BASE stunts: Begging for trouble? (OT)

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Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Apr 7, 2016 - 07:26pm PT
Woe mhan,
that video, that Jim Brennan shared ends with the fatal jump of Jan Davis, who borrowed
A rig because she did not want her rig to get confiscated. She was not familiar with the borrowed rigs' rip cord, that was located on on her thigh. She augered in in front of that crowd.
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
Apr 8, 2016 - 07:47am PT
for the record...If the canopy twists or opens off heading, its only a problem when doing a slider down (or off) jump with a minimal delay since one is near an object. on a terminal jump, this is never a problem as you open with plenty of room out in open space.
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2016 - 08:54am PT
An interesting vid I came across. Dudes are proximity flying without the squirrel suits. New design? something in the legs? Anyway, the opening scene makes me sad because there's a really good chance that neat kid is going to grow up without a father. Oh well, rad boyz gotta be rad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fbYTN1gJKw

BAd
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Apr 10, 2016 - 09:00am PT
She was not familiar with the borrowed rigs' rip cord
How does someone jump without knowing where their rip cord is located? Isn't it kinda obvious when you get suited up?
Serious question.
T2

climber
Cardiff by the sea
Apr 10, 2016 - 09:20am PT
Those are tracking suits Bad climber. Those guys are proximity tracking.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Apr 10, 2016 - 09:34am PT
SLR, you know flyers and their get-homeitis, right? Jumpers' get-more-yahoositis clearly
clouds their judgement.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
Apr 14, 2016 - 10:14pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
hamie

Social climber
Thekoots
Apr 14, 2016 - 11:01pm PT
Bad Climber

I have just read your Feb 23 post, in which you slagged my good friend Roger Marshall. Why would you do that? Far from being "out of control", Roger was a highly motivated and experienced mountaineer. He made either the first or second solo ascent of Kanchenjunga, the 3rd highest peak in the world. He died from a fall while descending after an unsuccessful solo attempt on the north face of Everest. That's the north face, not the north ridge. His reasons for this attempt were complicated, but completely rational. He was virtually unsupported on a rarely climbed route, unlike the fiascos we see today. Roger was very much in control of his abilities and emotions, and was well aware of what can happen to a solo climber who falls.

Roger was an ex-Brit who emigrated to Canada. He "had it in the bottle" as the Brits say.
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 15, 2016 - 06:18am PT
Hey, Hamie:

Sorry about your friend, really. I was just writing about a vibe I got when reading his piece about Kanchenjunga. When he survived that climb by the slimmest of margins and then resolved to head off to Everest, solo as well, I was left with a sad feeling that this fellow wasn't going to be around long. Unfortunately, I was right. I had the same feeling about the Aussie base jumper. Sadly, right again. Some folks are addicted to the edge, and that baby cuts. I guess what I mean be "out of control" in these cases is that the practitioner can't control his or her impulses when it comes to the extreme. It doesn't matter how close the call: If one survives, that's all the validation or encouragement one needs to keep getting after it. Instead of thinking--Whoa, that was too close. Maybe I should dial it back a little--the extremist takes it right back to the same limit or beyond. Too often--see Potter, Boenish, et al.--they pay the ultimate price.

Don't misunderstand me. I totally support the right of folks to push their limits however they see fit. I admit that I'm inspired by wild solos, and I find wingsuit videos addicting. But when some of these guys and gals don't come back, we aren't too surprised. Some, like Potter, seemed to have cracked the code, and he hung out on that edge for over 20 years, extraordinary, really, but that edge pushes back.

Condolences on losing your friend. When they go, a part of us goes with them.

BAd
hamie

Social climber
Thekoots
Apr 15, 2016 - 10:38am PT
Bad Climber

No hard feelings. Roger knew what he was up to, and the possible consequences. He was willing to cross a line which most others would not. In this case, a line too far and too high.

Cheers,
H.
WallMan

Trad climber
Denver, CO
Apr 15, 2016 - 12:52pm PT
Classy exchange, Hamie and BAd, rarely seen here on SuperTopo.

Climb Ohn. Wally
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
Apr 15, 2016 - 12:58pm PT
^^^^ agreed, this is a nice example.
The guy above

climber
Across the pond
Apr 15, 2016 - 01:46pm PT
the opening scene makes me sad because there's a really good chance that neat kid is going to grow up without a father.

Funny coincidence that you posted Luca's video with that comment.

As it happens, Luca's dad was out jumping way before Luca did and they still sometimes jump together. So not only Luca didn't grow up without a father, he went on to share the joys of the sport with him.

His dad was a base jumping pioneer who in 1996 did the second ever jump from what is nowadays possibly the most popular cliff in the world, and he's still alive and kicking.

1996

[Click to View YouTube Video]

2016

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Anyway, the kid in the intro isn't Luca's kid, and the "dad" he's hugging is not down from a base jump but a skydive. Luca is a profesional skydiving instructor and coach. But hey, sh#t happens and there's nothing stopping him from getting killed by a drunk driver in the way home or by a rampaging cow, so feel free to get sad about the kid if that lets you sit in your high horse. ;)
dirt claud

Social climber
san diego,ca
Apr 15, 2016 - 03:12pm PT
That's fookn close!!


Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 24, 2016 - 10:33am PT
Here's one that actually seems "reasonable." It's a fantastic flight, and the pilot didn't feel the need to clean his teeth with the rocks and trees on the way down. Pretty awesome.

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/adventure/stories/1331608658578/the-biggest-wingsuit-base-jump-ever.

BAd
Winemaker

Sport climber
Yakima, WA
Apr 24, 2016 - 08:57pm PT
Thanks for that Bad Climber, that was awesome. None of the rock shaving, treetop missing, ready to die stuff I've seen. What's the glide ratio? 4:1, 3:1? Pretty amazing X distance.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Apr 24, 2016 - 09:19pm PT
Beautiful. What a great ride.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Apr 24, 2016 - 09:21pm PT
What's the glide ratio? 4:1, 3:1?

I know I have the rep of a skeptic but I'm asking this question in all
seriousness. As someone who has studied aerodynamics and has flown 40:1
sailplanes I honestly do not see how any of these rigs can have better than
2.5:1, on a good day. BTW, if any of you guys want to pony up yer cash I
can put you in touch with my friend who designed the wing of the Gossamer
Albatross. He won't come cheap but he could definitely get you going big! :-)
nah000

climber
no/w/here
Apr 24, 2016 - 10:40pm PT
was curious about Reilly's question...

based on google maps and assuming, as it looks in the video, that he landed at the nearest point in the valley and not in the vilage of lauterbrunnen itself [which is further to the north than the more direct flight to the valley that i am assuming] then Kerber flew ~5.52km in horizontal distance. and in the movie it says his total elevation change was 3.24km.

this gives him an average glide ratio of 1.7:1

two caveats to this. he flew in at, i'd guess looking at the vid, at least 300m above valley bottom and he also mentions in the article that he was diving most of the way, so that is a minimized glide ratio calculation. based on an elevation change of say 2.9km and a slightly more indirect google map path, which is likely the case, of say 5.8km puts him at an average glide ratio of 2:1

there's a good answer here that breaks glide ratios down and says that while glide paths of 4:1 are attainable over say 1000m of drop, sustainable max glide is roughly about 2.5:1 or what Reilly was guessing [or surreptitiously googling ;) ]...

given comp paragliders are up to about 13:1, there's still lots of room for our plummeting cousins to improve... :)
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 25, 2016 - 06:24am PT
Yeah, I've heard 3:1 as the best the squirrel people can manage at this time. That's pretty impressive given the small wing surface. And sailplanes? Fugetaboutit. Stunning ratios.

BAd
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