static jumps

[guest]

Just curious, where I live, there's a serious shortage of tall objects. There seems to be plenty of marginally jumpable objects. (They didn't think this out did they. Should have built a couple of tall ones instead. We need more BASE jumpers to become engineers. Just think of it; objects designed for BASE jumpers, by BASE jumpers.)
Anyway, what is a reasonable height to static line or PCA? What's the lowest recommended height to freefall something? Let me re-word that. What's the lowest object you CAN freefall??? And one last thing. What are the advantages/disadvantages of static vs. PCA??? Thank you all. --DEX

[guest]

Hi Dex!
I don't know the answer to your question because I just recently took up an interest in BASE and still just reading as much about it as I can... and these two questions made me wonder as well...

>what is a reasonable
>height to static line or PCA? What's
>the lowest recommended height to
>freefall something? Let me re-word
>that. What's the lowest object you CAN
>freefall???

[guest]

>Anyway, what is a reasonable
>height to static line or PCA? What's
>the lowest recommended height to
>freefall something? Let me re-word
>that. What's the lowest object you CAN
>freefall??? And one last thing. What
>are the advantages/disadvantages of
>static vs. PCA???

Lowest recorded successful jump: 63 ft (direct bag).
Lowest recommended deployment: 200 ft (PCA, Static Line or Direct Bag).

Lowest recorded successful freefall deployment: 156 ft (little Aussie).
Lowest recommended freefall deployment: 300 ft.

I would strongly recommend against emulating the lowest jumps possible. They leave no margin for error (i.e. offheading, tailgate hangup, or snivel), and are best left to the truly insane among us. In the words of the low freefall champ "anyone who gets hurt trying to freefall from that low, including myself, deserves it."

A skillful PCA is generally better than a static line, because a good PC holder can release the PC at line stretch, thereby avoiding center cell strip and improving both opening heading and speed.

However, a direct bag deployment is (in my opinion, which is debatable) far preferable to a PCA. A direct bag automatically releases without stripping. Further, it opens the canopy 9' higher (no bridle).

I'd say your best bet is to buy a direct bag (especially if you are planning on lots of low jumps) and learn to use it.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu