The ABC’s of Skydiving: B

Backslide – This is when the diver is falling backward during freefall. It’s usually caused by poor form and is something to be avoided.

Bag – This is simply the bag that the parachute is packed in.

Base – This is what a formation centers around. It can involve one or more skydivers.

BASE Jump – BASE stands for building, antennae, spans (or bridges), and earth (such as cliffs.) BASE jumps are then jumps that are not made from an airplane but from one of these locations.

Beech – Nickname for the manufacturer Beechcraft, who specialize in aircraft. Although they are not very popular today, they were once a top name in skydiving.

BOC – This is short form for Bottom of Container and it refers to the position of the pilot chute.

Body Position – This simply refers to the posture of the body while it is in the air. It can be changed during the dive to accomplish different freefall maneuvers.

Boogie – An event held for skydivers. These events are all about loving the sport and sharing that with others and does not focus on competition.

Bounce – This is when a landing is made so fast that it’s impossible to survive it. It’s a rarity in skdiving and is also sometimes called to frap, or go in.

Box Man – This is a trick that can be done while in the air and is usually done while in formation. This is a face to earth position in which the arms are bent at a forty-five degree angle and the legs are also bent at about forty-five degrees.

Brakes – These are the brakes of the parachute, which are also used in conjunction with the steering lines. Using them together will result in the parachute slowing down while only using one set of lines will cause the chute to turn.

Break off – To leave a formation by moving away from the formation before deployment.

Bridle – This is part of the system in the parachute that deploys it. The other parts are the pilot chute and the bag. The bridle is the webbing from the pilot chute to the canopy.

BSR – These are Basic Safety Requirements. Although they are not legally enforced, it’s generally preferred safest to follow these guidelines.

Burble – This is the turbulent air that is left behind once a moving object has passed through it, whether it’s a plane, person, or parachute.