How many Classic jumps before a Skyflyer jump?

[leoholanda 0]

Taken from birdman website:

"Like its predecessor, the Skyflyer, the Skyflyer.3 (or S3) is a wingsuit meant for experienced wingsuit flyers."

So, how many classic jumps are needed before trying a Skyflyer? 5, 30, 100, 300?
What about the others (S3 and GTi)?

[kevin922 0]

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Taken from birdman website:

"Like its predecessor, the Skyflyer, the Skyflyer.3 (or S3) is a wingsuit meant for experienced wingsuit flyers."

So, how many classic jumps are needed before trying a Skyflyer? 5, 30, 100, 300?
What about the others (S3 and GTi)?

You can't really put a "x number" of jumps.. a typical safe progression is 5 - 10 on a classic 15 - 30 on a gti, then a s3.. your milage will vary.

Going from a classic to an s3 is a pretty big jump but can be done, probably the best thing to do is find a loaner GTI to put a few jumps on (if you already have a classic)

[crawford 0]

I started out with about 30 jumps on a GTi, then went to an originaly Skyflyer. I had someone tell me recently that flying the S-3 was easier than the Skyflyer, something about the leg wings on the S-3 were bigger, in effect causing more stability. Am anxious to see if that is true. But it took several jumps on the Skyflyer to get used to it after feeling pretty confident on the GTi.

"Sure, those Golf Carts may look all warm and fuzzy, but they WILL take a chunk out of your ass!"

[leoholanda 0]

Thank you,
Your advises were pretty valuable. I have never fly any winged suit. I'm going to buy a classic at first and thats it. When I feel comfortable and secure I will think about looking for a GTi. I posted my first question because I saw a cheap used Skyflyer that the sizes fits me.
Blue skies.
Leo Holanda

[leoholanda 0]

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I'm sorry, you went how FREAKIN' FAR with your wingsuit? DAMMIT!!!

I was thinking about renting a classic for some jumps to get some wing suit experience and then buy an used Skyflyer that is for sale because it is cheap and fits me well. But I started to collect some information and my conclusion is that I have to wait more.
The problem is that I'm gonna be the first birdman jumper in my area, there is no other jumper. So, I'm looking for some experienced ones by the net who can exchange some knowledge. The nearest experienced birdman jumper lives in São Paulo which about 3000km far from here...
So, I will have patience and look for an used classic that fits my sizes and thats it. When I feel comfortable and secure I will think about looking for a GTi.

[leroydb 0]

i had 60 on a classic then went straight to a SF3

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[kevin922 0]

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Thank you,
Your advises were pretty valuable. I have never fly any winged suit. I'm going to buy a classic at first and thats it. When I feel comfortable and secure I will think about looking for a GTi. I posted my first question because I saw a cheap used Skyflyer that the sizes fits me.
Blue skies.
Leo Holanda

I don't know anything about you, or your experience with wingsuits - but if it is possible for you to put a few jumps on a classic that is a demo or loaner, purchasing a gti for your first suit may be smart. You'll quickly "outgrow" the classic.. the gti has a great performance range.

[leoholanda 0]

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I don't know anything about you

Thank you again for your advice. Two week ago I was in São Paulo in a dropzone of Macos Pettena, the Birdman, the most experienced Birdman flyer in Brazil. He was giving me one-on-one training, but it was not possible to me to jump because of a weather hold. This situation really induced me to think about buying my own, so I can use in my home dropzone. But, since I have no more than 250 jumps, I'd better get a classic one.

Blue skies and long flights!
Leo Holanda.

[vesatoro 0]

That's a healthy attitude I'd say :)

Nice flights

Vesa
BMCI

"Fear is the path to the Dark side"
(Master Yoda)

[billvon 3,116]

I put about 60 jumps on a Classic 1 before transitioning to the S3. It was a little hairy for the first few jumps, but within 20 jumps or so I was comfortable in the S3.

[jverley 1]

I started directly on an S3. I have not jumped any other suit, but the S3 was what has been available for me. I have not had any problems with it but I only have 10 jumps on it.

John
Arizona Hiking Trails

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

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That's a healthy attitude I'd say :)

Nice flights

Vesa
BMCI

Exactly my sentiments. You can do some bad-ass flying in a Classic. Don't go out and buy a SkyFlyer or an S3 right off the bat thinking "I better do it to keep up with the Jones's". This, especially if you are are not at a dropzone with a lot of people with the high-end suits. Being the only one on your dropzone with a big suit is entirely overkill, as you will end up flying dirty in flocks to stay back with others on smaller suits. I say don't go for anything larger than a GTi for your first suit. If, magically, you do end up being the only person on your dropzone with that small a suit, then when it comes time to upsize, you will have another suit hook your buddies up with.

It's always been my opinion that you can't have enough wingsuits; I own three.

Chuck
BMCI

[VectorBoy 0]

I had about 36 classic jumps before I tested an S3 and that was simply out of curiosity with no intention of buying one... until I tried it that was.

My classic flights were full tilt after about 10 getting used to it. I'm talking flips, backflying and extreme turns or spins up high when solo and flying relative when with others. Transition to the S3 was smooth at first as long as I didn't try to MAX it, something I did in small steps. Most people don't see better numbers on the bigger suits for quite a while as it takes sometime to learn.

To add to Chucks comments, If you are getting a bigger suit as a first to keep up with the jones and most everyone else you fly with is in other suits and not flying them in their sweet range requiring you to fly dirty all of the time you wont have fun. You wont be relative, not easily. The suits have their sweet range of flight, this range has a great deal of overlap. But if you find yourself always at the extreme bottom of the envelope the suit will be just as twitchy as you would be trying to max it out. Twitchy, wobblely and dirty at the bottom of the envelope of an S3 is not what you want to be doing while everybody else is just cruizing along in a a nice smooth formation taking wing docks. At least not until you learn to safely and smoothly explore the bottom end of the envelope as you will explore the top end of the envelope. All of this takes time and jumps, experience and exposure. This may in the end require you to stick to doing two ways with like equipt friends ( if you are lucky and have this as an option ) to just be plain left out of the bigger flocks. At least not "in it" doing transitions and wingdocks like you really want to be. You may go as far as to get another slower suit to play with everyone else. This is one reason most everyone who had a classic or GTI at first tends to keep it instead of going for a sale. Classics flown in their sweet range can keep up with any flock myself and buddies find ourselves on while the top end of the S3 envelope is really only touched during two ways or solo. Something to think about.