The Story
Jamie revisits a proximity line in Switzerland that nearly put him into the trees after getting greedy on the approach. Since breaking his ankle in three places, he now backs every line off by 40 percent, because BASE always has room for error, and there is no margin left to spend playing it close.
Getting greedy on a proximity line
A couple of years before this film went up, Jamie got greedy on a proximity line in Switzerland. On opening he got a line twist, and the trees came closer with no time to think. Only time to react. This is that flight, shown in full.
What a line twist means
A line twist happens when the parachute lines wrap on opening. The canopy can turn on its own while the jumper fights to untwist, and close to terrain there is almost no time. It is one of the most feared moments in BASE, and it is why margin matters more than style.
Backing off 40 percent
Since the crash on September 12th, when Jamie broke his ankle in three places, he has changed how he flies. He now backs every line off by about 40 percent and gives himself real room for error. In BASE you will make errors. If you are always playing it close, it is only a matter of time.
That is not a retreat from the sport. It is the long game: flying in a way that lets you keep flying.
Why this one matters
Managing a monster is about honest margins, in the air and in life. This episode is Jamie telling the truth about a mistake so that someone else does not have to learn it the hard way.