Wingsuits taken to a new level

[FLYTPAY]

You aren't going to hit a bird... you're not moving nearly fast enough; they will see you and get out of the way.

I know more than a handful of people who have hit birds at the speeds they are going......and they were in LOUD airplanes.....birds ARE a factor, especially when you are hugging the face of the cliff wall, and flying next to roads that overlook valleys.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

I know more than a handful of people who have hit birds at the speeds they are going......and they were in LOUD airplanes.....birds ARE a factor, especially when you are hugging the face of the cliff wall, and flying next to roads that overlook valleys.

Vertical speeds will normally be in the 25-50 mph vertical speed and 30-50 mph forward speed. I've got 8 years of skydiving in and I've never heard of someone hitting a bird... ever. Not saying it is impossible... but it just doesn't happen.

If you are really interested, PM me and I'll email you some gps graphs about altitude/speed/vsi that I have from wing suit jumps.

 

[hobiesailor13]

Never done it but would in a heartbeat after a few normal jumps. Skydiving is what the ORM sheets say and that is still skydiving, so theoretically it should get through the filters the same way. Besides, you have a parachute to land, so just do the tricks higher up or away from the side of mountains and you'll be fine. As for the speeds, you're going 100 kts on average and up to 120 (I believe), that's the pattern speed of some aircraft so I'd say birds would definetly be a factor.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

Never done it but would in a heartbeat after a few normal jumps. Skydiving is what the ORM sheets say and that is still skydiving, so theoretically it should get through the filters the same way. Besides, you have a parachute to land, so just do the tricks higher up or away from the side of mountains and you'll be fine. As for the speeds, you're going 100 kts on average and up to 120 (I believe), that's the pattern speed of some aircraft so I'd say birds would definetly be a factor.

120 will be your average in a belly to earth standard skydive. Formations run slower. If you do free flying you can get much faster... head down with my arms and legs in close I can easily break 200-210.

 

[flyn4pride]

those things are awesome! I remember watching a documentary on the discovery channel a few years ago about the guy who designed the suite or something like that and he was trying to perfect the landing so he didn't need the chute. Not sure if he ever got it but if he did I would love to see the video.

 

[CAMike]

Right- I can see the EP's for non-chute landings now.

1. Pelvic Area Forward.
2. Wrist Down.
3. Elbows Up.
4. Don't suck.
5. (Midship) Tail Hook "UP".
5. Penalty for Failed Flight = Death.

Gents- In that low level pass near the turn in the road he was less than 30 ft AGL. As a wingsuit skydiver do you really think his control surfaces are as responsive as a small A/C? I assure you that his pucker factor for that pass was WAAAy high!

 

[yak52driver]

Used to fly skydivers to build time, and I've jumped. Don't know that I'd do that, but the adrenaline rush would be awesome. Skydivers' parties were pretty awesome, too.

 

[Rocketman]

There was a wingsuit "flyer" in Colorado a couple of years ago that jumped out of a plane with the intent of flying just under a bridge and then pulling his chute to land.

He was a few feet high in the groove at the bridge. The guy who jumped a few seconds after him had the angle right, flew thru the pink mist, pulled and landed covered in blood. I shit you not. There is a vid taken from the bridge floating around the web somewhere. Makes a nasty noise.

 

[yak52driver]

There was a wingsuit "flyer" in Colorado a couple of years ago that jumped out of a plane with the intent of flying very close to a bridge and then pulling his chute to land after passing under it.

He was a few feet high in the groove at the bridge. The guy who jumped a few seconds after him had the angle right and flew thru the pink mist, pulled and landed covered in blood. I shit you not. There is a vid floating around somewhere. Makes a nasty noise.

Saw that on Discovery or some other channel. Quite the mess.

 

[smulet]

Wow... amazing they can get so close to the mountains. I felt an adreneline rush just watching them.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

There was a wingsuit "flyer" in Colorado a couple of years ago that jumped out of a plane with the intent of flying just under a bridge and then pulling his chute to land.

He was a few feet high in the groove at the bridge. The guy who jumped a few seconds after him had the angle right, flew thru the pink mist, pulled and landed covered in blood. I shit you not. There is a vid taken from the bridge floating around the web somewhere. Makes a nasty noise.

http://www.break.com/usercontent/2008/3/Wingsuit-Fatality-478451.html.

 

[Banjo33]

Vette--

Link not found. I'm looking too.

Never mind, you just have to remove the "ve" from the end of the link.