saly

I am certain it is a packing problem. The pintail even though it is elliptical is what I have done all my wingsuit jumps on. Its gave me some line twist on my first few jumps but not in the last 30 odd. I love this canopy even though it has a generally bad reputation, done 500+ jumps on it and never had a problem. When I packed it for the jump I debated the line stowage with myself (not mad but analytical)if I should take a double wrap of the bungies or not. In the first instance if I took a double wrap it could potentially cause the d bag to spin on deployment if there was to much tension, or take one wrap with the risk of line dump which I did. With high insight I should have replaced them. On the borrowed rig, I did not pack it but it has been used for wingsuits before without a problem. It is a second backup rig and with a 2 month old packjob? I would prefer to keep using the pintail but I think the dynamics of a non elliptical are better for wingsuiting. This weekend was playing catch up on chops I think. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Hey Scott The body in the student hard arch with legs and arms closed, like a banana, stable and as solid as a rock Maybe wrong term, boxman minus arms and legs I think I would rip my wings off to get into the boxman --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Well it happened, 19yrs and 2600 jumps since my last one, I had not one but two chops in a row. I have posted here and not in the incidents forum for a specific purpose. Incident forum seems to often elicit tangential responses and my reason is that it is wingsuit specific. One of the biggest fears a new wingsuit pilot has is what will happen when you have a malfunction with your restricted movements and how will you deal with it. Almost like having your first chop again. Running through the two chops. The first one was a two way flock from 10K the day before and deployed at 3.5 stable and in the boxman, as soon as I had line stretch I knew there was a problem. Initially two line twists so I could not lift my head back, these cleared quickly but a radical rotation had developed. My initial reaction was with my arm wings still zipped up, reached my right riser and pull it to stop the rotation, I have done this before to good effect. When I could look up the slider was caught in a pressure knot at the cascades and the rest came down to drills and training no other way out. Make sure the wings are shut down, good boxman position clean EP drills so I was in the saddle and cleaned up by 2k. Our DZ at Cato Ridge is on a plateau with virtually shear 1000 foot drop-offs into a valley with rural homesteads and riverine bush. The spot was also a bit out and I opened over the edge. I dropped my ripcord and lost sight of my freebag and main due to a desire to get to a safe landing area away from some nasty power lines and terrain. My thought was that I was now in he market for a new system! The terrain is such that it is near impossible to find lost equipment if it lands off the DZ. My first point of search also confirmed this. I then went further down the road into the valley and low and behold there was a shinny silver thing in the road, my ripcord! ( what are the chances? Punters on the DZ suggested I get a lottery ticket, my luck was good) The rest was easy(ish), downwind in a straight line on the far slope was my main which I recovered and with some help from the locals who pointed out my freebag in a thorn tree and was painfully recovered. So take two, first flight of the day 2 way flock, on a borrowed rig from the CI and exactly the same, pressure knot and radical spiral clear decision for chop, close wings, boxmanposition, pull handles (keep them this time) and land safely with the main and freebag on the dz this time. The important things of the lessons learnt. • GET INSTRUCTION. My first few flights I did the read the manual and some reading up ask a few questions and jump. Tonto and his crew visited us a few months back and gave us instruction and if it was not for this I think the outcome may have been different. • CURENCY. A malfunction on a wingsuit is a high pressure situation given the constraints and if you are not up on you game, don’t play! • DRILLS. When you make the decision to chop you start a chain of events that you must carry out like clockwork and don’t waste time. I am confident in the boxman position without having to cutaway my wings come reserve time, I have no control of them if I do. • ELLIPTICAL CANOPIES. The first cops was from my old favourite canopy a Pintail 144. The pressure knot was most likely line dump from loose bungies and the second on a Spectre 132 supposedly docile non elliptical. I have given thought to my position on deployment being the cause but I was stable and wings shut down both times. I think I will be putting the Pintail into retirement and going non elliptical none the less. I hope my experience assists any wingsuiters that have any doubts about these fundamentals of wingsuiting. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

The KZN Flock still grows, well done to Jono Bath for doing his first flight at last. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Talking proportions. I figure there are a number of different proportions that effect wing suit flight characteristics. Height to body mass ratio Crotch to toe length/body length Arm length Male or female relating to C of G (shoulder hip thing) Is there amy indication of which is/are the optimum for wingsuiting? --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Ja Bru Dis lekker by die see. If in SA come play at Cato --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Lekker soos 'n Fire Kraker! --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Because when Dutch gets exported, to say Africa you get Afrikaans --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

I suggest you find a good chiropracter and do some exercises to strengthen your back. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

It was great having you guys down with us and thank you all for taking the time to indulge us with our time. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

It was great having yo guys down. The scope of what we can do in KZN has huge potential, next time we can explore the terrain a bit more. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Yet one more in the FlocKZN We going to have a swarm here. Tomorrow we play! --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

Let's add 3 more to the FlocKZN today! --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

The flock grows here in KZN in South Africa. Tonto with some birds can down to teach some first flights and show other birds how to fly. Five new birds later with at least 6 more before Wed, this can only grow. We even managed to get a five way flock. This rocks! --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly

This is a sad time. The sport has lost a great assets. Piers go well my friend, there are no words. PPC will remember you. --------------------------------------------- If you don't have wings you will never fly