Re: [Franko] time to pull?
> how do experienced base-jumpers know when to pull?
We (the Italian BASE community) do NOT count to pull. When we jump for the first time our terminal wall, we are taught the maximum number of seconds "allowed", usually we pull a little bit earlier
.
Then, when you have more experience (=more jumps off that particular wall), you start to look exactly where you are, your position with respect to talus, your position with respect to right "pillar", your position with respect to left "sloping talus", whatever.
The more jumps we do off a certain terminal wall, the later we can pull because we have become acquainted with "sorrounding rocks" and we know where we are and so we now when it is time to pull
Same thing when we jump for first time our subterminal wall: this subterminal wall has got a ledge/talus protruding few tens of meters with respect to vertical of exit point exactly at midheight. We are taught to start tracking as soon as possible and to have a look at the talus: if, along our tracking, we see that we are clearing it, well, we know we can pass it and pull after (=at same lavel as/below) the talus, otherwise (=if we see our track is NOT so effective) we'd better to pull BEFORE the talus (=pull before/within 5 s). The first times, yes, it is quite scary to have to take the decision to pull while on track, but, again, after few jumps, you get acquainted with your position "on the mountain" and so the environment become more friendly and it becomes easier to take the decision of pulling.
In our experience, we have witnessed many very experienced foreign jumpers, when they come to jump our terminal wall for the very first time, they do NOT take the same delay we take, but they pull quite earlier than us, because they are not yet acquainted with "where to pull at latest". After few jumps, they are capable of pulling where we pull.
Of course, there are foreign jumpers that the very first time they jump and pull after 12 s, but they are an exception.
The norm for BASE jumping walls (terminal and subterminal), and any other "high" object, for the "normal" BASE jumper, including ourselves
, when you come to jump a NEW object, is to pull jolly earlier than the "maximum" for the first jumps, and when you have become acquainted with the object and its environment you can start to pull at the "latest" moment.
Remeber, to pull "low" in a BASE jump is NOT ONLY the joy/happyness/whatever you get while in freefall (and so extending the pleasure
), but pulling "low" while doing a very effective track, is what gets you further off/away from the object.
The lower you open, the farest you are from the object (granted you did a good track) and the less likely is to have an object strike in case of a 180° opening (= you have more time to deal with it bla bla bla).
Just my 0.02€.
, -- don't bother. 
I think it's really important that you know when your ready.some jumps are harder than others .you can allways walk away or find somebody who allready jumped it.then go after them .