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Just wondering if anyone on here went through one of the first jump courses at the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls and what they thought of it. Was it worth it? Are there better/other courses out there? Who did you go through? What was it like? Thoughts in general?

Thanks.

Take each and every one and then don't ever quit learning from everything else that happens out in the world of BASE!

edit to add: If you're about to say you can't afford each and every FJC you just need to sell more of your plasma!

I took the FJC offered by Apex. It was well worth the money. Plus I got a free t-shirt out of it!

Miles D's course.

Would recommend it. Miles seems to have his detractors here, but he's a really strong athlete and his systems are tight.

Would be best if you have an athletic background yourself.

I tool the FJC in Norway and it was a great course. I can recommend it to you if you like big walls.
I do and in 5 hours i am sitting in my car on my way to switzerland. Jumping walls again.

I did the course in norway too and i have to say that it's not a proper FJC in my opinion... What you get is a brief for that specific spot...

A FJC at the bridge would be a lot better in terms of preparing you for the rest of your base jumping career...

Haviong said that, the course i got in norway was good... you have to love that pendulator :)

P.

Here ya go bro, this is a fantastic FJC!

Ray and Spence Bounce Proof, BASE Course

http://www.dropzone.com/...i?post=917427#917427

Phew, gets me every time!!

I use a pendulator in my courses in Twin Falls. I also built one for my course at Bridge Day this year.

I actually think it's a pretty valuable tool for both physical (getting the exit right) and psychological (trying to do so while a bit freaked out) preparation.

Tom's pendulator is fun and very helpful. But be careful with the riging, accidents already happend...
It would be a shame if you have to tell your buddies that you got hurt in a FCJ jumping of a tree... :-)

I took the one from Apex offere at the Perrine and it was solid. It's hard to compare since I never took another one... but Tom was running a course at the same time and his seemed just as solid... and added bonus it's free and you likely will eat some awsome steak!
FJC's get you lots of useful info but don't get lured into thinking that you will be ready to take on any jumps after your course.
They gives you the basic knowledge on the rigging and packing and give you the opportunity to make some jumps in a "relatively safe" environment to build up your confidence a little. But don't be fooled into thinking since you jumped from the Perrine you can go jump any cliffs or building... it a different ball game when there is a wall haulling ass behind you or an outcropping that you HAVE TO clear with your track ect... Your brain has to get used to these visuals and the first cliff jumps are nerve wracking.
When I left my FJC I new absolutely nothing about slider up jumping, had never done a running exit, never did a longer delay than 2.5 secs,
never transitioned from exit position to the tracking position required on most wall ect... all this you will have to learn later somehow. And it's a long and scary learning experience and it's never over.

how hard would it be to build one that you could practice arials with?

I did a FJC at the Perrine bridge, although the one I took is no longer available.


it was definately worth it


better? I'm not sure, as I only did this one, so I cannot really compare them, neither can any poster above who only did one. there are many other courses, off the top of my head:

Apex BASE
Asylum Designs
Johnny Utah
Kevin McGuire (maybe not anymore?)
Miles Daisher
Morpheus Technologies (maybe not anymore?)
Tom Aiello



the most experienced (1000+ basejumps) local jumper in my area


it was a good course with 2 days worth of theory and several levels of progression


here's my thoughts on how to decide which FJCs do take:

- find the local jumpers in your area, specifically the experienced ones (250+ basejumps and at least 5 years in the sport), talk to them to find a mentor and consult with them and your mentor as to what equipment they are using and have experience with and what they would reccomend you to get.

- phone up the manufacturer of the equipment you have been reccomended and talk to them about your experience level, local objects, local jumpers and if they offer a FJC, if they do not, which one do they reccomend?

- phone up all the other base equipment manufacturers and ask them the same questions.

- find out about as many FJCs as you can and phone up all the people running them that you have not contacted yet through the manufacturers and speak to them about equipment, experience, local objects, local jumpers etc. too

this should leave you either a very short list or one FJC that you want to take, find out the costs, time and possible dates for this course and commit the resources

plan to stay a week or more after completion of your FJC to do 'consolidation' jumps, try to have your mentor at the bridge for this

now that you have alloted time and money to your FJC, phone up Tom Aiello and get on one of his long ( full week to 10 day) FJCs that will run just before or just after the FJC you are paying for

if you can't get on one of Tom A's courses, you should probably reconsider if you are ready to start basejumping

doing it this way will increase the cost of your trip by 20-30% if you do it smartly, but you will get a much wider perspective, more experience and more contacts in the base community

if you did it right, you will leave the Perrine bridge with good knowledge and familiarity of your equipment, a solid theoretical base to start building on, the basic survival skills training, some practice of all these, a relatively high level of currency and some contacts in the base community

that's my long-winded 2-cents worth...

if anyone disagrees with this, I would love for them to post specifically why and why their reccomendation would be better

cya
sam

PS - do yourself a favour and show up for your FJC with a thourough knowledge of your equipment and a significant number of skydives on your base canopy concentrated on base specific skills

Again, to piggyback on Sams post, which I agree with wholeheartedly.

1. If you do take a FJC, after you get back home, act like you didn't take one. What I mean is, don't think your FJC makes you ready to go BASE local. Still you should find a mentor (or, if you don't like that term, a local jumping buddy who is knowledgeable and willing to share]. Take your FJC knowledge and use it through a mentor. Hope this is clear, and is usually stated in most FJCs - that after the course you still need someone to help you on other objects. I always prefer to go on a "first time object" with someone who has been there before. Love those prejump briefings.

2. In all the FJCs I have seen at Twin Falls, I think I can count on one hand (or two at the most) the number of people who have stayed behind for further "self training" or just more experience. Sam was one of the ones who did stay extra and he may even have taken it a bit further than needed, throwing toggles away to experience riser landings, packing 180's - I think he tried to experience everything he might run into in self-induced mode! He profited by it, I am sure he will agree. Highly recomended to stay after your Perrine FJC for some more experience. I know it might me hard for some to get the extra time from "real life", but it is well worth it if you can.

later,
t