Dwain Weston....

[imported_mknutson]

Please comment on the following thread about the Crossbow:
http://www.blincmagazine.com/forum/wingsuit/77.html

I want you opinion of the suit as well if possible; and the contrast to the bird-man.

[Jolly Jumper]

me to! on olejorgen.bryn@ark.ntnu.no ( Norway AUG)

[d-dog]

Oh, Dwain is too busy and famous to reply so I'll do it for him. I've seen a couple of his much-hyped Crossbow jumps in any case:

"Well, mate, first you have to be a famous and talented BASE jumper. Right, then, now that that's established you need to arrange for some general drama on a jump, security problems or bad winds will do just ducky. Now, mate, you've got yourself up to exit on a gnarly and underhung object. You gear up with plenty of breaks to take cellphone calls while your mates stand around and wait. . . and wait. . and wait.

What was I babbling on about? Oh, yes, well then now we are geared up and you need to remember the key foundations of successful BASE:

1. Legs together, knees bent
2. Be ON YOUR #####!
3. Harden up, Tiger.

Ok, well with that under our belt we're ready to exit. Oh, wait, I have to get video so there's 10 more minutes wiggling knobs and levers to get that working as my mates wait. . . and wait. . . and wait. Now I get gear fear, but of course I won't admit it so I'll just babble about some completely irrelevant technical items that nobody cares about. Simply arrange the following words into random sentences to buy time: bottomskin pressurization, line dump, canopy time, sub-terminal tracking, "back when I was learning to BASE jump," differential stow, burble.

Now then I guess I have to jump as the camera is rolling and no more stalling. Off I go in the proverbial flurry of testosterone and nylon. They key is to IMMEDIATELY go very head-down. Once this is achieved, try to flap your arms like a little birdie as this really helps stability and can actually increase altitude if you flap enough. Enjoy the close visuals of the object accelerating by right in front of your head-down body. Nice!

Once flapping has proven to be a total failure you should have enough airspeed that the Crossbow starts inflating. At this, be sure to bobble side-to-side as it saves the proverbial "heaps of altitude." Look at the trees that are your likely impact zone and whine under your breath "I'm gonna boooounce." However, DO NOT PULL as pulling high (i.e. above 100 feet AGL) is just not right. Whine some more, but quietly so the camera doesn't pick it up. The wingsuit might actually start flying about right now, don't be surprised.

Dump when the trees are level with your shoulders. Close your eyes as the ground rushes up to meet you. Careen into a bunch of blackberries, which will cushion your fall. Don't bother unstowing your brakes or anything as it looks much cooler to show your mates the toggles still in place - proof positive of "taking it low" which is all that matters!

Wait, suspended in the berry bushes 8 feet off the ground, until your ground crew, err I meant jumping buddies, comes to haul your little ass out of the tangled mess of lines, canopy, and wingsuit you've created for yourself. Immediately mention that you "were going to go low but wanted to see how dumping high would effect the wingsuit." Say this as if you really mean it, even when your mates laugh at you.

Immediately take out the cellphone and take a few inbound calls - pretend it rings if nobody is calling in, just to prove the point. Make your mates wait. . . and wait. Gab on the cellphone all the way to the car, being careful to hide your shaking hands and wobbly, high-pitched, I-almost-died voice by never talking quietly. Decide that the Crossbow is "hard to fly" and plan to call the manufacturer with heaps of feedback that won't reflect the reality of your bungled attempt to jump it from a too-low object anyway.

Repeat as necessary."


Did I capture the highlights, Dwain ;-)

Peace,

D-d0g
ddog@wrinko.com