ManBird

Yo, Chachi! Fun times last weekend! You're all right, despite your Canadian handicap. You headed to Twin Falls this weekend? "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Lisa and Eric are in. I guess I can include you legstraps-tied-together-so-putting-on-a-wingsuit-is-a-pain-in-the-ass-freefly-freaks, as well. Don't know my freefall on the balloon jump (haven't been using ProTrack/Neptune lately). I was paying more attention to exit and distance, both of which felt really nice. Kirk, did you see where/when I pitched after you were in the saddle (I pitched at 1,800')? If I can do exactly that exit, flight, and one-handed pitch in Italy, I'll be a very happy boy, indeed. For some reason, I really enjoyed the feeling and visuals more on this one. Wish I had a *different* rig to suck it down more. I was delaying on exit because I was waiting for Ray to pitch. He just went and went and went. I climbed up, started the count, and THEN saw him pitch. He probably could have gone another 5s and been just fine. Very fun stuff. I wish we had some more suitable (no pun intended) objects for this around here. There's that one up north a bit, but it sketches me out. Anywho... "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

When you think about it, that's a FUCKLOAD of people making BASE jumps. No such thing. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

I recommend a pro pack. Anything over 220' should be fine. You MIGHT want to go with a fine mesh slider -- it might help. You'll want a 42" PC, but since this is an elliptical canopy, it should be collapsible. Be sure to get video, troll. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

The balloon is confirmed! Friday, September 10 in the early AM, we'll kick off with two balloon loads! PM me for your slot! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Nice, BJ. I'd like to try and build some formations at the NW wingsuit boogie. I think a little planning and slot assignment is all we really need. Maybe start with 3-way deltas, the 4-way diamonds. Have "teams" of 3 or 4 work on just those two things, and find out where each person's strength is in the formation. Then start putting the teams together for bigger deltas and diamonds. We could at least give it a shot. Even if we don't complete a 9-way diamond, I feel we'll at make great strides towards doing so. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Jim (flyfishinman). And it's first come first serve. I'll make sure you're on it. It'd be nice to have pretty even numbers of WS vs non-WS people. It's a very cool visual to watch a wingsuit fly off the balloon. Something even Boone's drinking RWers can enjoy! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Sorry, I'm making it public knowledge. Friday, September 10, 2004 at Skydive Oregon, we're kicking off the NW Wingsuit Boogie with two balloon loads! Most likely between 5:30am and 6:00am. Slots are still available! We were trying to make this morning's load an all-wingsuit load. Mission accomplished! Six wingsuit pilots did three kick-ass two ways over Gervais, OR. Very nice flights all around. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful! Our GC could have been better... they got lost driving around and we ended out finding THEM... on foot. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Edit: DELETED! I'll be there. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Naw, your velcro rig works just fine. Even on wingsuit jumps. I saw it with my own eyes just a few hours ago. Very nice flight!

Nice! Was that the stock tall-guy S3 I saw at Bird-Man.com, with blue ribs? Very nice looking suit. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

One of the best lines ever: "It's actually pretty hard to put a shirt on a sheep." You never expect to have one of these conversations. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

SOLD! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

After 10 hops and pops from 3,500' - 14,000' this weekend, all I have to say is this: throw your theories out the window and actually fly a parachute. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Aug 31 -- Wingsuit balloon load in Woodburn, OR -- one slot left! There's now one slot open for tomorrow's wingsuit balloon jump load. You don't have to fly a wingsuit, but you'd stand out without one. It's $75 and we meet at 5am. The area is absolutely beautiful. If you're in Oregon or Washington, you should take advantage of this rare chance to fly a wingsuit from a balloon without having to travel out of the NW! PM me if you're interested. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Usually from behind. Safer, IMO, as well, as there's more time to dial in your path. Though, going from the front gives a cool visual. I prefer to go across on buzzes (as opposed to flying relative). Approach from behind, get a little ahead, and then turn 90°. The visual has to be pretty intense. I'd love to be on the other side of it someday. It's a lot less dangerous than it sounds. And just for clarification, this is in regards to canopies in general. Since there's a BSR now (if for no other reason), we shouldn't even be talking about tandems. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

SUPER quick draw! On the BASE PC pouch, I've been doing something similar (one handed deployment). I rotate my hips to raise my right leg about 6 inches higher than my left and reach back with my right hand, then throw. It makes extracting the PC in that odd direction MUCH easier. And like UC said, it saves altitude and improves heading performance (both somewhat dramatically). My Sabre2 took about 500' to open on a normal skydive -- maybe a little less on a BOC pitch with a wingsuit. Pitching in full flight had me under a skydiving canopy literally within 200' of pitch (from the BASE PC pouch). It was still essentially a 450' - 500' opening, but at a glide ratio of over 2:1, less than half of the opening distance happens vertically. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Major contradiction here. Decreased penetration means a lower glide ratio. How are you defining glide? It's generally horizontal:vertical, but it sounds like you're saying vertical:horizontal. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

GMail is awesome! I have two accounts... wingsuit and bodyflight.

Like any other form of RW... get on level and then slide in. Do not approach on all axes at the same time! Also, once you're next to someone, be very conscious about keeping your body still while you look around. There is a tendency, especially in a wingsuit, to fly in the direction you are looking. Once you're in your slot. Relax and hold still. Try not to make too many little corrections. You generally don't need them -- it's all psychological. One last tip, if the fall rate is good and you're close, try talking to your buddies. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Kleets are surprisingly unpopular. What with the Olympics and all, you'd think they'd be #1. And I must say that of the above options, tying someone's shoes together and kicking them in the stomach with kleets would feel really damn good. For me, that is. Not them. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

You don't actually need them for the golf course. Just push some carpet tacks through the souls. Cheap solution. He just saved me money on carpet tacks! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Hey, that's actually a decent and practical idea. You just saved me money on kleets! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

I feel like I've lost communication with my co-worker, and it's occured to me that, duh, he wears headphones all day! I don't want to infringe upon his right to listen to music at work, so I'm thinking I should do something else. But what? What, I ask? "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Who's in? Winds should be under 8 knots out of the north-north-west all weekend -- nice, light downwinders. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click