TomAiello

I've got a Petzl Zipka, which is a super tiny, ultra compact LED headlamp. Whenever I pull it out at the exit point, everyone has to look at it. I've even had to retrieve it from a few friend's gear bags after road trips. I love technology. It just keeps getting better. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

1. I regularly pull under 300 feet. 2. I actually like my parents. 3. I've pulled under 80 feet and lived. 4. I'm still best friends with my best friend from 5th grade. 5. I have six inches of titanium in my spinal column (see #3, above). 6. My brother's wife doesn't want kids because she's worried they'll turn out like me. 7. It's chemically impossible for me to develop a substance addiction (don't know why, that's just what the doctors say). 8. I'm a jumper who would rather date a non-jumper, and really tries to avoid dating skychicks. 9. I have three degrees, and no job (by choice). 10. I jump a bigger, and lighter wingloaded, canopy than Skybytch. Hey, that was fun. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think you might be wasting the effort. I've rigged up a very effective system for under $100, straight off the shelf at Best Buy. If you take a Motorola talkabout, and get the voice activated microphone and earpiece, you can easily put a full face helmet on over them (or if you want to be really fancy, you could install them into the helmet). The full face helmet cuts out most of the freefall wind noise, so communication becomes quite easy. Although I've used them on jumps quite effectively, I have never tried one on a skydive, so I'd hesitate to recommend one there, due to potentially negative Cypress interactions. Still, if you did sufficient ground testing to insure you wouldn't set off the Cypress (should only take a few hours), you should be good to go for under 100 bucks a pop. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Rockstar energy drink comes in big cans. I'm not sure how it differs in ingredients, but it's a lot bigger. I only drink 180 energy drink, though. Given my morbid sense of humor, and my particular parachuting discipline, it just seems appropriate to offer everyone a 180 before a jump. On the other hand, one of my friends once pointed out (during a long hike), "you can drink four red bulls, or take one little pill--same price, but the pill works better." -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Check it out: http://www.blincmagazine.com/forum/board/4167.html Anyone got the Pic? I'll try to lay my hands on the magazine today, and maybe post a scan. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Amen. If I took my three second pack job to terminal, I wouldn't expect to survive the opening. At three seconds I'm generally slider down, and at terminal with no slider I'd bet on catastrophic failure of my spine, my parachute, or both. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Did you try talking to the rigger at your DZ? He can probably help you with most of your skydiving rigging questions (and would probably be happy that a young skydiver was showing interest). -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've never noticed any prolonged falling sensation. I'm pretty sure the falling feeling goes away once you reach terminal. You ought to actually reach terminal in the suit sooner (since birdman terminal is slower than boxman terminal and way slower than free fly terminal), so I'd think there is less "falling" sensation. The reason a wingsuit flyer has less vertical speed is because he has the same amount of air resistance, so the feeling is roughly the same (at least in the downward direction). -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think I've entered some bizarre alternate universe. Is that really a photo of Bill Dause, smiling while not in free fall? My whole image of the universe is shaken. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

A couple of years ago, I survived impact with my canopy at line stretch. Everyone I knew gave me that darn book for Christmas that year. Mostly, they bookmarked that page and the "how to jump from a bridge into water" page (the jump was from a bridge, and I landed in water). If anyone wants a copy, I think I still have five on my shelf. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

I just watched the whole thing looking for the "un-work safe" part. I think your security is probably a bit over protective. It looks perfectly work safe to me. In fact, it looks like it's something that many parents would want to show to their children. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Disclaimer: Any video is only an instructional aid. To really learn how to pack (for BASE or anything else), you need to find a qualified instructor, and use video or other materials as instructional aids only. BASE packing videos are sold by the major BASE gear manufacturers. I've seen the CR, BR and Vertigo videos from about three years ago. I believe that CR and BR have both updated their videos since then. If you want to purchase a BASE packing video, here are some addresses to try: Consolidated Rigging 4035 Grass Valley Highway Auburn, California 95602 530 823-7969 530 823-7971 fax [email protected] http://www.crmojo.com Basic Research 236 East 3rd Street, Unit C Perris, California 92570 909 940-1324 909 940-1326 fax [email protected] http://www.basicresearch.com Vertigo BASE Outfitters PO Box 1304 Moab, Utah 84532 435 289-1085 [email protected] http://www.vertigobase.com/ I believe that CR also offers a BASE packing course (normally a module of their first jump course, but also available separately). The CR packing method is generally the easiest to learn if you are accustomed to skydiving packing. I personally use the BR method 90% of the time, because I think it gives the most symmetric openings. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

If you are planning a BASE trip to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland in the near future, please see: www.subterminal.ch Due to recent fatalities, the Swiss BASE Association is asking us all to suspend jumping in Lauterbrunnen until the political climate cools. Please pass the word if this effects anyone you know. Thanks! -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Rear riser turns during the deployment sequence can be very useful (as already noted). One word of warning: If you yard on both rear risers (or even on one hard enough) with deeply set brakes, you can stall the canopy entirely, and deflate it. I have personally done this on opening (resulting in downward object strike). I have also seen a life flight ride resulting from overly aggressive (single) riser input. The bottom line is that you should learn where the stall point is for your gear on rear riser input (how far down you can pull a riser before it stalls), in clear air, before you have to make a rear riser turn or stall to avoid a wrap (or strike). I have never heard of using rear riser input to promote faster cell inflation. Rear riser input could pull the slider down faster, which (at a certain point in the inflation sequence) could theoretically reduce overall opening time. However, especially with deeply set brakes, I would tend to thing that rear riser input during inflation would actually inhibit cell inflation. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

I encourage you to read the Economist column, "Lexington", entitled "Rock and Remembrance: A corny Bruce Springsteen Album may be the right way to pay homage to September 11th" (Economist. August 3, 2002). I have attached the article as a pdf file. This is an excellent opinion on why commercial music (Springsteen, of course, but also Toby Keith, and many others--my particular favorite is "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?", by Alan Jackson, another country singer) may actually be one of the best, and most American responses to the September 11th attacks. A quote: "America is a proudly popular civilization: a country driven by the aspirations of ordinary people rather than the designs of elites..." I encourage you to read the whole thing. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Springsteen.pdf

Can you elaborate on this? I haven't been able to edit mpeg2 footage on Premiere, Final Cut, or anything else. I have to convert it first, with the accompanying quality loss. How do you edit it directly? -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

There are lots of schools that have "Aggie" mascots. I have an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis. UCD's mascot is (you guessed it) the Aggie, as well. Davis was originally the University of California Farm. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

In short, no. When you downsize your main more than about one size, you really need to trade in your container, too (you generally can't get it modified, either). It's not a good idea to jump an oversized container, because the slop in your pack tray can flap around in freefall and lead to some gnarly malfunctions. My advice: Get Mom and Dad to spring for a new Cypress, a complete used rig, and as many jumps as they'll do. That way, when you are ready to trade down, you won't have wasted the cash on your first rig (I got some new stuff for my first, and the only thing I don't regret spending the extra cash on is the Cypress). -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Fly through it faster, yes... Do you think that wingloading or canopy type is more important in resisting turbulence? I've noticed that my (approximately 1.5 loaded) Stiletto appears to be far more susceptible to turbulence than my (approximately .65 loaded) Blackjack. I had always thought this was likely because the Blackjack was designed with stability as a base line parameter. What do you think? -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

All the big DZ's are open during the week. Some of the smaller ones are open all week too. The DZO at my first DZ was fond of saying "we're here everyday..." I'm pretty sure that guy put loads up on Christmas Day. How else could he end up with 30,000 skydives? -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Our operating rule has always been that if you didn't need the parachute to walk (or swim) away, then it didn't count. But how high is the center of that span? Looks like fun from the road deck to the water. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

PC101. The PC120 has some features (bluetooth) that you don't really need, and are (IMHO) a waste of cash. Where'd you find the PC 101 for that price? -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dude, big question. Maybe you ought to start a new thread on that? I'll send you a PM with some thoughts, in an attempt not to side track this thread. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

Your instructors should teach you to arch and stay stable well before they get you out of the plane. I know when I learned, my instructor made me lay on a gurney and just arch for what seemed like hours. The biggest part of this is probably that your instructor is experienced at maintaining this position, no matter what his student does. He also cheats a bit, by pitching the drogue (that little parachute you tow in freefall), which pretty much locks you into a belly to earth position. Not really. You basically just "fall on your belly" . Seriously, you may have to work a bit on maintaining a stable body position, but that's one of the big things your instructors will be teaching you. You're more likely to have problems staying on heading (not turning) than staying on your belly. If that happens for you, do not pass go, do not collect $200, and proceed directly to freeflying. Many experienced skydivers have spent lots of jumps trying to stay in that position. It took me around 25 jumps just working on staying head down before I could do what you're describing. I doubt it'll happen on accident, but if it does, rejoice--you are going to be one heck of a freeflyer. It sounds like you're worrying about this way too much. It takes a few jumps, but you do have professional instruction, and I'm sure you'll be staying stable in no time. -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com

It may not really apply on skydives, but our rule for multiway safety is: Worry about everyone with less experience than you. So, the most experienced guy on the jump has to stay out of everyone else's way. The least experienced jumper just has to do the same jump he'd do as a solo. Then, the most experienced jumper gets to make the call as to whether the jump proceeds. If he's not happy, he calls it, and we break down into smaller jumps until the most experienced jumper on each jump is satisfied with the safety/difficulty of that jump. To translate into your situation, I guess that would mean that you (as the most experienced jumper) have to be confident that you can safely stay away from a potentially zooming newbie. Otherwise, call it, and do it later, when you are more confident in your ability to avoid the collision. That way, it's entirely dependent on the variable you control (your skill), rather than the one you can't (his skill). -- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com