efficient turns?

[pchapman 279]

Any comments for the wingsuit newbie on efficient turns, in the sense of not increasing fall rate a lot or not losing a lot of altitude for a given turn angle?

The lift available at normal wingsuit flight speeds just doesn't seem to make for high-g turns, and there's a lot of momentum to be redirected when making a big change in one's velocity vector.

I'm thinking I might tend to be diving off to the side a bit much while turning. A more agressive, head high flare type turn might get one turned faster with less initial altitude loss, but then leave one with less forwards speed and subsequently more sink. For the very low glide angle flight regime of a wing suit, more gentle turns may be best at not losing as much altitude, by keeping the speed up during the turn and therefore the lift too. But what do I know!

Supporting data: On my first few wingsuit flights this past weekend, JumpTrack readouts were giving 55-60 mph SAS in straight gliding flight and peaks of 90 mph SAS during roughly 90 degree turns. [GTi flown by a novice, 150 lbs body weight]

(Wingsuit flight #1 on the weekend was also jump #1000 for me. Yee hah.)

[ManBird 0]

More leg and less arm gives you a flatter turn.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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[namdrib 0]

I could not think of a better way to celebrate the 1000th jump. Bravo... Oh, and as for the turns, "What ManBird Said"...

Unknowing attempting to take out all 4 wheeled vehicles remotely close to the landing area!

[The111 1]

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More leg and less arm gives you a flatter turn.

Just to clarify, you mean use your legs (more than your arms) for the turn, right? The few turns I've done have been with my upper body and I did notice a huge dive, kind of fun although against the goal of flying long.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[ManBird 0]

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Just to clarify, you mean use your legs (more than your arms) for the turn, right? The few turns I've done have been with my upper body and I did notice a huge dive, kind of fun although against the goal of flying long.

Yes. Banking turns are indeed a lot of fun. Especially when you get a few Gs pressed up against your back. :)

Edited to add:

Here's a good video of what I'm talking about:

http://www.deepart.org/files/ws_flat_turns.wmv

Note that on the left 90, I'm simply raising my right foot a few inches and putting a slight bend in my left elbow. The turn is fast and sharp without much altitude loss. Hope that helps.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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