S3 BASE Pilot Chute Pouch...

[SBCmac]

Hello all,

I was just wondering if getting the BASE pilot chute pouch on a S3 is a must for BASE jumping.

Thanks,

SBCmac (Michael)

[Deadwood]

IMHO yes
I have 95 W/S jumps from airplane. 65 on a GTI and 30 on an S-3. It wasn't an issue with the GTI but the extra wing on an S3 makes getting to the BOC a little more interesting. This weekend I was my first real problem. It took much longer that I would have liked to get it fully out. Other times in was just an annoyance.

Anyway, I plan on making my first WS base this spring and will do the mod first.



>Hello all,
>
>I was just wondering if getting the BASE pilot chute pouch on
>a S3 is a must for BASE jumping.
>
>Thanks,
>
>SBCmac (Michael)

[ManBird]

>Hello all,
>
>I was just wondering if getting the BASE pilot chute pouch on
>a S3 is a must for BASE jumping.
>
>Thanks,
>
>SBCmac (Michael)

Haven't based my WS yet (maybe next year), but I have used the pouch on a good number of WS flights (several dozen times out of about 370 WS flights). Once adept at both methods, BOC generally takes a good half to one and a half seconds longer. The longer it takes, the faster you fall. So you're looking at losing upwards of 150 - 200 and a minimum of 40 feet going BOC. If you go BOC, just start deploying a little higher. The pouch couldn't be easier. Collapse your wings and, bam, the handle is in your hand.

Take some precaution with the pouch. A F1-11 PC can be sticky. ZP comes out pretty easily. With a 32" F1-11 PC, I actually had a no pull/stuck PC. Had this been on a BASE jump, I wouldn't be writing this. Just make sure PC is very "thin" in the pouch, and avoid getting mesh between the pouch and the top skin of the PC. Practice with the pouch about a billion times on the ground and a lot in the air. It can be tricky in that you really have to sort of throw OUT and pull at the same time. Don't pull it towards you.

Have fun.

[leroydb]

has anyone ever had the base pouch retrofitted onto their suit?