OK, now that the WTC's are gone, a terrible tragedy indeed, is John Vincent the only BASE jumper in history to get off one of the towers? I think I may have seen video of Yuri gettting off them with Thor Alex, but I'm not sure if it was the Chrysler building or the WTC. Maybe Yuri can elaborate...
Jim
Thor Alex did WTC, Empire State and Chrysler in the space of a few days I remember. I think I'll be taking a rig to work from now on!
Craig
ps. I hope none of you guys know anyone involved in this.
JIm, If He had jumped WTC, and wanted the world to know. I´m sure he would have put on the board. or at least on his site.... you are being a bit asinine,is there anybody else (of innocence you wish to cause trouble for? Owen Quinn was busted for a jump from there 26 or so years before. plus an unknown number that you possibly never heard of.
space,
Thor Alex Kappfjell jumped the WTC March 6, 1999.
In Dan Poynter's 'Parachuting - The Skydivers' Handbook, published in 1978, there's a pic of Owen Quinn going over the edge of the WTC on page 153. I think that it was in 1976.
Speaking of John Vincent, does anyone know where he is now? I've made a few jumps (skydives) with him, and he's taught me a lot about BASE. He took me on my first CRW jump and made it a memorable one at that...I was jumping a Falcon 175 weighing 150 lbs, he was jumping a Sabre 120 weighing 210 lbs :7 John was always like a big brother to me, and he was jumping at my home dz and sorta disappeared. I have no clue where he is, and I'd like to get in touch with him. If anyone knows where he is, or has any contact info for him, please let me know. My e-mail address is joshnowell@hotmail.com Thanks!!
Blue Skies,
Josh
Sorry if I'm wrong, but isn't John Vincent the guy who got tared and feathered, literally, for burning objects?
Well, I've never heard of him burning any around here...but I don't think he did "too" much jumping here either (not too many objects to get off of). But if you look at the jumps that he's made, it wouldn't suprise me one bit. Also, what exactly do you mean by "tared and feathered?" Just curious as to what you've heard. C-ya!!
Blue skies,
Josh
He was literally tarred and feathered (ya know, with tar and feathers...) for burning a site in Georgia. I personally have never met him, maybe he's a nice guy. But he has at times done jumps without regard to local protocol, winning him a less than desirable reputation in some circles, and a butt crack full of tar.
Hey guys, stop the BS about who jumped from where and rally around the IDEA that BASE jumping could have saved hundreds of people in WTC.
Why don't you push the idea and become trainers for people. American business will want to have a viable alternative since people just aren't sprouting wings. NOW is your chance to pull this extreme "Sport" into the lime light to save countless lives in ALL highrise buildings. I DON'T care what the odds of survival are...YOU know...You have the knowledge and expertise to help and protect others. Corporations have money. People are scared they want a CHANCE to save themselves. If I was standing on the 105 of WTC and had at least a choice of burning, being crushed, jumping to my death (as many did) or putting on some gear that I had training in when they hired me to work in a tall building and having SOME chance of survival....I'd become a new member of BASE jumping. For life survival and safety.....YOU HAVE THE POWER and the opportunity. God inspire some of you please.
What in the hell are you talking about?? Training all people in high-rise buildings to BASE jump and putting BASE rigs in them in case something like this happens again?? Do you realize the time and money that would take? And do you realize how few would actually be used IF something like this happened again? And IF it did happen again and people did actually strap on a rig and jump, how few would actually survive?? Why don't you go to the FAA's website and make some suggestions about tougher security in airports. Life goes on, my friend. I'm not going to stop skydiving, BASE jumping, school, work, or anything else because of a tragedy like this. I'm going to donate blood today. I'm doing my part to help. Are you gonna train everyone in high-rise buildings on how to use your golf clubs to whack a terrorist in the head when they take over the building?? I think not. Be realistic, why don't you!! x(
And as far as John goes, like I said, it really doesn't suprise me. I'm sure tougher security was enforced at the WTC, St. Louis arch, New Orleans Superdome, etc., after his jumps at these sites. And he is a supernice guy who is always willing to help out another jumper in any way possible. But from the BASE jumps he's made, he's also probably willing to burn a few sites for his own pleasure.
Blue Skies,
Josh
People think you wouldn't have to sneak your rig onto a tall building you could just go in for a job interview at the company on the top floor and take your rig just in case and off you go ....
But I think each worker should have a rig and a camera helmet it would make for some interesting data of how a canopy opens next to burning building as a fire feeds off oxygen what would it do to the openings and how it flys ....
bsbd feral&-)
While the idea of basejumping from any floor about 120 really appeals to me, I think there are a few fundamental problems in this theory:
1) getting access to the outside of the building (ie. getting a "perch" to jump from would be next to impossible unless you had access to the roof - which most don't and only those above the plane impacts would even remotely have that chance. The other option is to carry a shape charge or some other blasting device to blow out the window you want to exit from. Not very likely given the security standards we are going to see very soon.
2) the air in and around the floors that people were jumping from was of a temperature so high that they jumped without so much as a tablecloth for a parachute and a hotdog stand umbrella for a landing pad. Think of what that is going to do to your rig - if you can get to it, or if the vompany has a few on each level. OK, let's say you can suck it down to about the 40th floor before you pull. This might work, but employees that don't regularely basejump are eigther gonna panic and pull or freakin reide in the ground rush and you know it - they're pancakes.
3) how likely is it that the terrorists are going to use the same tactic again since it is now very difficult to go that route, they are more likely to choose another method to get us.
While basejumping the WTC would be freakin cool, wearling a camera reverse-mount just 3 seconds before the impact of plane #2, It's just not gonna happen ever again - Besides, you'd be suspect #1 regarding the terrorism.
I suggest we look at other ideas - perhaps freefall training and swimming pools on all the surround buiilding's roofs - lol.
night
Gathboy :x
----------------------------------------------
This might work, but employees that don't regularely basejump are eigther gonna panic and pull or freakin reide in the ground rush and you know it - they're pancakes.
---------------------------------------------
Another thing that may happen is people on the 50'th floor will jump (out of panic) when there is a fire on the 20'th. If the fire is put out before it reaches the 30'th floor, and the jumper dies...
That will most certainly make the darwin awards.
Hi:
Sounds like base jumping is an unreasonable request to ask people to do if they want to bail out of a tall building during an emergency like the World Trade Center bombing.
What might be a reasonable alternative to base jumping?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks