BASE jumping - NOT The Same As Paragliding!
It is nothing like paragliding. A BASE jumping parachute is pretty much the same as a sky diving parachute, it's just that these guys jump off solid objects instead of from an aircraft!
Sheer cliffs, water towers, skyscrapers, whatever is flat-sided and really tall tends to attract a BASE jumper! Since distances and speeds are much smaller than in skydiving, specially designed gear is used to improve safety margins. But no reserve parachute is worn. There's just no point, since there would be no time to use it if something went wrong.
In contrast to all this, a paraglider pilot will most often launch from the side of a hill, or sometimes a downward-sloping ramp in mountainous areas. Firstly, the paraglider canopy is inflated and flown like a kite over the head of the pilot. Then the pilot simply walks into the breeze until the ground drops away and the paraglider glides slowly away. The pilot is then in charge of a true glider, being able to slow down, speed up and turn in either direction. Unlike the BASE jumper, this person often has the option of gaining height by finding and flying through rising air. That's called soaring. Paragliders are more lightly built than parachutes because they don't have to withstand the shock of suddenly opening at high speed. Also, the design of paragliders is more aerodynamically sophisticated since they are designed for maximum soaring performance.
Some Background On BASE JumpingNow here's something interesting. The very first parachute jump, in 1783, was actually a BASE jump! A very brave Frenchman, Louis-Sébastien Lenormand jumped from the tower of the Montpellier observatory. After that, most early parachute jumps were from balloons.Why am I spelling it 'BASE' in big letters? Because it stands for
This name has been around since a film maker used it in 1978. I can remember someone doing a base jump here in Adelaide, South Australia, some years ago. He successfully leapt from the State Bank building. Can't remember if the police were waiting for him though. Not all base jumpers are reckless law breakers. Most are highly experienced skydivers who are just taking their sport to the next level. They know that their first accident might be their last, but have confidence in their own ability and experience. Sometimes, multiple jumps are organized, just like the group jumps done by skydivers. Regarding the legalities, the actual act of jumping is not usually illegal. It's the trespassing, or other minor offences that can get jumpers into trouble. The big group jumps at the elite BASE jumping level, or day-long jumping events are usually well-organized, legal and draw sizable crowds. Heard about the Irish parachute? It opens on impact... Just one example of my small collection of pathetic Irish jokes. My website stats don't show many people coming through here from Ireland, so I hope I get away with that. :-| One final note on BASE jumping. It's current public image is that of daredevils doing crazy, illegal and highly dangerous stunts. Apparently though, that image is gradually shifting to one where BASE jumping is seen as a genuine minor sport. Like paragliding or parachuting but more extreme, and with a somewhat higher level of risk. next paragliding basics page...
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Last updated: 6 Apr 2007 Return to The Basics Of Paragliding from BASE Jumping...
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