QI want to jump, how do I start?

A To start BASE jumping, skills in skydiving are highly recommended!
In our opinion it is essential, to be a proficient skydiver first before going for BASE because:
Skydiving will teach you to balance in free-fall, how to react properly to the scenarios when your parachute opens, how to fly it, landing approach and land it safely where you want.

QHow can I prepare for BASE jumping?

A Once you are actively skydiving you can hone your skills and broaden your awareness in preparation for attending a BASE course. It is best to jump larger skydiving canopies to prepare for BASE jumping. A 7 cell, F-111 canopy will work best. The following drills also work with ZP 9-cell canopies but use caution, especially if your wingload is higher than 1.2 to 1.3. In all cases, be sure to stop maneuvers well above 1500 feet and lookout for other traffic at all times:

1. Pull sequence, opening and heading correction:
a) Before you deploy note your heading and square your hips and shoulders.
b) After the canopy opens, return to your original heading using the rear risers while the breaks are still stowed:
i) 90° or less – correct by counter steering
ii) more than 90° – correct by continuing the rotation
!!! Don´t be too agressive! You can stall the canopy and end up in line-twists !!!

2.) Flying the canopy: (Do this up high! no maneuvers below 1500 feet!!!)
a) Fly your canopy in all ranges:
i) half breaked (toggles at chest hight) with slow turns 90° and 180°
ii) deep breaks: shortly before the stall point using reverse turns (letting one toggle up to make a turn 90° and 180°)
b) Slowly approach a stall by pulling both toggles into deep breaks: Watch your canopy! If you get into a stall: Slowly let the toggles up symetrically. Other wise you may end up surging the canopy forward and/or end up in line twists!

3.) Landing aproach:
a) choose the Landing pattern approach and shoot for accuracy (a marked point on the ground that you choose to land on before you board the airplane!)
b) S-turn approach (Speak to the Dz manager to see if you are allowed to do this in the student Landing area)
c) Deep break approach (Is dangerous if using highly loaded canopies! Talk to someone on the Dz to see if you can do this)
Alwas shoot for accuracy, but don´t break your legs!

4.) Tracking:
While Tracking is not required in the BASE course due to short delays of 2 seconds or less it is a woth while skill to learn as it will be necessary for preogression in your BASE jumping activities.

Information authored by Dominik Loyen at 321BASE.eu

QHow many jumps do I need before I can fly a wingsuit?

A In skydiving it is required that you got 200 jumps within the last 18 months. Then you can do flights together with an instructor before you fly on your own.

If you dont got 200 jumps within the last 18 months, a total of 250 jumps is required for beginner suit like the Prodigy 2 or a total of 500 jumps for bigger suits like the Vampire 3.

QWhat wingsuit would you recomend for a beginner?

A If you are going to skydive it on your first jumps, I would go for a Phantom 2 from Phoenix Fly. Thats an intermediate suit with tons of speed, easy manoeuvrability and good range for playing around with your friends.

Some jumpers does their first wingsuit jumps from the cliff.
I strongly dont recomend anyone to do this!!

If you still decide to do this, use a beginner suit like the Prodigy 2 and choose a safe overhung cliff. Brento in Italy and Kalskråtind in Norway is good choices for any first time jumps.