners permission. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I cut the footage differently on Stoopid BASE deliberately. The side view they show is from a different jump altogether. Also, if you've seen my little film, you'll notice other snippets that we did not supply them but were in my little film. Unimpressed. Invoices sent. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."