Wind turbines are just about one of the safest launch points you can choose. You've got a nice, flat overhanging deck with no superstructure to worry about, and only the narrow central tower to avoid under canopy (second only to a large span with nothing underneath ... as compared to a cliff or antenna with radiating support cables). However, unlike most spans, there's almost always a huge, flat, unobstructed landing area beneath. Plus, every turbine ever built has an elevator to the top. Sissies.

FLskydiver

@homerjay: Exactly! I wanted to see this thing spinning full speed with the jumper clinging to the edge of the blade 'till it flung him off the top! THEN he could pop his chute.

Griffehpoo

Please... Anyone can jump off a stationary turbine blade. You want to impress people? Try staying on the blade while its moving!

homerjay

@MarkB: And BASE jumping's far more dangerous than skydiving. With BASE jumping there's only 1 shute, and no time to correct for a glitch.

frigg

@Nickolai_the_Russian_guy: @ravedown: BASE jumping is the most dangerous sport in the world. Of 1,200 experienced BASE jumpers worldwide, 115 have died. Currently, 1 BASE jumper dies every 3 weeks.

frigg

@ravedown: @

Don't blame the band because these lame guys have a lame video. That song is Lagwagon and Lagwagon has been awesome for 15+ years. These guys will never be awesome, well maybe when someone turns on the turbine, but that will last for about 10 seconds ;)

marc_wtih_a_c

@MarkB: I don't think a bad movie starring Wesley Snipes counts...

Xavoc

@Nickolai_the_Russian_guy:

Oh really? [www.dropzone.com]

www.dropzone.com/fatalities

MarkB

So, the video is about them shatting themselves on a wind turbine? Uh, why would we want to watch that?

Xavoc

I was driving out through west Texas this last week and there are literally thousands of these turbines running out there. I was totally stunned.

Texas is the largest wind energy producer in the US (twice that of second place California) and the only limit to it producing more right now is the need for additional High Voltage Transmission lines. But they're still building more windmills all the time. There are always huge trucks carrying the blades, two per truck, north along I-45. And those blades are absolutely HUGE. It's amazing seeing them up close.

zeroprime

Makes you appreciate just how enormous those wind turbines really are. I remember standing next to one in Denmark a few summers ago. It's quite intimidating when you're on the ground so I can't imagine what it would be like from the top.

That said I really can't think of any place safer to BASE jump from than the outstretched blade of a wind turbine: no walls to smash into.

mor10

That video makes me feel really weird. I kind of want to do it though. I wonder if it's easy to climb up.

itchytooth

Just jump down-wind. Wind turbines don't generate wind, just react to it. Point being, ...

...whatever, I've changed my mind. That's just f-ing stupid. Give it a year until there's a video on the web with some skydiver getting blended by a wind turbine.

newgalactic

The size of those turbines is mind boggling.

FrankenPC

enough with the shitty soundtracks on every youtube video...im tired of reaching for the volume knob everytime i watch something- whats wrong with nat sound? putting your cousins lousy altemo-metal doesn't make the action any more "xtreme" also- there has got to be an alarming failure rate on base jumping like this-anyone have the figures?

ravedown

... makes me want to poop myself too. And that's exactly what these insane base jumpers do, on video no less.

Aren't their pornography laws against that?

Monty

If you really want to impress me, do it while the wind turbines are working.

TheMugs

You know, statistically speaking this (along with jumping out of a plane) is probably safer than driving a car. It's a strange thing to compare it to but how often do you hear of people dying from skydiving? I've even seen videos where the parachutes get tangled (in one the friction from tangled cable lit the damn thing) and the jumpers are still alright when the hit the ground.

Nickolai_the_Russian_guy

I believe the correct caption would be "Hey y'all, watch this!"

Synik103

@zeroprime: The Texas PUC authorized 18,000+ megawatts of new transmission capacity last week as part of its Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) process.

EBone

Man that place looks nice. I wonder what the greens fees are there...

FritzLaurel

Elevator? Try 300 feet of ladders.

AHemp

splat

zed0

@TheMugs: I second. Might make for a nice double cheeseburger with some silk stuffing.

yogibimbi

That's not impressive. This guy apparently sneaked past security, got to the very top and jumped off the Pertronas towers. And he videotaped himself doing it.

+ Watch video

Jitty

The music....so....annoying....

RE-L

@itchytooth: There's a lift inside :)

Mikael

"Interlocks" sounds all fancy and what not... scratch that... you simply can't open the door of the nacelle if the parking brake isn't set. More of a "1-2" type deal as opposed to the airlocks on the international space station... and yes, it is actually called a "parking brake" for all the nit-pickers out there...

mdamianc

Sorry, @Mikael... (Damn, I have to learn how to imbed your all's name in these things...)

There is NO lift inside of these and it is a series of ladders or stairs all the way... most being ladders. We have a ton of these out here in Colorado thanks to everyone's favorite GE, and I've been to the top of a number of them. It's human power all the way.

Oh, and on the subject of climbing while they are operating - not a chance. They have interlocks that prevent you from opening the outside door at the top while the blades are in motion. Damn those darn corporate attorneys and safety concerns...

mdamianc

@Nickolai_the_Russian_guy: The whole "flying in a plane is safer than driving," or "XYZ is safer than driving" is meaningless. If people skydived or flew on planes half as much as they drove or rode in cars, they're be splattered people-soup all over the earth. Basically, the two hours you spend on a plane once or twice a year is statistically insignificant compared to the two hours a day you spend in the car.

markarian

@markarian: That is true because, less doing something means less know how on how to do it.

--Tito--

must....resist....jumping....from...my...balcony....with....bed-sheet.

citizen024

Sure, it's dangerous, but how can it be fun? These chickens pull the chute after falling like 30 feet!

I'm all for sports that are fun but dangerous, but doing something like this just because it's dangerous to try and be cool is just stupid.

weatherman

I tell you guys, the pictures with the little captions that you do always crack me up.

roboscan

@weatherman: In fact, it looks like one of the guys jumped with the chute already out.

danson

@Mikael: No, there isn't. It a 29-story climb on a steel ladder.

EBone