Basejumper.com - archive

Why there is no more continuation of Nicks fatality list? As far as I remembered there where 2 more sad fatalities since Nr 100. Has anybody an idea?
Stay alive! bumbum

Give him time, give him time.

I began correcting some things I've neglected for too long (the main one being the chronology of fatalities, where many of the entries were out of order) and I was in the middle of that when the last two fatalities occurred. When I get that finished I'll update.

A couple of points:

The BASE Fatality List is not a newspaper. There was a time (long ago) when I always tried to be timely because there was an original lesson to be learned. Sadly, nowadays we seem to be, more or less, making the same mistakes over and over. I really thought we'd learned the lessons of biting off more than we can chew – but of course, as long as there are new, and not so new, BASE jumpers who ignore past lessons it will always be a problem. The biggest lessons missed are the very first ones we learned. Don't be over confident, and don't gulp down BASE jumps like they were skydives.

Something has changed in the tone of written reports I receive. It used to be they were more analytical and straight forward. Some of them now are too heavy on rationalizations and too light on facts. In some cases I can read three full paragraphs on a fatality and still not know what happened, so it takes it bit more time to figure things out.

The List is for the record. It's not so much to educate current jumpers who if active will hear about fatalities from various other available sources. The List is really for the person who starts BASE jumping next year, and future jumpers, the ones who aren't paying attention to BASE fatalities right now.

Another thing is the media now turns to the List right after a BASE fatality, and in most cases I'm not interested in doing their job for them. Once it's not "news" anymore they forget all about it.

NickD
BASE 194

I wish this was the approach of people....

Why would gulping down BASE jumps be a bad thing? Lets say a newbie goes to Twin Falls or another similar object and does 50 in 2 weeks vs. doing 50 in a year on the same object. I think that doing those jumps in a much shorter period of time would be better, giving the jumper solid currency and greater muscle memory for future jumps.

Or I’ll use myself as an example. If I do 2 jumps in a night, 3 times a week working on my double gainers, I’m much more likely to perfect my rotation speed and deployment timing than if I were to only jump once a week.

I don’t think doing too many jumps in a short period of time is the problem. The main problem is as Nick said in the first part of that sentence is that people are being over confident in their abilities.

Coco

now aint that the goddamn truth.

You do raise a good point there. I'm thinking it's an issue with complacency when you do so many jumps at one location in a short time period. If you do one jump a week, you'll pay more attention to the little things then if you've done 4 that day.

My observation has been that a new jumper with 50 jumps off the bridge in a couple weeks has not developed nearly the judgment that a guy with 50 jumps over a year off more technical objects has.

I'm firmly convinced that at this point, in the vast majority of cases, the thing that kills us is not a lack of technical skill--it's a lack of judgment.

Bingo.

I didn't hear you say, "If I did some s/l first and spent some time ground crewing. And then I went stowed slider up, and then I . . . . . . . after 50 jumps I chose a well overhung object to do my first aerial. . . .

What I think Nick is trying to say is pretty much confirmed by your comment, too much emphasis and importance is placed on banging out the tricky / loopy / flashy / exciting / scary / unconventional / etc jumps by modern day jumpers . . .and stuff all emphasis is placed on the FUNDAMENTALS!!!!!!

Look at USA skydiving. There are people who clock up 500 jumps in their first year and they do not pack or know how to pack their gear.

It is not about jump numbers, it is about quality of jumps, logical / sequential progression, picking up and "perfecting" fundamental skills, learning the right things at the right time, time in the sport. learning from the mistakes of others, etc.

More jump numbers are better than less jump numbers . . . if all else is equal. Currency is very important. But the most important thing is what you learn. A person that bangs out 50 in a week and then comes back in two months is less current and at greater risk than someone who does 3 per week. A person who only jumps off one object becomes very current and competant only on those skills that are utilised at that object. It does NOT make them a complete jumper.

If you look at the greater skilled jumpers in our sport, they all seem to have a great range of objects and jump types under their belts. This is what has made them great.

As an example. You may be great at timing a deployment, but if you can't land a canopy for shit and you have only experienced one landing area, you are a danger to yourself when jumping unfamiliar jump sites - especially if the landing areas are tight.

Quality . . . . Not Quantity. . . . . That is your choice if you only have one.
If you have both choices, then do a whole lot of quality jumps.

Pls remember that I am supporting the notion that more jumps are better than less. But I temper that with the fact that your skill range is highly focused (i.e narrow . . i.e not broad).

Don't kid yourself that 50 jumps off the Perrine in one week makes you an all round competant BASE jumper. Don't kid yourself that

It is just the start.

- - - - -

BASE is heading down the path of skydiving.

30 years ago, skydivers were canopy pilots first, and freefallers second.
Now you finish AFF, and if you are lucky you may pick up some canopy skills.

BASE is similar. 15 years ago you were a canopy pilot first, and a freefaller second.
Now you start thinking about gainers with those nicer landing areas and there is a diminishing focus on canopy skills. This to the detreiment of the new generation. At least some members therof.

In the end, the information on how is well established. Anyone can access it if they so desire. But modern jumpers need to focus on the why. Why are they attempting such a jump with such complex skills, without adequate such experience.

People get on the list generally due to fundamental mistakes.

Focus on the FUN . .not DA MENTALS. Bad motto - but this is what modern day participants are doing. Everyone jumper should be focusing on both - mental preparation and having fun.

Stay Safe
Have Fun
Good Luck

p.s Nick, just in case, you do not have my permission to put me on that list of yours.

In the past, people wanted to know why. People accepted responsibility. People wanted to learn from other people's mistakes.

Today, people want to blame other people and other things. They want to make excuses. They can't just say "I fucked up and I am an idiot".

They say, they knew the dangers all along and blindly accepted that they may die. Without really understanding the dangers.
They believe the media - BASE is a stupid extrememly risky activity. Instead of taking pro-active steps in mitigating that risk.
They believe they are not responsible and have little control over their destiny. Why fight it? Why bother making an effort to make myself safer? Im going for it.

That is society for you!!!!