EDGE Mag Offprint

Buyer: Matthew Gough (matthew.gough@inbox.
com)
Issue 1 • March 2014

Transaction ID: 2EY82747J44819607
Written by BASE
jumpers, for
BASE jumpers
Open up and take a look
www.edgebasejumpmagazine.com
Buyer: Matthew Gough (matthew.gough@inbox.com)
From the
editor !
info@edgebasejumpmagazine.com
www.edgebasejumpmagazine.com
www.facebook.com/edgebasejumpmagazine
Welcome to the first edition of the Edge BASE Jump As such, we thought it would be great if somebody
Magazine and thank you for choosing to purchase the arranged an online donation fund and sent flowers with a
magazine. We are the first magazine to be written sympathies card to the families of recently lost jumpers. We
specifically for the sport of BASE jumping. decided to step up to the plate ourselves and figured we'd
! needed a website with interesting enough content to draw

in all BASE jumpers and enthusiasts, and through this site
Firstly, we would like to thank all those who have run the donation payments. After a brief brainstorm we
been kind enough to submit content and photos for decided on the idea of an online magazine packed full of
the magazine. Every submission is hugely useful safety info and interesting stories.
appreciated and without the input of the community,
we wouldn’t be able to publish any editions. !
! We hope you enjoy the magazine and are kind enough to
donate any spare cents to the BSBD donation.
After members of the Edge team came close to being
added to 'the list', we realised that families of
deceased jumpers often never get to truly know what
great friendships their loved one made in the BASE
community. As BASE jumpers, we're lucky enough to
build fantastic friendships with guys and girls from all
BSBD Donations
over the globe. Unfortunately, when we loose a
member of our community it can often be logistically
impossible to get to the funeral celebrations and
show our respects. We think this is a true shame, as
it means the families often don't get to appreciate
how much support and consideration the BASE CLICK HERE !
family has for them in their time of need.
!
CONTENTS
MAIN FEATURES
04 Jokke’s Wingsuit
Proximity Guide
08 Wingtip pouch Wioletta
STORY TIME
10 Rick Harrison’s near fatal
Halloween jump in 1983
14 My first Ski BASE jump,

by Tim Howell
SAFETY TIP
16 State of Mind
!
ARTICLES
20 Lonnie Bissonnette
22 Keep it Simple
24 ProBASE World Cup
26 Trackey-Track: Don’t Talk

Crap
!
28 Take Care, Space
!
30 Profiling New Era BASE
Jumpers
!
GEAR REVIEWS
33 Squirrel Coud-Lite
34 Atair OSP
CLASSIFIEDS
36 Used gear sales

!
“…with all those checkpoints, I don`t
need to focus on my height and can
concentrate only on the line.”
Wingsuit Proximity
Jokke Sommer
The exit: When flying proximity, it
is important to have a good start.
A nice steep exit is the best way
if you want to get as much speed
as you can from the start. A lot of
I received a few questions, I figured it would be good
jumpers have their arms fully
to write down basic guidelines that might make your
spread out and look up at the
flights a bit better and safer. More and more jumpers
1.
are getting into proximity flying these days and
instead of being like most others, telling you what
you shouldn’t do and all that, I rather tell you what I
do and what works for me :)
In the last year there has been quite a few fatalities

because of proximity flying. Fatalities that could horizon, kind of like a student exit. While doing that,
easily been avoided by just following some simple you increase the chance of starting to fly flat and
rules. simply ending up slow. If you sometimes notice the
wobble after exit, that is most likely the reason.
!
First step to a good flight lies in the exit, so if you
usually start flat, try some steep exits and you might
be surprised how it will affect the rest of your flight :)
“Keep in mind that this just my point of view and “When I exit I find a spot 45 degrees down, keep my
guidelines that works good for me. I'm not saying arms down and relaxed. I do a relaxed one step, one
I am the one you should listen to, or that this is foot exit while I continue to look at the spot not to
the correct way of doing it.” over rotate, spread my leg wing while I have my arm
wings half way out. Then after 2 sec I go into my
First of all, you should NOT fly proximity if you normal, steep flying position. With this exit I normally
don’t have good flying skills and manage to fly fly 100% with good speed within 3 sec.” (Keep in
mind that I weight 58 kg, which does help for a quick
your suit 100%! start)
!
www.edgebasejumpmagazine.com! !
!
ISSUE 1 : MARCH 2014! 4
Transaction ID: 2EY82747J44819607 over and between stuff is my favorite, but they are a
lot more dangerous than flying proximity on a
2. Use your time and know the

straight wall.
The Jungfrau heli jump, for example, has 4 main

checkpoints. First one, on the top corner of the cliff
edge to the right, second one, between the trees on
area: A simple rule is to jump the first saddle, third one on some random tree I
a cliff multiple times before
need to dive for to build up more energy, then use
! that energy to put my 4th checkpoint on the small
bush on the last wall before disconnecting. It might
you go close. Its kind of not look conservative on the video, but conservative
common sense, but not for me is
everyone is doing that. A good
tip is to spend a few hours on
Google Earth the night before you go to a new cliff.
Measure heights, distances and create a line you
want to fly, suitable for your experience level. Doing
easy homework like that makes you a bit more
ready for the jump. It also gives you a better feeling
on the exit, in case you wonder if you can make it
to the landing area etc.
Fly the line you planned, but with a good safe

margin. On the first jump is very important to see
what`s coming up far ahead of your flight. If the line
is not straightforward, keep good distance from the
terrain so you avoid any surprises when you come
around the corner. It might look clean on Google
Earth, but a tree or a ledge is usually not so easy to
see on the computer screen :)
On the second flight, you can start to put in your

reference points.
to fly with a lot of energy and reserve in my suit.
Reference points: Or
checkpoints like I like to call “I exited the helicopter very high and a bit far back of
them, is something I use a lot my first checkpoint. I had about 30 sec of setting up
when I fly. They are important and building up massive amount of speed and
and gives you feedback of
reserve. I flattened a bit out when I came down to
where you are at all times.
the first checkpoint and used my speed to generate
3.
a nice glide ratio and a comfortable speed for the
proximity on the wall. When I came around the
corner I still had a nice glide and had to make a
decision where I was going to put my second
checkpoint. With the glide and the speed I had, I
could have made it over the higher area up to the
They tell you everything you need to know, your
right, but I don't like to fly flat, slow and with less
height, your speed, when to start/stop your turn
and if you are still in a safe zone. The more times reserve. So I decided to put the point of attack
you jump a cliff, the more checkpoints you put up. further down, between the trees. By doing that, I
They can also be good when you have one of those went back into a steeper flight where I now build up
shitty flights and you don`t make it to a checkpoint. more of the energy I already used. So, in case I find
Then you know that you have to go straight to plan myself in a dangerous situation, I now have more
B. reserve to go over to a plan B. (If I would have gone
for the higher spot and miscalculated, I would have
Anyway, an example. I probably did the High Nose no reserve, and in worst case, impacted the cliff).
flight to the left 30 times, on the first jumps I had no After passing through the trees, same story again.
checkpoints and had to focus on my height, the Fly steep, build up energy and turn it into a nice
wall and multiple things at the same time. So of glide for the proximity on the next wall :)"
course I couldn't go close. Now, with all my
checkpoints I can feel comfortable 2m next to the So, the more checkpoints you put up in your line,
wall. the more fun it will be :) And the best part about it, is
that those flights feels a lot more comfortable and is
"2 sec after exit, dive to the black spot to gain a lot safer than most other ones!
speed, flare a bit out, fly tight on the wall, buzz the
ledge that sticks a bit more out, do a slight turn Just remember that speed is the main key. The
back into the wall, buzz the next corner, fly into the faster the better, but find a nice balance and your
waterfall and disconnect from the wall.” own comfort zone.
So, with all those checkpoints, I don`t need to

focus on my height and can concentrate only on
the line.
I`m a bit more conservative when it comes to

checkpoints I put up while flying over stuff. Flying
!
!
4.
up to 30 seconds of setup time, with all that time I
can start my proximity line with 100% confidence
and be ready for it.
Plan A and Plan B: The
While flying proximity in the alps, it`s a bit more
difference between your main
important to have some start setup. Because of the
! altitude, the air is a lot thinner and it might not be as
much lift you are usually used to have. It can be
plan and your escape plan can good air the first day, and totally dead air the next
in some cases be the difference day.
between life and death.
ALWAYS have an escape plan! If you do choose to do a long setup, fly relaxed! It`s
If flying close to a wall, be not a good idea to be tired in your arms when you
ready for a quick disconnect. A wall is usually not start a 1 min long proximity line. If you get tired,
abort your flight. Tired = Shitty flight.
shaved, so if you are playing as close as a few
meters, a ledge can surprise you! Then it`s “An example, on the Tabasco line, the setup was the
important to use your checkpoints and actually most important factor of the flight. Did five jumps
respecting them by going over to plan B if you have where I tried different setups. The easiest way
the slightest doubt. would be to exit high and far back, then aim and fly
through the crack, but I wanted it to be a line with
Plan B when it comes to flying over stuff is a bit
proximity before and after flying trough.
different. In some cases you might not have the
opportunity to do a turn into safety. So, therefore I After two flights I got a bit skeptic and had to
don't recommend to fly over stuff in a flat glide with change the setup. I skipped some of the first
slow speed. The only way you can pull yourself out
proximity, mostly because I had to do a hard turn
of a dangerous situation while being over stuff is to
towards the crack after flying over the ridge. Also,
use the speed reserve you got left in your suit. Use
the angle of attack was way too steep.
it to change your glide ratio and make it over the
critical part.
Anyway, if you are not 100% comfortable flying

your suit steep and fast, you should NOT fly over
stuff.
“Jumped a place where there is a bit of strong
winds in the middle of the day, kind of like Brento. Two more flights, but still no crack attack. Since it’s
Because of the winds, I was flying with a plan B in hidden around the corner, the setup is a bit hard to
my mind when I came to the area where the winds figure out, but two more flights meant two more
had more effect on the flying. I was in a steep flight checkpoints.
with a good angle of attack on a nice, green bush.
Plan A was to fly over it by 1-2m. In case I had to go So, on the final flight a few weeks later I didn’t care
over to plan B, I decided to set my target on the so much about the proximity, only had focus on the
very left corner, so the difference between my plan setup for the checkpoints.
A and B where about a meter. About 4-5 sec before
I would have passed, I felt a small gust slowing me With a 40 second long setup, I had time to find my
down a bit. Went instantly over to plan B, but of sweet spot and get comfortable with the flight
curiosity of my calculations I kept the same flight conditions, which was very good that day. Since I
angle, only changed my point of attack to the side couldn't see the crack, I was flying towards my
instead of the top corner. When I passed the bush I checkpoints. If my calculations where right, the
was slightly below it, so if I would have continued crack should be straight up front and slightly below
with my plan A, I would have impacted. No doubt with a nice angle of attack.
about it.."
After passing the checkpoints, the crack was at the
Enough said, ALWAYS jump spot I had imagined. Then I had 3 sec to make up
with a plan B, ready to rock! It my mind if I was going for plan A or B. Conditions
makes your flights a lot safer were good, I had a comfortable glide and perfect
and it might save your life :) speed. It looked pretty tight, but I had already done
5.
my homework when it came to whether I would fit
through or not. Still had a good feeling, so decided
to fly through the widest part at the top of the
crack.. And yeah, it was scary!
Setup: To start a line with a
nice setup is important. On [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?
most cliffs you might not have the altitude for long v=VPxMdaHkZ6A]
setups, but if you some day do helicopter flights, it
can be a good idea to start a bit higher up and
more back to gain extra setup time. When I start a
proximity line with a long setup, I use that time to
!
!
Wingtip pouch
Wioletta
In 25 years spent in the BASE world, I have seen a massive evolution in
technology, equipment and mentalities. Like many of us I found BASE ! This system is designed for any
wingsuiting a breathtaking and “safe” approach to human flight. wingsuit pilot, from beginners to
Nevertheless over the last few years the grim reaper wreaked carnage experts. It's way easier to use than a
among our friends, mostly in wingsuiting. The loss of my best mates, Hervé regular BOC/leg-pouch. You have to
and Wioletta, within just a few weeks devastated me. Both died due to no pay attention when packing and a
pull too-low PC pouch find. Both were highly experienced wingsuit pilots, gear check just before exit is always
and what had already been a couple of close calls to me became a disaster a good habit! Although useful in
for them. skydiving, it's highly desirable in cliff
jumping awhich the opening margin
I felt that the wingsuiting techniques and equipment had evolved way faster is always very short.
than safety. Moreover wing-profile technology seems to be the main and
exclusive subject of R&D in the highly fashion oriented and competitive The “Wioletta” V3.2 wingtip pouch is
! protected by a Copyleft Design &
Science License. Anyone is free to
I was close to quitting my passion, but also I wanted to offer some fresh adapt, modify and commercialize it
ideas. The French BASE forum was brainstorming on “safety vs. with no Royalty, under the terms of
wingsuiting”... and then I heard about the solution published by Simon the Copyleft License. I strongly
Perriard (the “Swiss” wingtip pouch). I immediately contacted him and
started to rig and test different prototypes based on the same approach.
Motivation was high!
I first used a powerful garden-blower (flow speed 75 m/s) to check the

stability of the different parts of the system. Then I did 20 acrobatic
skydives and constantly tuned the prototypes rigged on a Vampire 3 and a
Vampire 4. Then I finally built a stable version called Wioletta (V3.2) that I
!
!
What does it look like you may ask?
Basically the bridle is routed and held along the top skin (leading edge and
wingtip of the right arm wing) inside a couple of flaps. I used a series of
neodymium “super-magnet” enclosed inside the leading edge and wingtip
flaps to clamp the bridle.
The pilot chute is stowed inside a pocket located on the under-skin, just
next to the wingtip gripper.
A release handle keeps the pocket closed. The handle, made of a 3mm
thick PVC foil and a couple of cutaway cables, is fixed around the wingtip
gripper with a couple of magnets. It needs 2kg of pulling force to release.
While still having the feeling of the gripper in flight, it just needs a wrist
rotation outward to open the wingtip pouch and let the PC go in the laminar
airflow.
The feeling in flight is awesome! The stability of the bridle flaps encouraged
me to do more aerials. I didn't notice any aerodynamic change due to the
modification of the wingtip profile. I can let go and catch the gripper easily.
Pulling is idiot proof. No more cold sweats trying to find a BOC/leg pouch
with frozen fingers, when the hand is lost in the arm-wing fabric!
Fly, rotate your wrist and... bang! Your canopy pops up!
!
www.edgebasejumpmagazine.com!
! !
! Pros...
• handle is always at hand and visible,
encourage wingsuit manufacturers to • minimal muscle and brain resources needed to pull it,
focus ASAP on developing a wingtip • super-fast pitch and opening
pouch on their models before the • pulling it doesn’t change the flight trajectory and creates no
BASE season starts and before the turbulence,
grim reaper returns... Extreme • PC and parachute go in clean and laminar flow,
aerodynamic performance
• customizable to any model of wingsuit
improvements can wait. Safety can't!
• super-magnets last forever (unlike velcro)
• allows development of sharper wingsuits (bigger, stiffer, more
pressurized)
Cons… • cheap (a few dollars for fabric and magnets, plus a few hours of
• longer and more complex rigging).
bridle routing
• packing job is 2 minutes
For more information on this subject check the video, French “cahier
longer
technique” or the “English Technical Book”
!
! !
STORY TIME
HALLOWEEN SCARE
RICK HARRISON
A building called Cullen
Bank was going up and
!
had a crane coming out of
a lower part. Usually the “As I pulled
crane was over the lower
part and unjumpable, but the reserve,
one night with an east
wind, the crane stuck out at the main
an angle, enough to get
!
past the lower part of the
! !!
Oct. 29, a friend Kevin !!
Venell, Phil Smith and
myself went up, climbed !!
the crane and made good
jumps. My wife Joy ground !!
crewed and drove for us.
I've been with Joy since I !!
started BASE jumping.
She was our ground crew
and get away driver for the began to
first few years until she got
tired of seeing hospitals
besides, crewing night time
deploy”
tower jumps gets pretty
boring if you are not a
jumper. !
as I pulled the reserve, the main
Anyway, Smitty and I decided to go again on
began to deploy since the
Halloween but Kevin declined. I had a 40" open vein
reserve pull must have broken
pilot chute I had bought from Smitty a couple months
the pilot chute burble on the
before. He tried to get me to buy this new 52" pilot
main.
chute made for army contracts by a skydiving
manufacturer we knew in Calif. I couldn't see
It set me up in a bad right spin,
needing the huge 52 and so far the 40 worked fine.
about 2 and a half end cells
That night, I did a nice solid 3, let the pilot chute go
and kept counting till 6 nearly 7 and reached in with open on the left side the rest all
the left hand to snag the reserve rep cord. As soon tied up in the reserve which was
still tightly wrapped and snaked
around the lines all the way up.
The next 4 seconds I pulled at
the reserve lines down to get
more main inflated and managed to get a full 3 open
on the left side. My last thought was of all the PLF's
I've done training students, now is the time to pull it
all in, don't lock the knees and do the best one
ever.Well, we later calculated about 45mph landing
speed so I made my feet, side of my legs and back.
Thought I made it OK since I didn't feel pain until I
worked up on my elbows and felt a small chip in my
left elbow…
!
!
! legs". Smitty then jumped and ran over while I had

taken my gear off and told him to hide it. I told Joy
Looked down and both feet were pointing in wrong
directions and my right tibia was sticking through my to bring the car up and they put me in the car and we
went to the hospital. Told them I fell off a 3 story
right jean legs about an inch. Right inside ankle
roof changing an antenna, but later we calculated it
bone was out on the inside, left foot broken back
was more like 6 stories. Going under the penathol, I
heard the first surgeon tell the other that, "this looks
just like the compression injuries I used to treat at Ft.
Benning". Made me feel good since he was talking
about the US 81'st Airborne so he knew parachute
injuries.
“Looked down and

both feet were
pointing in wrong
directions and my
right tibia was
sticking through
my right jean legs”
about an inch at the heel and stretched another inch.
I didn't know all of that, only the ankles and the leg
so I got the radio off my belt and called my wife and
said, "Joy, you better hurray, I think I broke both my
!
!
SPOT ON!
!
ProBASE World Cup accuracy!
accuracy landing competition
FIRST SKI BASE

TIM HOWELL
We planned to head to Conge in Italy for a mine told me as soon as he starts counting he is
Christmas of ice climbing. We started the drive from committed, but thats when you've got only one step
Scotland, picking up mates along the way until we to make. The 10 metre run in meant I would be
had full van of 8 people. When we arrived the
melting conditions meant we had to look higher- in
Chamonix, it just so happened I had my new rig
with me, (which I picked up en-route) and my skis. I
had been researching a few skiBASE exit points in
the area and with a weather window of one day and
went for it.
Walking up past skiers on the piste felt so wrong,

but I felt better knowing that I was going to have a
better ride down than them. Finding the exit point
wasn't that hard as it was above a few popular ice
climbs that come out of the glacier. We tied a safety
rope to a tree to get to work on the jump clearing
and compacting the loose powder to make a nice
run-in. The snow wasn’t that thick and I deliberately
uncovered rocks, thinking it was better to see
where they were rather then covering them in a thin
layer of snow, I had seen a skiBASE go wrong when
a rock clipped a ski, and would to see it happen
again in Tignes the next week.
“I would have to
!
!
clear six meters in
!
!
!!
front of me”
I tested the run in with a rope tied around me,
sliding down it slowly just to make sure it was
smooth and my speed would be enough. Looking
at the side profile I could see how much I had to
clear and what angle I had to take. The jump wasn't
right on the edge so I would have to clear six
meters in front of me and make sure I wouldn't hit a
bit of rock jutting out on the left.
I had never been this nervous on a jump before, it took

me 3 countdowns before I made it to 1. A friend of
!
!
committed for longer, there was no stopping it’s not just about the jump, its everything
on this steep run-in. I completely calmed else that goes along with it, the planning,
myself, made the final countdown, and the access, and then getting back home
hopped into the slope. The take-off was after it all!
smooth, my skis pointing out like a ski
jumper, my body slightly arched forwards,
the talus below me came rushing into view “It’s not just about the
and after about 2 seconds I threw out my
stowed 42". Its pretty much the definition of jump, it’s everything else
! that goes along with it”
I was still high above the glacier, but I wanted
this as the glacier was heavily crevassed
below where I jumped, the lack of snowfall
making it so much more menacing as they
were visible. I wanted to be able to fly quite
far down to find a better spot. I landed cross
wind on a nice spot and managed to miss a
few boulders littering the area. Looking
around I guessed my ground crew couldn't
find a way down, and the next part was to
find a way back before sunset. It took me
another 4 hours to climb out, using my skis
as walking poles while wading through waist
deep snow. Clambering over boulders I
finally made it to the top.There just so
happened to be a bar! I had a congratulatory
shot and skied back down to the car park.
This is what I love about para-alpinism,
!
!
Buyer: Matthew Gough
“Sadly, there is a
SAFET
(matthew.gough@inbox.com)
Y TIP
massive weak point…
STATE US”
OF
MIND Take this article with a We’ve all done it and we’ve
truckload of salt. It’s just all seen it. We know when
my we’re having one of those
opinion - but if you enjoy it days - and we can definitely
it’s a bonus… and most
!
! Whether it’s unzipped
The latest BASE jumping armwings, open chest
gear is amazing and truly strap,
more advanced than we ever poor exits or bad decisions
imagined… BUT don’t let after it’s all going to sh*t
that fool you, with your (yanking uselessly at toggles
perfect colour scheme and in linetwists, anyone..?!)
personalised rig… sadly, a slightly wobbly mental state
there is still a massive weak can mean the difference
link…US. between the trees and the
landing area. Or, in my
Your state of mind is often case, between landing on
overlooked when going for a the ground and the cliff
jump. How many times face.
have you woken up for a day
of jumping and knocked your So, the question is… Is this
coffee over, stubbed your acceptable risk? To rock
toe and generally been a up to the edge of a
grumpy asshole? basejump - any basejump,
hardcore or ‘easy’ - and
A suggestion: maybe take a ‘kinda not feel like it’, but do
break from BASE today. it anyway?
!
In my painful experience –
Nope!
Let me paint a picture. A Of course, we all have egos
beautiful day in the Italian (dammit); we need them
Alps; perfect weather, great to charge forth and be
friends, chucking rigs in awesome on a regular basis.
the car for an awesome jump. Hey, someone has to do it!
Bliss. But wisdom is hearing your
ego, but listening to that
Jumper 1 was on form, good other voice in your head
exit, perfect opening. Job that says, ‘Err, maybe not
today, yeah? You just put the
done. newspaper in the fridge
and the toast in the
Jumper 2 didn’t really feel microwave. Have a little
like it, was feeling a little sit-
jaded and couldn’t string a down’.
sentence together – nothing
major, just not on top form. It’s no coincidence that
Oh, and he didn’t have his many reported incidents are
tracking suit – still, it’s just a similar – we all like to
1000ft-er - and he couldn’t improve and push ourselves
really visualize the whole to
jump but still… no reason not the limit, and we are all
! motivated people. But the

key, I think, is to CHOOSE –
choose the days to push
Why miss out?
hard and kick ass, and
So, good exit, uneventful choose the days to sit back
freefall… and a snivelly 180 and enjoy. After all,
on opening that lands there is more to life than
Jumper 2 smack-bang on basejumping; and the good
the news is when you don’t
wall. That’s right, ON it, feel like jumping you’re
with the canopy hanging often in the most beautiful
below him. places in the world with your
best friends! Pick up a
Relatively uninjured, I chose camera, shoot some pics of
to take this one as a wake- your friends, you’ll be
up call. Yep, that jumper was surprised how much you
me. enjoy your next jump if you
sit some out!
!
! !
Transaction ID: 2EY82747J44819607 We have these bonds between us as jumpers – let’s
And, of course, operate under the classic 20% rule. I make sure we use them for the good of everyone.
only ever do 20% of what I think I can do – so that
when I make a stupid decision (and I do sometimes –
everyone does), at least I have a fair margin to get
!
by Dan Vicary
myself out of it.
Most importantly – look after each other. Check your

!
friends, have your friends check you… and never feel Dan Vicary is a BASEjumper/wingsuit pilot/skydiver with
stupid about saying something if someone seems a bit 9 years jumping out of and off stuff all over the world.
‘off’.Simply by speaking up you could refocus him or He coaches and instructs, and is a partner in Valley
her and change a potentially bad jump into a great BASE Gear, Lauterbrunnen’s BASE Shop
one. www.danvicary.com
!
! !
HOODY + T-SHIRT + ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

!
$64.98 = €47.56 = £39.57!
DELIVERY CHARGES APPLY
SPREAD ‘EM!
!
Dan Vicary lining up for a fly-by
Buyer: Matthew Gough (matthew.gough@inbox.com) LONNIE
BIS
I've been skydiving for 23yrs, (approx 1500 jumps)

BASE jumping for 19yrs (approx 1145 jumps). I ! ribs, and several broken vertebrae, C6, C7, T2 T4
started BASE jumping using skydiving gear for the
first 4 jumps. At that time, there were no first
BASE jump courses, and I never had anyone to
!
The first few weeks were spent in intensive care,
learn from in my area, so I just figured things out
as I went along. I completed BASE in 5 jumps, when I was moved, the first question I had for
and at 19 BASE jumps I was asked to teach me doctor was, "how long before I'll be able to
another guy the sport, non other than the famous jump again?" She was straight to the point, and
Steve "Sparky" Baich. He became my partner in said she was sorry to tell me that I had suffered a
crime for many yrs and most of my BASE jumps spinal-cord injury, and that I would never be able
from that point on were with him. We learned to jump again. My response to her was, "I'm
through trial and error. Most of our jumps were sorry, but you don't realize who you're talking to,
from Antenna's, old school, under the cloak of I WILL jump again!!!"
darkness. We opened lots of objects together, and
even got to jump Angel Falls along with a cool
group of guys, Bertrand Cloutier, Mario Richard,
Mike "Mad Dog" Mcgowan, Vladi Pesa, Gus Wing “As soon as I left the
! edge, I knew I had
By 2002 I had designed my own first BASE jump
course. I felt the few courses being offered at that messed up”
time, weren't in depth enough for the objects in
our area. In July 2004, I went to Twin Falls for the
first time, with some experienced jumpers, as well
as a couple of first jump students. When we had
finished the course required jumps, I turned my
focus to refining my aerials. I had been training
with Olympic coaches back home, and wanted to
work on a couple things. Jumping hard, after a
couple of days realized I was coming up on BASE
jump 1,100. I decided I wanted to do something
special for it. We had enough Canadians to set a
new record so that was the plan. As well as the
record, I chose to do a quadruple gainer, a
decision that would be a major mistake.
I was planning the dive, helping some of the other

jumpers who had never been on a multiple-way
jump, and didn't leave enough time for myself to
focus on my jump. As soon as I left the edge, I
knew I had messed up and wasn't rotating fast
enough. My first thought was just do 2 instead of
4, but I was suppose to open last and thought if I
opened after 2 I would put the other jumpers at
risk of entanglement. Getting low, I rushed the
deployment and the PC caught my foot. It never
cleared, and I was hanging upside down still when
I hit the river, with a full streamer. The impact left
me with a multitude of injures, including a
shattered femur, collapsed lungs, a couple broken
!
20
!
SSONETTE
My response was, I would ask my DZO

if he
would allow him to go, since he was only
15. I
didn't bother to ask them, as I thought it was
just
a fleeting thought. A week later, he asked
again,
"When are we going"? This time I told him
these
things take time buddy, and then started
talking
to the DZO. I first asked if they would still
take
him, and told them this would be my first
jump
back after the accident. There was no way in
hell
I would not be there for my sons first
skydive!!
They were more than happy to take
him,
however,...they were extremely nervous
about
me going! After a lot of negotiating, I
agreed to
go as a tandem passenger. It felt like a
slap in
the face to me since I already had
approximately
1,500 skydives, but it was more important
for me
to be there than to go solo. This was 11
months
after my accident, and one of the
proudest
moments in my life! I was terrified as we
got to
altitude and ready to exit, not for myself,
but for
my son. All fear instantly left as we left
the
airplane and my 15yr old son had a HUGE
smile
on his face and stuck his tongue out at me
as we
fell out together!! One month after that, I
made
my first BASE jump back.
By
LonnieBissonnett
e
“Once I was out, it started to

Next day I had appointments with the psychologist.
After more than 5 months in the hospital, I told the hit home hard!”
doctors I had enough. While being in the hospital, my
mind was so focused on getting better that I didn't really
allow the reality of my permanent injuries to sink in.
Once I was out, it started to hit home hard! The next few
months were extremely hard, and depressing! I
struggled with fact that I would never get back to who I
was before the accident. These were the darkest times I
!
Then, my oldest son came to me and asked when he
could do his first skydive. He had harassed me every
spring from the time he was maybe 4yrs old, asking
when he could jump. The only year he hadn't asked,
was the previous year, I had already checked if they
would do it, but he didn't ask, so I never brought it up.
The choice to jump had to be solely his own.
!
!
!
ISSUE 1 : MARCH 2014!
KEEP IT
!
SIMPLE:
! Part 1
BASE jumping is simple. That’s how we like it
and that’s how it works. We get on the edge of a
structure with sufficient altitude, jump, open our
parachute and land. Simple. This isn’t a
complex process
!
Too Simple?
But, perhaps, we’ve made it too simple. And
perhaps we’ve shown the world that it’s more
simple and less complex than they think. It’s
become too easy for people to enter these sports
without fully appreciating some of the complexity
and understanding the significant risks that they
must mitigate. Policing
In skydiving we police entry to the sport but, In the BASE community there has been much
depending on which country you live in and which debate about whether manufacturers should police
dropzone you are at, often this is only until students their gear sales. In the past, this was more
have demonstrated an extremely basic skill level and strongly enforced. Perhaps this would help but
understanding. Sure, there is more training that they these people will always find ways to get hold of
need to do but often they are let loose into the big gear.
!
wide world with a limited skill set and left to their
own devices.
In BASE jumping, anyone can give it a go. There Freedoms
have been recent fatalities with people that have
But perhaps we need to keep the policy simple.
limited experience in the BASE environment that
Additional rules and regulations take away the
wouldn’t listen to their friends. There have been
very freedom that most of us love about our
people that buy gear off the internet, make a handful
sports. And many of us hate being restricted and
of skydives and then head to a known BASE exit
told what to do.
point.
!
22
!
There may be a place for regulation and at some Yet we must educate in a way that people want to be
stage it may be forced upon us. If it’s forced upon educated. This isn’t always done overtly in a
us it is likely that it will be done in a way that is not of traditional manner, but sometimes passively and
our choosing, by an external organisation, and not in innovatively.
a considered and self-imposed way – something we We can continue to educate people in a traditional
really need to avoid. manner and with digital content, but we shouldn’t
That means we need clean up our act. We need to stop there. We can educate people passively, not
simplify the complexity in certain areas yet embrace necessarily without them realising it but by creating
and promote it in others. There is only so much that quality content that draws them in and creates a
can be simplified – BASE jumpers need to thirst, yet has underlying educational content. In this
understand that these sports aren’t quite as simple manner we may be more likely to achieve longer
as they might first appear – more on this to follow. lasting effects. Even if our message is small, if it’s
! embedded within quality content it is more likely to

resonate.
Education In Part 2, next edition, I’ll explore a method of
producing the quality content that has the necessary
I believe that education is a large part of our way
educational impetus.
forward. I would much prefer to educate rather
by Alastair Macartney
than legislate.
!
23
!
ProBASE World Cup

ProBASE World Cup is the largest Wingsuit Racing and BASE
Get the low down on Jumping competition series in the world. The worlds best athletes
the ProBASE World cop come and compete in the series which is made up of an average of 5
events per year. Continuously growing and expanding to new
from founder and locations, ProBASE World Cup on average is adding one new event
organiser Hubert
Schober.
!
ProBASE World Cup was founded in 2009 by Wingsuit pilots Hubert
Schober and Mirko Schmidt.
They met at a BASE event in Spain where they decided to turn the
activity of BASE Jumping/Wingsuit Flying into a more professional
and competitive sport, to raise awareness in public and promote the
sport with the media and the athletes.
!
www.edgebasejumpmagazine.com! ! 24
!
We hold 3 elimination rounds, the
average of the 2 best rounds out
of those 3 count, and the top 16
racers move into the semi finals.
“In the end it’s the jump Same again here, at the speed
races 2 semi final rounds are
that matters and not what flown, and at the proxy races only
one round is flown, the 8 fastest
you score or time was” pilots move into the final round,
which is the decisive round.
At the accuracy comps a complex

scoring system has been
designed which is made up of
three components:
• Freefall delay
• Canopy opening direction
• Accuracy landing on a 10m in
!
diameter circle.
For each of those components

you score points which are added
for the total score of the jump.
Elimination rounds are done the
same way then at the races. (16
semi finalists and 8 finalists after
3 pre-rounds)
The vibe at competitions is

usually great. The Wingsuit Flying
Especially Wingsuiting but also and BASE Jumping community is
BASE Jumping has become a highly very close knit, most athletes
commercial sporting activity in the know each other well and often
last few years. With the help of share jumps and exit points.
social media and online video Although the climate has gotten a
channels such as Youtube or bit rougher during the actual
Facebook the sport and some comp since big bucks can be
athletes have experienced a boom won at those races, but the
which was unthinkable only a few general vibe is still that of
years earlier. The sport is now widely camaraderie and friendship. This
known and although regarded as an is the case because the athletes
extreme sport, people know and live the sport highly emotional.
respect the activity and athletes. Each jump is an adventure, an
The man on the street has heard of experience and a huge adrenaline
wingsuits and most people have kick. So in the end its the jump
seen videos of the sport. This has that matters and not what your
brought the activity into the living score or time was.
rooms of the people and at the
same time recognition for those In the coming years ProBASE will
Events expand even further and having
are drawn the attention of TV
networks and with tha
schedule
t
d over Sponsorship bucks, the future
several looks bright. New markets and
days. venues are being opened, new
They competition modes are being
usually t r i e d a n d t e s t e d a n d t h e
start fascination of flying brings more
with a and more people our way.
qualificat
ion day, by Hubert Schober
then
there
are 2
days of
competi
tion
rounds
and
always
an extra
day is
schedule
d in
!
case of
bad
weather.
Rounds
are
done by
eliminati
on, 32
athletes
start a
comp
and
work
their
way into
the finals
where
the
winner is
decided.
The
races
are
scored
by
timing,
we count
the time
from
exiting
the
platfor
m until
crossin
g a
predeter
mined
finish
line on
the
ground
which
has to
be
passed
in full
flight or
under
canopy..
We use
high
precision
timing
gear
with a
photo
finish
camera
that is
accurate
to
1/100
of a
second.
A
minimu
m
!
mandato
ry in
order to
avoid
low
pulls,
canopy
time of
25
second
s is
Events and competitions fit in
!
this is
strictly a
safety
feature.
perfectly with this new found fame,
the public is enticed by the flying
Birdmen and many people want to
see a competition or event live.
Being able to fly is the oldest dream
of mankind and its fascination is
unchanged.
At the
speed
races we
draw a
straight
line form
start to
finish, at
the
proxy
races
the
pilots
have to
negotiat
e a
track
with turn
markers
that
have to
be
passed
correctly.
A judge
at each
marker
determin
es if a
pilot
has
passed
the point
correctly.
!
!
Trackey-Track: Don’t Talk Crap

Well here it is: everything you never needed to know 'Tracking to the road' is the aim (3 second canopy ride,
!
anyone?) and colour selection alone is a nightmare of
A safety device, a performance flight tool, and a great !

jacket to wear to the Horner of an evening (nothing So, what to do when a pair of holey rainpants develops
says 'I'm a BASEjumper' like a Phoenix Fly jacket into a multi-brand industry...? Which tracking suit really
slung casually over the arm), the tracking suit has to screams 'you', as a BASEjumper and a person..? It's all
be one of the most boring - yet controversial - items in so goddam complicated - and it's about to get more so,
your toybox. as this summer alone THREE brand spanking new
tracking suits are hitting the market.
Since the legendary Atle Dahl and friends burnt fag
holes in a pair of rain pants, track suits have been a
bone of performance contention.
The original PF The TUBE4 (just in) is

tracking suits a different
are, as Robi animal. Theoretically it's 2
would suits in one,
certainly with it's zipper system to let
agree, you zip it
epically out to 'Huge' or 'Less Huge',
AWESOME. but this is
We have seen still in the 'SuperSuit'
trackers category, and
kicking ass in probably shouldn't be
seasons-old jumped off a cliff
Classics; this straight out of the bag.
suit celebrates The relatively
its 10th birthday high price reflects this too
this year, - although
and there is a the quality is great and the
reason for this finish pretty
- it is the special (little pockets to
go-to tracking tuck your
suit for zipper tabs in? Oh go on
complete then)
novices You also have the option
and seasoned to choose
trackers alike. back vents (for extra cash)
if you're planning on flip-
The Phoenix Fly Power reversing it at some point.
Suit is PF's Design-wise it's a winner,
SuperSuit. A bigger and
ass, inlets it is a 2 piece so you can,
designed for fast starts of course, wear the jacket
and solid to
pressurisation; it takes the pick up chicks. The vents
PF Classic are fairly prominent too; it
and gives it steroids (and fairly yells 'I JUMP OFF
of course SHIT!'. Brilliant.
the PF look, perfect for
day- to
ev en i ng - we ar ).
!
Now, I should mention
Un m is t a ka b ly Pressurized's other baby -
PhoenixFly in design, you the
can choose
onesie. I cant say much,
your custom colours and
stitching and create your as we haven't seen it in the
flesh yet, but it IS available.
Then there
is the
Pressurized
gang.
Many
trackers
found the
previous
TUBE3 a bit
Marmite, with
the crazy-big
cylindrical
legs either
taking you for
the
track of your
life or
scaring the
living
bejesus out
of you - but
man, when it
flew, it FLEW.
!
! 26
!
It was S-Fly, of course, who came bodes rather well for more advances in the human
up with the first one-piece tracking flight world.
suit - the Cruise. And I gotta say, it
performs. Yeah yeah, Fred Fugen So in conclusion - if there is one, really, in this
could probably track in a ramble - it depends what YOU want.
MorphSuit, but the fact remains
that getting to the landing area at
Brento at skydive height (kinda) is
!
Balls-out performance? Cruise.
pretty impressive. And we've seen
tracks from the ramp here that we
A safety device that you want to hone your skills in
were convinced were wingsuits
and maximise distance from the wall, that will
(the guy was french, which gives
definitely keep it's resale value? Classic PhoenixFly -
him an obvious advantage, but
or with added steroids - the Power Suit.
still. Impressive).
! A SuperSuit with a Ferrari finish for those with deep

pockets? Tube4.
Now, the down- side t o all this incredible
performance? Well, it isn't the cheapest option, and The others...? Stay tuned for opinions on the new
the bootees are an optional extra; however the back
vents come for free (unlike the Tube4), so it's a pretty
good, all-round high performance SuperSuit for your
!
hardearned cash. And this is the thing with tracking. If you're a good
Also, it looks a bit like you could paint your house in tracker, you could track naked. If you just don't get
it, and as a onesie there is no jacket to double as it, you could slip on a Cruise and track like a fridge.
your going-to-the-pub-outfit. So, on Looks vs. As the tracking suit market expands, much like the
Performance? Sorry Cruise, you may fly like a wingsuits at the moment, you need to decide what
m#therfu#ker, but you will NOT get me laid of an kind of jumping/flying you do; why you need a
evening. tracking suit; what budget you have... and then BUY
A SUIT. FLY IT. AND HAVE FUN IN IT.
COMING SOON... And that's an order.

Back to the classic jacket and pants - and Squirrel's By Valley BASE Gear
SUMO suit. In stock in the next few weeks, Squirrel
has done to tracksuits what it has done to wingsuits
- made subtle differences to differentiate them from
the (lets be honest) fairly simple concept of a jacket
and trousers with holes in, and delivered a rather
sexy-looking suit. Performance is yet to be judged,
but the test pilots' views coming out of the states are
!
Intrudair's Ultimate suit (named for our very own
BASE exit here in the valley) is a new contender - and
as the cheapest suit in the 'SuperSuit' category,
we're looking forward to getting some feedback on
this one. It will be here this month (Feb). Woop.
And let us not forget Raven! The legendary Finn - Mr

Track-Like-Fighterjet himself - has sprinkled his
magic tracking dust and created the Raven Rami-
Suit (at least I hope thats what he calls it). So far all
we've seen is some serious R&D work from the
Raven workshop, involving hot chicks putting on the
suit and standing in it. So this bodes well for all
those who want to track like Rami. Or who like
women in parapack.
Yet another entry onto the market... (dates TBC, and
rumours totally unproven)
Did anyone wonder where wingsuit wonder-man and “BUY A SUIT.
aerial camera god Jeff Nebelkopf had disappeared
to? Rumour has it that a tracking suit design FLY IT.
currently lies in his secret lab, along with wingsuits
designed by 'The Neb'* himself. Interesting. AND HAVE FUN IN IT.”
After a glimpse of the wingsuit at the WWL last year
(christened the Kraken by fellow competitors), this
!
27
!
TAKE CARE,
SPACE
The Tracey Walker Interview:
Part 1
If ever there was a BASE jumper
deserving a "E!" True Hollywood Story,
that would be the man you recognize by
his trademark "Take Care, Space"
signature line.
Tracy "Space" Walker, born and raised

in the deep south of the United States,
is every bit a self made man. He was
reared along with an older brother by his
single mother and grandmother during
the early years of his childhood. It was
later, during his teenage years and
surviving a heavy handed stepfather,
whom Tracy would come to describe as the epitome of evil that life
served up some tough knocks. Tracy set out on his own as soon as he
was able to fly the coop, breaking a negative cycle in search of a
positive life. To hear tales of his teenage years makes one cringe; to
know the caring, loving man that he became against the odds, makes
one want to sing his praises.
Ask any of the BASE jumpers who have had the pleasure of his
company on a jump, or the opportunity to spend time talking with him
and you will hear the same descriptions over and over. "Space is the
Yoda of BASE", "He is a guru of sorts", "He mentors the best of the
best." As research progressed I soon heard, "He is mentor to Felix the
glory hound of all glory hounds." I could almost hear the "booing and
hissing" in the background as the words rang in my ears.!
In my first conversation with Tracy I decided to cut right to the chase,

flat out hit him right between the eyes, "Are you responsible for the
monster that is Felix Baumgartner?" He laughed and agreed to take full
responsibility, before continuing on to explain the joy of having trained
such an athlete as Felix. He assured me that Felix is no monster, a bit
"misunderstood" by the general BASE population, has a bit of an ego,
(gasp I said, "ego in a BASE jumper it can't be") and like everyone else
on this planet has made some mistakes in judgment.
In those few statements alone I gathered a basic understanding on

how Tracy felt about mentoring. His love of all things BASE jumping
could be summed up in the loyalty and concern he exhibits on behalf
of his students. BASE jumping is a serious topic and is meant to be
treated with respect. BASE jumps aren't just made, they are planned
and executed, a spiritual experience to be savoured and celebrated.!
!
28
!
1
9
6
0
7
la
in
x
The million dollar question being,
"What makes a person qualified to be
a mentor?"
"I believe it is the ability to do the

following:
Teaching: Helping the student to

remember a list or sequence.
Instructing: Helping the student to

employ that list or sequence.
Mentoring: Listening to the student

and personalizing the teaching and
instruction parts to the fit the student.
This is allowing the student to analyze
and know when t o im plem ent
dynamically whichever lessons and
instructions called for in a given
situation." Had he ever turned down a

st udent , " I have t ur ne d do wn
instructing students because of my
lack of time or inability on the
st udent ’ s p a r t t o a c h i e v e t h e
objectives I use as a guideline. In my
Submit
Your
Content
If you have any
interesting stories,
photos, videos or
thoughts to share with
the rest of the BASE
e Euro course, I would state that
jumping was not part of the world, please submit
instruction, but if they did well...."
d your content.
As far as teaching the technical
aspects of BASE vs. Ethics,
Community and History of BASE,
Tracy offers this tip. "After the initial
discussion with the student where I
t
tell them horror stories and how BASE
will affect or maybe end their life, I Cynthia
Lynn
start with rigging. This allows me to
h judge how they mentally approach
challenges and for me to then tailor
e the mentorship to the jumper.”
Chronicles!
qualities he has
seen in each of his students that
by Cynthia Lynn
wwwnthialynnchronicles.com !
“Everyone has a story to
persuaded him to take on the tell… Some people use
challeng e
! and responsibility of more exclamation marks
than others”
teaching and which characteristics he
admired in them afterward as they
matured as jumpers in this manner.
"Perseverance in the quest for
knowledge", he responded, I have
had many students, but mentored
"Are you
only a few. Solid rigging skills, the
ability to not jump, BASE ethics, and
responsible for
doing jumps that have not been done
prior in the sport are characteristics I
the monster that
admire in my former students." is Felix
Do you have basic guidelines that
must be met by the student prior to
Baumgartner?"
you considering taking on the
responsibility of mentoring them?
"Rigging, tracking skills, canopy
control drills, accuracy landings, etc.
The amount of skydives i
s
unimportant. What is important is the
amount of skydives preparing for
BASE and the mentality of the
jumper."
Rigging, scoping out the object and

conditions, safety protocols,
etiquette, and decision making are the
5 most important things Tracy
believes a mentor must teach their
student prior to the student going it
alone. He adds, "of course this is
assuming they have their exits
sorted."
I asked him to share his viewpoint on

whether he felt it was important for
every BASE jumper to have a mentor
and how much control or influence
does the mentor have over the
jumper's activity?
"It's a great idea to have a mentor.

There is so much information out
there that it is pointless to reinvent the
wheel and be a pioneer in one's mind
and nowhere else; leading to having
an accident. Certain elements of
people resent this though and enjoy
the higher risk of figuring it out
themselves. A mentor does not
control a student; they can only hope
to have the possibility to influence a
student. That jumper's activity's is
totally up to them." As to how much
responsibility should be placed on the
shoulders of the mentor regarding the
student's activities, "None if the
student has disregarded the mentor's
advice. The rest should be regarded
on a case-by-case basis."
!
29!
!
PROFILING NEW
ERA BASE
JUMPERS
Standing on the precipice of a cliff, the roof of a
building or the railings of a bridge, we have all felt it –
that sense of apprehension, the confidence in our own
preparations, tempered with the underlying knowledge
of the risk we are taking. BASE jumping is becoming
more popular and with that comes commercialisation of
a sport once dominated by adventurous pioneers,
jumping exit points or rigs for the first time, where now
BASE jumpers flock to areas that seem almost made
for them. I'm not disputing whether it's a bad or a good
thing, but it made me think about what type of jumper I
am or what type of jumper I want to be.
Commercialisation
!
I've heard it more recently, about jumpers quitting
bandit jumps, in favour for the growing number of
competitions and events. Who can blame them? with
such opportunities as jumping inside a converted blimp
hanger, or legal jumps of skyscrapers and towers. And
of course these events have the medical assistance at
hand at a moments notice making it even more
appealing.
For some lucky jumpers, this side of the sport offers the
opportunity of making a living, either in a job running a
first jump course (FJC) or through sponsorship.
There is a definite benefit.
These type of jumps raise the profile of BASE jumping,

creating understanding to the general public and media
as well as creating such events where it would not be
possible to jump otherwise.
The youtube generation might be an underlying cause

to the growth of the sport, but surely with more
accidents being published it helps put people off BASE
who might not be ready for the commitment. It can also
be a productive way to expand it. With BASE jumping
being illegal in American national parks a recent EpicTV
series sets its sights on opening up legal wingsuit BASE
jumps across the country, aiming to overcome this
prohibition.
Safer jumpers
!
Some locations are popular for a reason: great exit
points, safe landing areas, legal, easy access and not
remote. It's no surprise that people keep on heading
back to these locations for those reasons.
!
30
!
Transaction ID: 2EY82747J44819607 As a gift I was recently given the book 'BASE66' the
Some jumpers are quite content with just jumping there other day. These guys who pioneered the sport went
local Exit point or heading to the Valley/ Perrine for a through trials and testing on the equipment and
weekend and just doing there usual lob. Hey, why not? practices to make the sport what it is today, a safer and
Stick with what you know, keep things simple, and if more knowledgeable sport. Looking at the graph on the
your enjoying it why change what is working for you. BASE numbers website you can see how quickly the
For me though, this just keeps bringing me back to the sport has grown. Is this due to the youtube generation
founders and pioneers in the sport. They didnt know and everyone wanting to get a slice of the cake, without
what to expect a lot of the time and were learning on doubt this has something to do with it, if a wider
the go, finding out locations, discovering what can be audience sees these videos then more people are likely
jumped and what can't, heading to Trollvellen as that to want a go. But also as these practices get safer,
was the known terminal jump in Europe at the time. Of more FJCs are available offering great knowledge and
course, as more jumpers headed to Trollvengen and it mentoring, making it easier to get into the sport.
started building a reputation as a jump spot, authorities
got involved and ended up banning BASE. Many people Of course base jumping at the moment is massively
think that other popular areas will head the same way, evolving with wingsuit proximity, creating lines that
taking us back into underground jumping. would never have been possible before, this is one area
where BASE jumping is progressing but what other
areas of progression do we have. Over the last decade
Pioneers we've seen more and more unusual ways to throw
! ourselves of objects, catapults, trampolines and
gymnastic bars. Maybe new exit points will be open
There will always be pioneers in our sport, because its due to the use of catapults, the likes of which have
always evolving and there is always someone who is been used at the most recent bridge day.
going to be testing and adapting to make new ideas
! The fusion of one or more disciplines of skydiving and

BASE may also lead to new version of the sport such as
soulflyers doing freefly BASE and there new training in
!
For myself BASE jumping seemed like a natural
progression from skydiving and coupled with my love of
climbing, I thought this would be a perfect way to
combine the two, taking the sport to lesser known areas
away from the crowds of Brento and the valley. Isn't
that maybe one reason the pioneers started BASE, to
do something different?
PIONEERING!
!
Dan Boyles, Royal Gorge in 1970!
Military B4 harness, Cheepo main
So all in all what am I trying to say. I think there are a lot
of different types of jumpers and a lot of different reasons
why they do it, non of which are wrong. Maybe some are
more justified then others but all are worthy of respect.
After all we all know the potential consequences and
who would jump for an unworthy reason with the risk of it
all going wrong?
!!
By Tim Howell
!
31
!
FLYING LIGHT!
!
Steph Davies tests her new Squirrel
Cloud-Lite, lightweight wing suit
I’ve been jumping a cloud-lite Aura for the last few months.
The Aura itself flies with fast and reliable starts, agility plus
loft, and a very easy pull. There are many thoughtful details
in the suit’s construction that I really like and appreciate.
But the cloud-lite fabric is what puts it over the top for me.
It’s important to me not to feel worked when I get to the exit
point. I have an ultralight container with a Trango ultralight
canopy and a super light helmet; I really notice the
difference in the long approaches. As soon as I found out
there was an ultralight option for the Aura, I wanted it.
Being a smaller person (5’6”), I like the feeling of being

wrapped in tissue paper rather than weighed down by a
massive pile of fabric. The cloud-lite material seems to
allow very little air to flow through it, which seems more
important for flight performance than actual weight of the
fabric.
I always have a hard time keeping the tail of my suit from

wearing through, and the cloud-lite fabric is especially
vulnerable. You have to be very careful with it, especially in
the States where almost all of the exit points are sharp and
rugged and in Europe with the prickly limestone, and even
so you will get some wear spots. I think that big guys with
big boots who are in a rush might destroy this suit pretty
quick. There will always be a tradeoff between lightness and
durability, and everyone makes decisions based on their
priorities. For me, lightness always wins, and I won’t go
back to a heavy suit.
By Steph Davies
“For me, lightness always wins, and I

won’t go back to a heavy suit.”
!
!
The OSP is by far my favourite canopy

I have flown to date. It is not only light,
and packs to almost nothing, but it
opens and flies like a dream. “The
OSP lite can be used solely for
terminal jumps or
it can have the larger lines to make it
the perfect all round base parachute
system. It is the only canopy I trust to
get me out of any sticky situations and
it simply opens perfectly every time.
There is only one canopy out there that
I want to fly and that is the OSP lite.
“Try it and feel the love.”
The new technology keeps the air flow over the canopy
attached even during very steep deep brake approaches.
A new thicker profile further improves deep brake flying
characteristics as well as a shorter line set to promote
faster openings and better on-heading performance. The
design also has the advantage of reducing the forward
speed of the canopy after opening.
by Chris ‘Douggs’ Mcdougall
!
Price: 3000 USD (OBO) !

Phone: 8657193969!
Location: United States!
!
S hipping: Buyer Pays Shipping !
Description !
Gargoyle HE and Troll 265DW Container: dom oct 2011, sized for 5-10" to 6-2" 175-220lbs (I'm 6' 215) Fit good.
Integrity risers, removable cargo pocket, big grab toggles, parapack, stash bag, Canopy: dom sep 2011, mulit vented
x5, mesh slider, black, electric blue center cell. Pilot Chutes: 42 vented zp, 36 zp This gear has 30 jumps total, never
wet or landed in bad spot. excellent almost new condition. Will add a laser range finder ($150) if buyer pays asking
Price: 2300 USD!

Email:base_367@hotmail.com!
Location: United States!
!
S hipping: Buyer Pays Shipping!
Description !
Brand New - unused, unopened, still in factory packaged box. Osp 225 (pia 240) ultralight fabric, Dacron lines, 'slow'
slider, Colors: Red/Gray. Purchased as a backup, but no longer have need for it.
Price: 2600 USD !

Email: mckilligan17@gmail.com!
Location: Goodfellow AFB, Texas, 76908, United States!
!
S hipping: Buyer Pays Shipping !
Description!
Apex DP container and Fox 265 VTEC canopy that I put about 15 jumps on. It has black lines and comes with 34",
38", and 48" pilot chutes and an Apex stash bag. Everything's in great shape. There was one owner before me, and
he put about 30 jumps on it. All the jumps I made were at the Perrine Bridge so the canopy is in good shape and looks
really good in the air. It's lime green with a gray center stripe, which I can definitely send more pictures of. The
container has a black harness with red flaps and some gray tye-dye that looks awesome. I'm about 6'2" and 190 lbs
and this rig felt a little small on me, so it should fit someone between 5'8" and 6'0" great. Let me know if you have any
questions or want to see any more pictures.
To show your classified advert for free in our next edition, email your info and images to info@edgebasejumpmagazine.com
!
36
!
EDGE NEEDS YOU!
Do you have the knowledge to submit an article for the magazine? If

so, please contact us and let’s talk about what you could write. Here
are a few topics we’d like to see covered:!
!
BASE Ethics!
Slack-line BASE!
Freefly BASE!
Making BASE a career!
Traveller BASE life style!
Trial and Error. Learning the hard way!
Busted! Stories of being busted by the cops and tips on how to
handle them!
Opening new objects. A guide and tips!
Canopy choice. Tips on choosing the right canopy!
Pilot Chutes. More to consider than just the size!
FJC. What are the options and how do you decide which is right for
you!
!
Any other interesting topics considered. If you have an interesting story
to tell, photos to be seen, or information to be shared please send us
an email to info@edgebasejumpmagazine.com

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Buyer: Matthew Gough (matthew.gough@inbox.

Issue 1 • March 2014

Open up and take a look

! needed a website with interesting enough content to draw

08 Wingtip pouch Wioletta

14 My ﬁrst Ski BASE jump,

24 ProBASE World Cup

26 Trackey-Track: Don’t Talk

36 Used gear sales

In the last year there has been quite a few fatalities

2. Use your time and know the

The Jungfrau heli jump, for example, has 4 main

Fly the line you planned, but with a good safe

On the second ﬂight, you can start to put in your

So, with all those checkpoints, I don`t need to

I`m a bit more conservative when it comes to

Anyway, if you are not 100% comfortable ﬂying

I ﬁrst used a powerful garden-blower (ﬂow speed 75 m/s) to check the

! legs". Smitty then jumped and ran over while I had

“Looked down and

FIRST SKI BASE

Walking up past skiers on the piste felt so wrong,

I had never been this nervous on a jump before, it took

massive weak point…

! motivated people. But the

Most importantly – look after each other. Check your

HOODY + T-SHIRT + ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

I've been skydiving for 23yrs, (approx 1500 jumps)

I was planning the dive, helping some of the other

My response was, I would ask my DZO

“Once I was out, it started to

! embedded within quality content it is more likely to

ProBASE World Cup

At the accuracy comps a complex

For each of those components

The vibe at competitions is

Events and competitions ﬁt in

Trackey-Track: Don’t Talk Crap

A safety device, a performance ﬂight tool, and a great !

The original PF The TUBE4 (just in) is

! A SuperSuit with a Ferrari ﬁnish for those with deep

COMING SOON... And that's an order.

And let us not forget Raven! The legendary Finn - Mr

Tracy "Space" Walker, born and raised

In my ﬁrst conversation with Tracy I decided to cut right to the chase,

In those few statements alone I gathered a basic understanding on

"I believe it is the ability to do the

Teaching: Helping the student to

Instructing: Helping the student to

Mentoring: Listening to the student

situation." Had he ever turned down a

Rigging, scoping out the object and

I asked him to share his viewpoint on

"It's a great idea to have a mentor.

These type of jumps raise the proﬁle of BASE jumping,

The youtube generation might be an underlying cause

! The fusion of one or more disciplines of skydiving and

Being a smaller person (5’6”), I like the feeling of being

I always have a hard time keeping the tail of my suit from

“For me, lightness always wins, and I

The OSP is by far my favourite canopy

Price: 3000 USD (OBO) !

Price: 2300 USD!