Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!ucbvax!f15.n233.z1.FIDONET.ORG!SKYDIVE
From: SKYDIVE@f15.n233.z1.FIDONET.ORG (SKYDIVE)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: BASE and Bungee
Message-ID: <2756.28075041@ehsnet.fidonet.org>
Date: 11 Apr 91 19:09:33 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 56

Reply-to: Dave.Appel@p30.f30.n231.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Appel)
Fido-To: all

   This is just a mental excercise, and I am asking if 
 any structural engineers or architects out there would 
 like to help me. 
   I am just dreaming about building a special purpose 
 platform dedicated to bungee jumping, and BASE jumping 
 (jumping with a parachute). Here's a very rough sketch. 
     
        /-I-\             I-\           ^
       /  I  \            I  \          |
      /   I   \           I   \         |
     /    I    \          I    \        | 500-600'
    /     I     \         I     \       |
   /a     I     a\        I     b\      V
    
      front view          side view
    
    All I have so far, is a 3 legged structure, with a 
 platform on top, and the platform is 500' to 600' off 
 the ground, and capable of holding 2,000 lbs of people 
 and equipment.  The 2 front legs are in the vertical 
 plane, with the 3rd back leg at a sharper angle. This 
 would give 180 degrees of freedom for parachute (BASE) 
 jumpers. The platform would have a railing. 
    I envision the platform being 10' wide by 6' deep. 
    To make the structure safe for parachute jumping, 
 there shouldn't be any guy wires.  All 3 legs would 
 consist of 3 or 4 bars or angle beams with cross-
 bracing.  Sorry, I don't know the technical terms. One 
 leg would have steps with hand railings on both sides 
 for access to the platform. 
    I don't know what angle "a" should be.  I am 
 guessing somewhere between 60 and 45 degrees. I'm 
 hoping 60 degrees would do. I also have no idea what 
 angle "b" should be for the 3rd leg (that leg is in a 
 plane perpendicular to the plane of the front 2 legs.) 
 I'm guessing 45 degrees. 
    We would also need to take lightning protection
 devices into account.
    Would anyone like to help me on this dream project
 with some figures for dimensions, angles, kind of
 steel to use, how deep to sink the cement footings and 
 estimates for cost of materials and labor.  Like I 
 said, this is just a dream project. But with people 
 paying up to $90 for a bungee jump, and lots of base 
 jumpers looking for legal jumps, this project just 
 "might" become reality some day.  

--- XRS!% 4.10
--- eecp 1.45 LM2 

 * Origin: The Drop Zone, Dave Appel, 1:231/30.30 (Quick 1:231/30.30)
--  
SKYDIVE - via FidoNet node 1:233/13    (ehsnet.fidonet.org)