Talk:BASE jumping
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[edit] Backronym
Is BASE a Backronym or was it initially intended to be an acronym? The fact that bridges are abbreviated as "spans" suggests to me that the initials were thought of after the term "base jumping" was already in existance. Some google searches on this subject don't lead me to any definitive answers on the question. Even if someone can answer this question, tt's not essential to include in the article, but since BASE is asserted to "stand for" building, antenna, span, and earth, it may warrant inclusion. --ABQCat 22:26, 5 Aug 2004 (UTC)
It's an acronym. Either "building" or "bridge" needed a replacement, and "bridge" had a more suitable one for a nice acronym.
This is semi-related, but an earlier idea was BEST jumping - building, earth, span, tower.
[edit] BASE ethics
As pointed out, this part of the article has a tone not up to par with encyclopeic entries. The tone is similar to that of someone who has a friend or relative involved with BASE jumping rather than speaking from personal experience. The ethics issues brought up seem to be repeated several times throughout and dont heavily impact the flow of the article in a positive way. Statements such as: "The guiding principle of BASE ethics is respect. BASE jumpers should respect the sport, the sites, and other people whether jumpers or non-jumpers." dont help to give a better understanding into BASE jumping core values, as these principals tend to be observed by many enthusiasts within a small faction.
[edit] Acronym BASE
Fortunately, the issue can be put to bed quite easily. The acronym BASE emerged from the group centred on Carl and Jean Boenish, Jim Handbury, Kent Lane, Tom Start, Phil Smith, Phil Mayfield, and their friends in the late 1970s. Having launched the sport on a wave of new popularity, they are looking for a name for it. This is a first hand account:
"I liked BEST jumping," says Carl's wife Jean Boenish. "it stood for Building, Earth, Span and Tower," but Carl keeps searching the dictionary until he comes upon the word BASE. At first nobody liked the fact that when using the word BASE a tower would need to be called an antenna, nor does Jean like the second definition of BASE which is, "Evil and vile." However the first definition is, "A platform on which something stands," but it really becomes a done deal the first time Carl looked up at the group and uttered the phase, "BASE jumping," for the very first time. Later, one of the jumpers present said, "It was a moment that sent chills down everyone's spine."
[edit] Pics
Can somebody please add some pics to this article--May the Force be with you! Shreshth91($ |-| r 3 $ |-| t |-|) 06:52, 6 August 2005 (UTC)
I agree. I'm thinking that at least some of the editors of this page are BASE jumpers or at least know some. We should be able to round up some pictures of legal jumps. But to start the ball rolling, I'm going to search for some pictures of the things that BASE jumpers will jump from and put them in the appropriate places in the article. They can serve as placeholders until someone gets some pictures of some BASE jumping. Val42 22:18, August 12, 2005 (UTC)
I've added a link to a site where BASE videos can be viewed. This link was removed and I put it back. I am not affiliated with that site, and am not "Link Farming." The best way to see jumps is to watch some of the videos from that site. Regarding still pictures, definitely read the "ethics" and "site naming" sections I have added, to help better understand why many jumpers may not want photos of jumps and/or jumping sites on the Wikipedia. Tom Aiello 04:18, November 9, 2005
[edit] Tone
This article reads like an old BASE jumper giving advice to newbies, rather than a descriptive article about BASE jumping. I'm referring mostly to sentences like, "The bottom line is that BASE can be a fun game--but it can also turn deadly serious in a heartbeat. Remembering this is one of the keys to a long, healthy life, and also to a long, healthy jumping career." Superm401 | Talk 00:59, 9 January 2006 (UTC)
- This is particularly worrying in light of the fact that the sport's founder died whilst BASE jumping. Neither this page nor the article on the man himself explains what he should have done differently, to avoid the fate that befell him. It is likely that the majority of people writing this article will be BASE jumpers themselves, and I can envisage them having a certain viewpoint that I have seen elsewhere. Lupine Proletariat 09:28, 12 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Article Referenced By Associated Press
The Associated Press referenced this article here in a recent news story. 7:09, 1 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Gyroscopic effects?
"Usually BASE jumpers jump to cause a tumble by back flipping and then using the gyroscopic effects to at least have some form of control." How can gyroscopic effects be used to control the jump? I have a feeling this sentence is based on a missunderstanding. My guess is that the author refers to conservation of angular momentum as a means to control rotational speed. I may be wrong. If anyone agress with my interpretation, I suggest editing the sentence in question to reflect that. If someone can explain how gyroscopic effects can be used to control the jump, feel free to chime in. --81.233.90.182 18:51, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Jumps from Parachute towers
Are jumps from parachute towers also BASE jumps?
[edit] Record for "highest" BASE jump
There doesn't seem to be a clear distinction made here between two possible meanings of "highest BASE jump." This could mean either "highest starting (jumping) elevation" or "greatest difference between starting and landing elevations." Clearly the Guinness mention of the Troll Wall jump can't be the former, since the summit there is much lower than El Cap. The new record claimed for the jump from Meru Peak seems to be OK using the first meaning, as the summit is higher than the point jumped from on Trango; but is it also a record in terms of start-to-landing difference? (Based on what I know of the topography in each case, either could be the winner, but I would lean toward Trango.) Anyone have more data on this to clear this up? If so, a clarification could also be put on the Trango Towers page. -- Spireguy 19:04, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Record for highest jump
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/leap-from-the-top-of-the-world/2006/06/08/1149359863372.html, the Meru peak jump was from 6,604 metres to 4,850 metres = 1,754 metres. The Great Trango jump was from 5,955 metres to 4,200 metres = 1,755 metres, according to the Trango Towers page. It seems that the landing altitudes are approximate. I hope someone can clear this up with better data and edit this and the trango towers articles appropriately. In any case I think the jump beginning at the highest altitude is a record that should be mentioned in this article, if only to acknowledge those who define the 'highest BASE jump' in this way. --Fatsug 01:55, 9 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] site naming
the line "in fact, most deaths occur at legal sites" should be removed. earlier in the entry it says how the covert nature of the sport does not allow for accurate facts, how can we know how many people have died at unknown illegal sites?
Answer: There is a complete listing of all BASE fatalities at www.BASEFatalities.info. Analyzing these fatalites as to site legality makes it very easy to determine what percentage of fatalities have occured at which sorts of sites.
[edit] History question
I recall seeing a newspaper article in 1973 or 1974, when the construction of the Sears Tower was nearing its end, one of the workers took a parachute with him and jumped off. My memory is fuzzy, but I think he got fired, not for the deed itself, but for "walking off the job." This was well before the internet so I'm having trouble finding any reference to this event — and for all I know I could have read about it in the National Enquirer. I'm definitely not referring to the worker who jumped from the World Trade Center in 1975 (there are plenty of references to that, and I have added it to the history section). Does anyone else remember an early 1970s jump off the Sears Tower? -Amatulic 21:04, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Legal Issues is US-Centric
Surely the US isn't the only country that has a legal stance on BASE jumping. For example, I believe (although I'm not sure enough to add it to the article) that it's illegal in Australia.
- Such information isn't present because no one has added it yet. Please feel free to add such information. Val42 03:14, 29 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Stabilizing
"The altitude of the body at the moment of jumping determines the stability of flight in the first few seconds, before sufficient airspeed has built up to enable aerodynamic stability." I'm having trouble making sense out of this. I wonder if it should be attitude. 140.147.160.78 15:39, 6 June 2007 (UTC)Stephen Kosciesza
[edit] Fatalities section
I don't have a source to cite, but I heard that hang gliding normally has somewhere from zero to two or three fatalities a year, and that most of the fatalities are from BASE jumps. Does anyone have a citation to back that with? The fatalities section is awful small, and every sentence counts. --Thinboy00's sockpuppet alternate account 19:42, 29 April 2008 (UTC)
