so many questions

[The111 1]

I've had nylon crack on the mind a lot lately and had a bunch of stupid little questions I wanted to make posts about, but I don't wanna flood the forum with multiple threads, so I'll put em in here. Answer any and all if you feel like it. :)

1. Maxing out - head position. Based on what I learned from a tracking dive this weekend, there is a HUGE performance difference between head "up" (looking at horizon, along line of flight) and head "down" (looking at ground/between feet, perpendicular to line of flight). The "down" position gives much better fall rates (for tracking at least). Is this true for BM too? I just now realized that on all my WS solos I've been head up, so maybe I can lower my avg speed another 5mph if I drop my head?

2. Are anyone else's Pro-Track graphs spiky? I felt some of my flights were pretty solid, with avgs in the low 50's, but when I looked at the graph it was alternating between 40 and 60mph spikes. I'm guessing this is an inaccuracy or a result of what I was doing with my head, where the device was located (in helmet).

3. A *very* experienced skydiver this weekend told me he thinks the S3 is easier to fly than the GTI, and he would put a student up in it. Anyone agree with this? I've got about 30 GTI jumps and don't feel quite ready for the S3 yet...

4. I overheard a comment that the Sugar Glider can get 4 minutes from 13.5k. Is this accurate?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Head down, shoulders rolled forward, as solid a leading edge as you can make with your forearms/elbows/tris, toes pointed and knees locked out to the sides to really tension the wing.

Pro Tracks suck for wingsuit jumps in my opinion

I have taken more than one student for a first flight in an S3, but no, it don't think it's an easier suit to fly than a GTi. An S3 will really wear you out if you are out of shape. There is a LOT of wing to reach around at pull time in an S3.

I have not heard of anyone going four minutes in a SugarGlider. For that matter, I don't think I have heard of more than three people who have ever even jumped one. To get that from 13.5 this supposed person would have to have been dumping at 100 feet in a BASE rig. I don't buy it.

[TALONSKY 0]

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3. A *very* experienced skydiver this weekend told me he thinks the S3 is easier to fly than the GTI, and he would put a student up in it. Anyone agree with this? I've got about 30 GTI jumps and don't feel quite ready for the S3 yet...

I think that would depend on the definition of easier. Yes it is easier to flock with others that do not have S3 because you do not have to fly hard at all. I did a flocking dive with a bunch of Classics and my body position was rather easy and different( I had my arms rather punched out(to control my fall rate) and my legs were almost at 90° (to kill the foward speed of the S3). The S3 if you are flying hard will kick your ass weather your in shape or not.
Kirk

[mccordia 74]

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I have not heard of anyone going four minutes in a SugarGlider. For that matter, I don't think I have heard of more than three people who have ever even jumped one. To get that from 13.5 this supposed person would have to have been dumping at 100 feet in a BASE rig. I don't buy it.

There was a guy with a sugerglider at the herc boogie, and he wanted to come on a dive.
At exit, he flew out of frame (up!!!) on the herc prop-blast at such an incredible speed that it looked like a leaf got thrown out.

We've seen Andy Ford and Vesa pull of some amazing high exits from the herc, reaching insane hights..way, way above the plane...but what we saw that guy do in his SugerGlider was just amazing..

I'll see if I can upload the exit to skydivingmovies.com tomorrow.

I remember the guy saying it was his 3d jump on the Sugerglider (he did have other type of wingsuit experience I believe) and I believe he sayd he made an easy 3 minute dive (on his first flight ever with it) from 12K back in South Africa..

Too slow to flock with other suits, but amazing airtime..

p.s.
To all Herc birds, I'm finishing off on the editing, the DVD should be ready to ship in one to one and a half weeks...I'll ask Jari to put it on Birdman.com for everyone to download shortly after that!

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[UncleDon 0]

Yeah, I concur with Chuckie on the head position and results, as well as the comment that Pro-Tracks seem............"somewhat deficient" for wing suit flying; I use my Neptune for logging (with the ParaLog software) and the speeds/graphs seem to be pretty accurate based on the activities during the different dives.
As I think I mentioned to you yesterday at the DZ, maybe the other chap's opinion is based on his body configuration- short, lots of bone and muscle mass, not much body fat, therefore pretty dense- combined with his flying of the GTI vs. the S3.
I've had good results using my GTI on some students, usually those with more overall air time and body skills, and an S3 on me. Both suits are generally fairly predictable once you get to know them and have, let's say, "explored the envelope".

[VectorBoy 0]

You nailed the head position situation. This applies for both WS and tracking ( anytime you want to cover distance ). Performance drops off if you got a bulky camera helmet too, this is drag, drag is bad for flight.

Protracs just measure pressure, time and temp. Don't expect much from tiny electrical devices except for a few beeps right around pull time. This is my personal philosophy on most electronic gadgets unless they have been deemed to provide accurate position information in meteorolgical conditions by a high power. If they have been deemed they, were probably stolen out of the dash of an aircraft and are probably the size of a toaster which will fit nicely on a big camera helmet spoiling your laminar airflow.

As far as the four minutes in the sugar glider I couldn't say, but I know a guy who got 3 minutes and change in an S-3. I got my eyes on that boy... do what he do.. fly like he fly...Got a lot of video of that boy... flying for another ten second after I'm under my main But I will never have his hollow bones.