ManBird

I agree and disagree. $30 ground school, $20 air-to-air, $10 suit rental, and 2 slots comes out to $100 at most DZs these days. From the perspective of your average skydiver, that's a lot for one jump. If I'm the only BM-I around, I waive the $20 for air-to-air. That takes it down to $80 -- a little more acceptable. After that, it's only $10 per jump to rent the suit. For my longtime friends at home, it's generally just my slot for a first flight. What I've observed is that it generally takes only one person to take the plunge. One person ponies up $80 - $100 to fulfill their curiosity. When they come down, that's it. They just beam and everyone sees it. There's the market. One curious person provides the confirmation that is needed -- the experience is worth the money -- and it is. The quality of instruction that comes from a BM-I versus a non-BM-I is very noticeable. I look back to when I took people up before getting my BM-I, and how I take people up now -- worlds apart. Granted, an experienced AFF instructor that already has the educational part dialed in may not teach much differently. You get consistent and correct information with your BM-I. A first flight student I took up some time ago borrowed a suit from a wingsuit pilot with over 100 flights, and was relaying the experience to me. The owner of the suit had some really bad advice for him. Not every experienced wingsuit pilot is going to give out bad info, but with a BM-I, you have a much better chance of getting the right info. In other words, "You get what you pay for." The earlier this is understood, the better, I guess. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

A big, hearty second on notsane's post. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Have you been through an AFF course? HAAH!! I somehow managed to not finish that thought! I haven't been through an AFF course, but I discreetly lurked one quite a bit. I've heard of a lot of parallels between the two. The consensus seems to be that the BM-I course isn't quite as intense as AFF, but the model is very similar. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Just got this e-mail and am passing it on: The debut session of the 2004 NW Canopy Club is scheduled for this Sunday, June 20th, at Skydive Oregon. This event is for anyone interested in dedicating part of their skydiving day to improving their canopy piloting skills. Anyone with an A license or higher is welcome. I will have courses and targets set up for all skill levels. This will NOT be an instructional seminar or coaching course put on by any one person, but rather an opportunity to take your current skills to the field, have them videoed, and be constructively critiqued by yourself and your peers. Frequently, watching yourself on video with the input of others is all it takes to make a significant boost in your performance. As these camps continue throughout the summer we will get more technical, but for now I'd just like to get things rolling, so, if you're interested please read on! In order to make this happen I will need at least a small group of participants, so please RSVP to jazaslaw/@/yahoo.com (remove "/"s), ASAP! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

I have a 6' with a 28" PC and a 10' with a 32" PC (setup for use with BASE PC pouch), and both work great. 9' is recommended. I say it's all about pull technique. I still had a PC in tow with a 9' bridle and 28" PC when I was flying through my opening too much (which I can do with with my 32" PC, but not my 28"). "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Hey Chris, I totally sympathize. If you look at my old posts, you'll find that I thought the same thing. I did an OK job of taking students up before I went through the BM-I course. I was flying pretty well and didn't need a patch to prove it. I was essentially forced (extremely coerced) into biting the bullet and taking the BM-I course. I ended out learning a lot from the course -- a lot more than I realized I really could learn. The course is truly as intensive as an AFF course (haven't ), and not everyone passes. Something else I learned is that the skilled instructor fits the role better than the skilled wingsuit pilot (there are often times separate ground and air instructors). The patch doesn't say, "I'm hot wingsuit shit", it's there to identify those who can provide the knowledge that the manufacturer has about wingsuit flight and safety. There are tangible benefits, too. You have access to demo suits and good connections with BirdMan. That was the biggest draw for me. It pays for itself. If you get the rating at a boogie, you'll probably have your money back by the end of the weekend (if you make yourself available). You get listed in the BM-I directory. Skydivers in the area go to bird-man.com to look for the closest instructor and they find you, so you don't even have to go shopping yourself around. At my own DZ, with local jumpers and friends, I give hookups. But once I find myself travelling or holding off on some hard flocking dives, I realize that, hey, these are what they call "work jumps". I have yet to charge BirdMan's full recommended price, but I do charge enough to at least cover my ass. Being a BM-I also has several benefits that apply to purchasing your own suits. Knowledge from experience can't be beat. I ranted and raved about not needing to become a BM-I because I already had the necessary knowledge and skills. The problem is that I was the only one who knew that. The concern BirdMan has, and rightfully so, is inconsistency in training that can result in some very bad things. The only truly wingsuit-related skydiving fatality was in large part due to bad instruction from an "unverified" (and evidently unqualified) instructor. Nop matter how much we think we know, there is still a LOT to gain from the course. I'm sure you do just fine taking new people up, but it's hard to rely on hearsay. There may be gaps or invalid information in your instruction, there may not, but how is anyone to know? The BM-I course is a good thing. It's got to be the most progressive instructional program for wingsuit pilots (don't know the details of Matter's program). "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Get a sword. Swords are rad. My brother stabbed a guy in the abdomen with a sword once -- in self defense against a man with a handgun. I just think stabbing would be so much more gratifying. With a gun, it's all visual, but with a sword, you can feel the blade doing damage. I vote giant blade -- though for personal home protection, I have a heavy, spiked flail. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

HAHAHAAH!!! Yeah, dump the patch. Then get rid of the tabs that connect the wings to the body (so what if most of them are behind the MLW). That's like SEVERAL square millimeters of parasitic drag. You're just falling straight down until you can find a way around this issue. :) "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Exactly. It's not like they show up to a restaurant and need instructions on eating with food with a fork or paying the bill. Hell, these people can even drive a car! But click a button? That's just wacky! "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

I had over/around 300 when I became a BM-I, but had been taking people up before that. I'm glad that I took the course, though. A lot of knowledge and many good things come with getting the BM-I. They still need to send me my patch, though. That sucker's going right on my crotch. Maybe that's why they aren't sending it. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

77. Knowing who Jakob Nielsen is didn't help. If they followed that with a "You think he's full of shit" option, it probably would have lowered the score. I went ahead an e-mailed a rant. Thought I'd share here, too. It's tough to do cutting edge work with these kinds of roadblocks. This is what I put up with everyday. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Good call. I agree. "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" is back in production! He bought the rights back and filming is underway again. For me, I have to give highest honors to my entore top ten (in no particular order): To Live Hero The Emporer and the Assasin Farewell My Concubine Raise the Red Lantern Lolita The Loss of Sexual Innocence Lost Highway Heavy Ghost in the Shell BTW, I've had "Hero" on DVD for over a year, suckas. My friend bought it in China (not a bootleg) and sent it over. If Quentin Tarantino touches one frame, I'm personally removing his big ass head. Just remember that Zhang Yimou, one of the greatest directors ever, is the creator of this film. Tarantino simply bought the rights and put his name on it. Every film Zhang Yimou or Chen Kaige (they work together a lot) has ever made is absolutely amazing: Zhang Yimou Chen Kaige "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Only if they've had two sex changes. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Good call. I wear like a 32/33, but ordered 36 or 38 (I forget which). I measured with my leg straps on, in case I ever wanted to wear them under the Pantz. The strappy thingy makes them fit at the waist. Along these same lines, it's good to wear very little underneath them. If it's cold, I just wear thermals. If it's not... just try not to stare into the mesh inlets. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

I've jumped all of the above, but none were subterminal. BirdMan BASE Pantz absolutely smoke the "normal" (freefly) version in tracking. The freefall version is more well-rounded for general skydiving. The BASE version is a totally different beast. I've been averaging about 76MPH down and about 96 MPH forward (at terminal). I never got below the high 80s on the normal version (but also didn't jump them as much). Smoke pants vs Pantz is REALLY subjective, because no two pair of smoke pants are the same. Withe version I made, I found that I had a decent fall rate right away (sub 80 on first jump), and it took almost no work to get a low fall rate. I threw in a "smoke jacket", as well, so I don't have experience with the head-low flight that others have reported. The BirdMan Pantz took a little more work to start hitting the same fall rates, but they don't hinder my forward speed at all, and actually add about 5MPH to it. The smoke suit had a lot of drag in general, which severely cut back my forward speed (by almost 20MPH!) giving an overall lower glide. But then again, this is all out of a plane. Either one will inflate immediately (stiff breeze will inflate my Pantz). If you're doing something that is just high enough to let you do a little tracking, my guess is that the surface area of a big smoke suit will catch sooner and get you tracking earlier. For something big and terminal, you'll probably get more distance from the BirdMan Pantz. I'd highly recommend having both. Search this forum for threads on making your own smoke suit. The basic idea is ZP material (waterproof works well), sealed "outlets" (wrists and ankles), and very tiny inlets high up on each piece (usually grommets on the inner/upper shoulder and upper thighs (slightly inner)). My whole suit was $38. Wear the smoke pants oustide of your leg straps, but make the waistband TIGHT, or you might pull a Tom (pants around the ankles in freefall). BirdMan Pantz can be worn under leg straps without a performance hit, but the leg straps should be a little loose. Plus, they make your ass look rad. In the last nine months or so, I have about 100 skydives between the three above mentioned articles of clothing (all other jumps are wingsuit). "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Good call, Jalisco. Think about the perceptions of any "falling" sport -- skydiving, BASE, bungee jumping, etc. Totally makes sense. In addition to the fear of falling, I think a lot of people drastically underestimate gear and overestimate their own ability. People think they won't get have a serious collision skiing or snowboarding because they can "move out of the way". The won't fall rock climbing because they can just "hang on". They won't go over any edges where they can "hit the brakes". People are under the illusion that they can handle a crisis situation because of their ability to become a deer in headlights. They realize that this wouldn't save them in a "falling sport". They don't realize that not everyone freezes up, and that not every "fall" presents a crisis. And they drink human blood. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

He did. Not in that video, obviously. But the word from Perris is that they docked a couple weekends ago. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

"Here... play with this ball." Nice. That almost seems intentional. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Or an autoporn... "Michael, why don't you take off my fan belt and give me an oil check." OK, I'm going to hell for that one. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Not quite true; between the barnstorming days of Clem Sohn, Harry Ward and Leo Valentin, their was a Gypsy Moths style resurgence in the 60s by the likes of Bill Cole, Tommy Boyd, Don Molitor, Lyle Cameron Sr and C.H. Laurin I considered those to be part of the first birdman era, which ran from the 30s to the 60s (edit: which is probably why one of the pics you posted reads "Last of the Batmen" ). I don't think there was a huge gap between the original barnstormers and the ones portrayed on film. Well, not a 30 year gap, like there was after "Gypsy Moths". And good call on Aarns' suit. I went back and looked at the first draft of the "Invasion of the Skyflyers" article, which mentioned Aarns, and had it down as "early nineties". "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Dude, they're only like an inch high and surrounded by sand. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Skydivers undertaking impossible tasks Sandwich up in there! Some unusually impressive tits "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

http://www.skydiveoregon.com July 24 - 29 Don't forget about the Freedom Jam on August 27 - 29. Icarus Evolution will be here for coaching. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

For really, it depends on a few factors, such as body weight, height, and fit of the suit. Also, what is "good" is really subjective. What you consider to be a reward from your flight really depends on what you want. Do you like a quite, relaxing float or do you like the rush of screaming across the sky? Do you like piña colada and long walks in the rain? Going off a tangent... this seems to be the case with a lot of people. Supposedly, the GTi has thinner wings, but I've seen people cover a LOT of ground in Classics, even on their first jumps. When I fly my GTi (about 200 jumps on it) against someone with a few jumps in a Classic, I generally float the hell out of them (even the tall, skinny bastards), but don't cover as much ground. Might just be how I fly it. I think a lot of people get into their Classics, kick ass pretty quickly, but then start going for max freefall time, effectively killing their glide. Look at guys like Smiley that just go for glide, and you'd be amazed at how much ground one can cover with a Classic, while maintaining a respectably low fall rate. What this means is that one day, we just might see "Knight Rider: The Movie" make it to the big screen. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click

Did you have fun? If so, you did pretty good. "¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click