What Exactly is BASE Jumping?

Even if you’re not familiar with the term, you’ve probably seen it being done on YouTube or depicted in a number of action movies, especially with the recent rise in popularity for wing-suit flying. Sometimes written as B.A.S.E. jumping, it is the act of parachuting off a fixed structure, namely Buildings, Antennas, Spans and Earth.

While one might think it’s safer at a lower altitude, BASE jumping is actually much more dangerous than a traditional skydive. Less distance from the ground means the jumper has a smaller window to perform landing maneuvers. Typical skydiving involves about 15 minutes of parachute time, whereas a BASE jump only has 10–15 seconds. Jumpers are also moving at a much slower speed and rarely reach terminal velocity, but this also means they have less control over their bodies than during a high-speed dive.

Since most BASE jumps are much lower and last for less than a minute, the discipline requires modified equipment that differs from traditional skydiving. Many jumpers don’t even have a back-up parachute, since they wouldn’t even have time to use it. If all this doesn’t seem dangerous enough, the latest trend in the sport is wing-suit flying, which utilize full-body suits that act as a gliding parachute for the pilot.

Wingsuiting is rather new and much more complex than skydiving and BASE jumping, so it’s largely regulated by the United States Parachute Association. Jumpers interested in trying the discipline are required to have performed at least 200 free-fall skydives and receive one-on-one instruction from an experienced jumper. Manufacturers even impose the restriction before people can purchase a wingsuit, so beginner jumpers should probably start with a tandem skydive.