Rodeo question

[helxen 0]

What are common sense requirements for successful wingsuit rodeo jump? What should be considered first, how many flights should pilot have in general, which skills are required from passenger and how to video this thingy?

Have a gf whose birthday is quite soon and want make her such a gift :) Currently I have four flights, which is definitely not enough, but after boogie next week going to have about 50.

[katzurki 0]

Does your wife know about the gf?

[helxen 0]

pssst!

actually, read previous ontopic threads and situation is quite clear now.

[Pendragon 1]

Giving a wingsuit rodeo ride, you should be:

- Able to perform barrel rolls smoothly, and on heading
- Comfortable recovering from instability
- Preferably wearing a lower performance wingsuit (at least at first)
- Picking a passanger that's not too big for you!

Get the rodeo to hang on to the riser covers from behind and crouch down a little so that their head is well below yours. If it's a side door, they need to follow you; their legs should leave with yours and should be together. Tailgates are easier, just do a poised exit with legs closed and arms open. The rodeo will most likely not launch quite as expected (your passenger will almost surely screw it up for you) so expect to have to fix a barrel roll out the door. If you can't nail it in 3 goes, give up and get the rider to release. Once you're flying, the rider can sit up, using their knees to grip the bottom of your rig, taking care not to interfere with the BOC.

You might wish to rid yourself of the rider towards the end of the dive by doing a front-loop - that catapults them nicely out of the way.
It would not be unreasonable to expect that, after 50 wingsuit jumps, most wingsuit flyers would have mastered the necessary basics to be able to perform this.... however, ~110 skydives is a little soon for wingsuit flying in general and you probably won't have the necessary experience even with 50 wingsuit jumps to fulfil my second requirement above (recovery from instability) to perform it either safely, or even at all (just spin out of control requiring the rider to get off anyway).

With regards to yourself, I'd wait another year and have a lot more experience under your belt (and closer to 300 skydives). The passenger should not be too inexperienced either, probably a minimum of 70 skydives.

--
BASE #1182
Muff #3573
PFI #52; UK WSI #13

[mccordia 74]

Seeing 2 of those 4 jumps you currently have are exits from 1100 ft, it might be nice to definately get more experience before getting someone else into trouble

Granted, things are done different in russia, but (putting it a bit extreme) injuries and death treat everyone equal...so the more experience, the better..

So if you love your GF, waiting would be adviseable

Rodeo's are also more fun when you know how to fly your suit well, which means the rodeo wont fall as fast...
If 80 to 90 mph is what you can fly on a wingsuit jump, you may want to wait a bit untill you can fly at much, much lower speeds (so the added weight of a rodeo-er on your back doesnt send you hurling towards mother earth at headdown/freefly speeds)

And added lots of smilies to make it look nicer too!!

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[JohanW 0]

If you haven't done so yet, make a rodeo jump without a wingsuit beforehand.
I always climb out as frontfloater with my passenger as backfloater, it works for me (but I have more experience frontfloating than any other position, with or without a suit); make sure passenger knows timing is important in order to make a close exit (arms bent!), it helps to prevent funnels. It is in fact possible to make a stable exit.
Video should be wearing a wingsuit. You can keep up in a track, but the wingsuit will outfly you horizontally after exit.
Required experience: with 110 jumps, I'd take you as a rider (if you also were a pretty little girl, of course ); with you being the horse I'd advise my hypothetical G/F not to get on your back for a couple hundred jumps.
I never bother with a frontloop to throw off my rider, they leave by 5000' by themselves (if your exit altitude is below that, practice the exit but for goodness' sake make it an unlinked one Have you actually practiced instability recovery lately?

Oh, did I mention I think you ought not be in a wingsuit at your jumpnumbers anyway? Also, I think you should upsize your main (you can keep the reserve, but lay off the BASE for some more skydives too) and do things a little differently from those around you

Be safe, have fun, and know we worry.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[funnjumper 0]

Hi Helxen,

Its good you asked your question on here first before attempting to do a pretty advanced technique but ultimately one that is fun to do.
I agree with what everyone has said that it is a good idea to wait until you really feel like you are in good control of your wingsuit, can do lots with it and also get out of trouble in it. It takes time. A few more than 50 would be better.
However, it none the less is a good question and from my experience I will attempt and answer it for anyone who may be more experienced and thinking about it.
Ive done around a number of rodeos, most were classic rodeo with the jockey sitting up, excepting a fantastic Birdman/Rodeo/Atmonauti with G and 5 other atmonautis, WICKED! and also with jockies lying flat.
Ill break it down into stages
1. Preparation 2.Exit, 3. Mounting, 4.Riding, 5.Dismounting, 6. Filming, 7. Other Jumpers.
1. Preparation - Practice on the ground first all the following components, exit, getting on and practice it on the ground, try to find a grassy area if you can but get them on you and if possible have another wingsuiter watch them move evenly, firstly get on you , then move to the riding position. Then practice them getting off. Also rehearse what you'll do if something doesnt go to plan, like maybe they fell off.
2. Exit - remember to get out a lot closer to the landing area than a normal wingsuit jump, and be critically aware of your airspace as you do not want to drift anywhere near another jumper and if you get a bad jockey it can easily happen
For rear door exit I have the jockey stand beside me, holding my risers. I give the count with my body and we jump together. During this time i keep all my wings closed and ensure my body falls flat. You can easily feel when they are on top of you and then gradually open your wings. For side exit -jockey behind in a train holding the risers and rock the count forward and jump into the wind, you should be able to open almost immediately as theyre right behind you.
3. Mounting - once on, the rider wants to move up so their knees are along side your rig. Feet can be on your arse/legs.
But this is vital for any successful rodeo; As the jockey moves they must be critically aware that if they are not straight and balanced they will turn the wingsuit, also if the jockeys feet touch/rest on any wing they will turn the wingsuit. At all times they must move smoothly and balanced. Leaning will throw them off. For the wingsuiter its a pain in the arse if they arent balanced on your back. You will be continually be correcting for them to try to stay on course and its no fun cause you never know what will happen next. Chuck em off is my solution if that happens, Yihaa sucker!
4. Riding - If the jockey is a bigger person I find it best for them to stay lying on your back, and make it fun by doing more radical moves in the air, dive and pull up hard is a rush. If lighter and the jockey is very coordinated they can move up and ride like a jockey holding the risers. For those with very good balance you can let go of risers and kneel on the rig and sit up. Open your arms wide for a huge rush. For those more game again, Ive seen pics of guys surfing a wingsuiter but no video so it never happened, YET!
5. Dismounting - Easy, they can jump off like dismounting a horse, the jockey grabs the risers and throw their legs over the side, or you can barrel roll if they dont wont to get off, a very likely senario for a jumper on first taste of wingsuiting Its not hard to think of other fun and easy ways to play here, just be conscious of snagging gear.
6. Filming - Not easy if the flight is not smooth as they will be going all over the place and its pretty difficult to stay with them. However the best video ive seen of a rodeo came from a freeflyer flying around and beside us and on his back. Tracking is also possible for camera. If your filming with a wingsuit basically think about shutting down your wings for most of the flight, a tracking suit would be better.
7.Other jumpers - Same as for camera flyers, the rodeo pair may go in any direction so be prepared for some radical flying/chasing. However if you have some experience with the same group you can pull off some amazing formations. Ill let your imagination take over from here...

Rodeos are fun but like any other jump practice what you want to achieve and also have a plan b ready for any mishap.

Good luck and let me know how you go, maybe you'll discover something we should all try. WICKED!!

Rocket Rod

[helxen 0]

Thanks Rod for such informative answer.
Just returned from boogie, made about 20 flights (weather was kinda sucky) and thought that i'm not going to allow anyone to ride me - cause i dont want turn two-minute flight into one-minute yet :)