Basejumper.com - archive

I really want to get into base. I have mentioned this to some base jumpers and they have all told me I should wait. Im getting kinda tired of constantly being told to wait though...I know its dangerous iv researched it quite a bit. So I guess my question is...How do I go about learning to base when I can't seem to find anyone to help me. Im going to iraq for a year comming up pretty soon and will have the $$$ to start up when I get back. Of course i'll get current in sky diving again first. I think after I get back from deployment though im getting into it one way or the other. I would like to do it the safest way possible. Im not in a hurry to die. If it comes down to having to be self taught though....so be it.

Yo,

Check out Tom A's Spring Death Camp (it's only a few posts down). He's taking applications. Give him a call and see what he thinks. If your jump #'s are true any of the FJC's will take you.

You seem very determined but if your avatar numbers are correct, you are averaging less than 50 jumps per year which is not exactly as current as you should be.

Have the BASE jumpers you approached told you speciafically why they are unwilling to help?

Self instruction is a bad idea. Start with a first jump course and read the numerous posts about getting into BASE.

Good luck on your journey.

http://hometown.aol.com/...e/base_fatality_list

seriously, dont rush into death...

dont think i am joking either.........

my jump #'s are kind of low because i joined the army a while ago. I spent a lot of time in training where i couldnt jump. Im now back into jumping but because of where im at i cant jump as much as i would like. Hopefully the weather will start to get better again and i'll be able to jump every weekend. On a side note...I unfortunatly can't commit to it now. Im leaving for iraq soon and will be spending a year there. Its on when i get back though

yo man... you'll have plenty of time and money when you come back from iraq. do as much reading as you can... then hit up an FJC. it will be worth it.

yup 30 days block leave. Some of my friends have been there for a year at the same rank i am now and said they came back with over 20 grand saved up. So i'll definatly be getting into it. The plan is to learn a lot about it while there and hopefully already have a base rig when i get back (though i did read something about not just anyone being able to buy a base rig...whats that about?). That way i can get right into it without wasting any time....even though its 30 days block leave i still have to spend some time with family.

edit: i guess i'll have to spend some time getting current again before i get into this.

Many manufacturers will want to check references for people purchasing gear, to make sure they won't hurt themselves.

That said, if you're coming to a First Jump Course, any manufacturer is going to be perfectly comfortable selling you gear and bringing it out (if they are also the folks you are taking the course from) or shipping it to your FJC instructor. I've acted as a mail drop for that kind of thing (both for myself and other instructors) on numerous occasions.


All of this, of course, doesn't apply to used gear. Buying used gear totally depends on the seller. Some will sell to anyone, some ask for references.

Basically, it's a general (unorganized, spontaneous) community effort to keep new jumpers from hurting themselves due to lack of instruction.

They already are...by telling you to wait....Patience is a virtue...and a really good quality to have in the base world... You can also take this quality to Iraq with you ... I dont see any rush for you to base as you will need your full and undivided concentration where you are going...

I to have been bit by the base bug and thought i never would. I spent three years in the military sneaking around in the night and when i got out this was furthest from my mind. I enjoy skydiving as it relaxes me... as now i have big wall base fantasies...but i am not in a big hurry. The more you research the more you will slowdown.... Most people on this board will tell you...The objects will always be here...no reason to rush... This is not a sport to be self taught..as being a astronaut is not.... The safest way possible to learn this is to pay attention and keep your ass alive over there ...and when you get back start jumping your ass off and when you think you are ready...post this question again...... I think you will feel a bit different then....

Keep your ass alive bro.... Chris

I'd definitely recommend asking them why they said that. With your jump numbers, it's unlikely that's it's a "number of skydives" thing, so you'll want to find out specifically what they are worried about, so that you can work on those skills.




All of my advice on that topic is linked at the top of the forum, so I won't bother you with a boring repetition here, and just assume that you've already seen that and read it.



It sounds like when you get back you'll have the money and time to travel to a big DZ, find yourself a nice big 7 cell canopy (or use the BASE canopy you have already ordered and have waiting when you get back from Iraq), and do 30 or 40 canopy control practice jumps to get yourself current. From there, you ought to be able to head straight to a First Jump Course. With the time you'll probably have, you ought to be able to stick around in Twin Falls for a week or so afterward. If you spent a month doing this, you'd come out the other end with some good canopy control practice jumps from a plane (on a BASE canopy), a solid grounding in BASE (from your FJC) and 20 or 30 practice BASE jumps to establish currency and start working on basic skills.

when i get back im planning on jumping my ass off everyday for 2 weeks straight. Hopefully over 100 jumps. The 3rd week will hopefully be spent on a fjc. I do appreicate why people tell me to wait. I guess i can be the only one to truely know when im ready. As far as i see it......no stability problem....can track my ass off...landing is no problem. Im going for it.

You won't get any better advise than this... other than someone telling you ..' don't do it...

Sounds like a good plan.... I think though that you will feel like spending a week in Fiji on the beach with some hot babe though after your tour from hell is over...Then maybe you will feel like jumping.... When i got back i surfed everyday for a month.... And yes you will know when you are ready...but really wont know untill you feet are on the edge...

As for stability... you have never exited in that enviorment and if you blow your exit ...tracking wont help you.... as for landing...try flying a seven cell and landing on a tea cup.... You have all the time...


Take care... Chris

i think that after going a year without jumping i'll be itching to get back up. Im already missing it and its only been a couple weeks!!! Would have been yesterday but i made a 2 hour drive to the dz only to have crappy weather

What if you don't come back?

You are going to go invade someone else's house for a year, possibly shoot their children, definately judge how they live, and may get shot yourself for being the unwelcome guest you are.

Don't do it man!

The Kootnay Mountains of BC are beautiful at all times of year, and happily home to many Vietnam era American draft dodgers.

Go north my son, go north.

what if i dont come back???
*bullet proof!
well i guess there are those pesky ieds....but thats what we got eod for....as long as we spot em before they go off of course. Seriously though im not planning on shooting anyones kid. Im not planning on shooting anyone period. If i have to to save my life our the life of a fellow solider than i guess i will be forced into it....doubt that will happen though. Im ready if it does. Im not saying i agree with the war but hey, i have to go. orders and all.

well for me... after i snuck back for a few days after about 5 months over here... and of course with the ol' lady's permission i got some great jumps in and out of my system (thanks to my pals in MD) to hold me over until i get back for good.

then, when i do get back... it's on!

duh!!!!!! For some reason i almost forgot about R&R....what am i thinking!? Oh yeah its on then.

BTW - are you going to Iraq with NO training, minimal training, lots of training????

Next question - are you going to BASE jump with no / little / lots of training?

If you choose to go solo, YOU CHOSE IT. DOn't even think about trying to lay the guilt trip on others.

If you are really serious about learning, give TA $$$$ and pay for his time one on one. He may just oblige. I hear he helps people 2x p.a for nothing too. Apply.


Lots of research and can't find a mentor are contradictions. Your research would have led you to two main options r.e. training:
1 - ground crew, beg, grovel, steal, help out, SPEND TIME
2 - pay someone for their undivided assistance.

To get others to help you, you are obligated to meet certain criteria. Do the prerequisite skill building in skydiving, ground crew, pay money, be nice, whatever it takes.


I am not even going to comment on the above quote.

Yes I am - I can't help myself. You are contradicting yourself. Leave the guilt trip for someone else. Safety and self taught????? Come one. Who are you trying to kid? If you want to throw yourself off something without guidance and you end up dead, that IS YOUR DECISION. Most BASE jumpers will not feel guilty afterwards. They will just have the shits that you were so selfish and undermined the reputation of the sport because of stupidity and stubborness.

Now lets try this whole things again.

Start researching again. Make a real effort this time. Call the FJC people and get some info. If you have to travel to find a mentor, so be it. How much do YOU really want it????

Good luck in Iraq. And better luck when you get back.

who said i was going to try and lay a guilt trip on anyone??? I was just getting frustrated because everyone seemed to have the "im better than you attitude and you shouldnt do this. Sure i do it but thats because i know what im doing." Well guess what...at one point these people had never even jumped out of a plane let alone base. But yeah, i was looking into the fjc thing. Im going to attempt to do that. Hopefully it wont end up like all the other "base jumper" iv talked to about it. Oh yeah and all these people.....kinda like you, that are telling me all this stuff...well a lot of people judge you guys the way i seem to be getting judged for wanting to do this.

oh and to answer your qestion. We are training our asses off till we leave. Going to be spending A LOT of time out in the field the next couple months.

Yeah Begic. Shut the friggghh up. What do you know anyway. In fact, have you even done a base jump? The guy doesn't have stability problems, he can track, so WTF????

Wind your neck in mister Begic. I'm sick of hearing all this negative downer stuff from GUYS LIKE YOU*

jeez

ian

*experienced

No you cannot.

What makes you think that you can evaluate your skill level, experience, aptitude and judgment better than someone who has experience doing the very thing that you are deciding your readiness for?

You are the only one who decides when you start.

That is not the same as knowing when you are ready.

Here’s your 4 step program to becoming a likeable base student and getting nicer treatment in the DZ.com basezone:

1. check your attitude
2. learn to spell or use a spellchecker
3. get a sig-line that makes some sense
4. get more asses, since you will be jumping one off and no doubt tracking another off, you may want a spare ass for landing on occasionally

like a pretty fuckin’ extreme drugfiend I’ve met says: ‘have fun, don’t die’, although maybe in your case it should be ‘don’t die, have fun, don’t die’…

Did you ask if you could at least work ground crew for them?

Come on, Sam, be nice to the kid.

He's gotten enough hard-ass lecture here, I think. He's probably more likely to respond to a "hey, good for you, let's talk about what you need to do to prepare," kind fo approach.

OK.

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No, can't do it. As if I am going to keep quiet.


Nothing at all. I can't believe I have held this charade for this long, and everybody fell for it.


Never. What is a BASE jump anyway. I thought this was a bitching forum. Does anyone know the link?

Seriously though, why do people on this forum throw in that question when blunt advice is given? What significance does that question have in relation to the actual post and its content? Might be a topical question to conduct a poll on?


Sorry, this is a bit too cryptic for me. My lonely single brain cell can't create a link with this comment and my previous post. Can you help?


I have no neck - I am a former football (rugby league) player!!! Would you like someone else who is not like me to say it instead?

"Good luck in Iraq. And better luck when you get back." Can you help me translate this into a positive statement? My linguistic abilities are limited and I find it difficult to articulate my point. I am a negative prick after all.

- - - - - - - - -

to gofast_ER


When you say, "stuff it, if no-one will help me, I'll do it myself", you are laying a guilt trip. It is akin to a child at school saying: "if you don't give me a lolly, I won't be your friend". I might be wrong, but . . . . . . .

Yes, it is VERY frustrating trying to get into BASE. I virtually went the solo route. But this was over a decade ago when opportunities were limited. But I know this is NOT the best option. I am trying to make the point that with a little effort, you will achieve your goals. And I hope you do. That is why I wished you luck. This was genuine. But you have to be realistic too. There are many opportunities around the world for training. Norway, USA, continental Europe, etc. If you really want training from others, it IS available. Maybe the local BASE jumpers in your area are wankers and they do not want to help. Maybe they are really nice people who do not want the responsibility of teaching someone. Maybe they are genuinely concerned for your welfare. You may be the reason for their current unwillingness. I don't know because I am not familiar with the situation. You have to work out the reason, and then resolve it. "Fuck it, I'll do it myself" is not the answer.


Probably. Most people judge. It's human nature. About me. your judgement is incorrect. If you attempted the pre-requisites, showed potential in terms of skills and personality, I would do what I could to help you. No problems. If you asked me to do something I did not want to do, I would not help. Time and experience has taught me that certain things work, and others do not in the BASE jumping environment. It is important to do things right. I know that my experience is being superseeded as we speak. Skills, techniques, and technology are all advancing. My thoughts and opinions will have to change. But there are still fundamental principles that must be adhered to whilst learning to BASE jump. If you want to increase your odds for survival.

I don't want to be around an inexperienced jumper attempting difficult jumps and objects. There is a simple reason. Rescuing the severly injured on trying to retrieve the dead is no fun. I am tired of it. If an accident happens, so be it. But I have no desire to expose myself to an increasing risk of this occuring. Call this selfish. Call this old fashioned, negative, behind the times, whatever else you want, but is is MY decision and it is my life. Other people may have similar concerns. If you allay those fears, you are more likely to get help. You will understand when you become experienced and some newbie starts hassling you.


Great, and good luck. Do the same thing in BASE. You will be rewarded infinitely.