The111

My hair is not laughing. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I recently jumped without a helmet for the st time on a 2-way wingsuit jump. I enjoyed it (I still can't get over how CRISP my canopy sounded when it opened!!!) and did a few more solos like that. But I missed having my audibles. I've seen pictures of people attaching their audible(s) to their goggle strap. My worry would be that I'd somehow lose the goggles (through riser strike or something else I haven't thought of), and an expensive Dytter (or 2) along with them. So then I thought of somehow attaching a lanyard to the goggles, and oh, say my neck. But then I got all these mental images of strangulation and that sucked. So the question is - is there any safe way to ensure you cannot lose goggles on a helmetless jump? With the helmet on, the goggles are pretty much guaranteed to stay there (unless of course you lose the helmet too). Without the helmet, it's a different story... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

While we're on the topic, what is a good summary of the body positions required for each of those tasks? My guesses are: FAR - From a "straight as a board" position (arms/legs in line with body, wings fully extended, toes pointed, knees locked, hips/chest/shoulders all straight and in line), rolls shoulders and de-arch at hips/chest *slightly* SLOW - Same as above but take the de-arches at hips and chest even further, to the point of "hugging the beach ball" I could be way off base here, but these are my current guesses. I'm also flying a GTI, and maybe it's different between suits? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

When people talk about 3-min S3 skydives, are they flying very near stall, or with a somewhat acceptable glide? /still hung up on numbers... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

My thoughts exactly. Flocking is fun, and on medium speed flock dives I can be very solid. But when I try to go super slow I get quite shaky and can't hold a constant speed. Although the record setting solos are getting a bit boring, there is still skill being built. Once I can hold my slowest position smoothly, and do a 3 min flight consistently, I'll quit that garbage altogether. I'm sure it will be useful for WS BASE in the distant future... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Come on guys, grow up. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I'm getting sick of my Flex Z goggles and am thinking about trying Peersers or Cruisers. They look nearly identical to me in the pictures. 1) Which is better for contact lense wearers? 2) Which is more durable? Thanks!

Steve, you've truly lost it I think. Btw, the weird "flippers" are freediving FINS! I have my own, but they are different than the ones shown. And about the whole not wanting to leave your family behind to take a course one time... does this mean that BMCI's cannot have families? Because if they have to travel EVERY SINGLE TIME they give a course, their families will truly suffer. Versus the students having to travel only once in their life... EDIT: Steve, PLEASE tell me you're tripping or something right now. Because right after I post that you lost it, I see your new avatar... ?!? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Out of curiosity, why would you offer to pay for the instructor to travel to you, but refuse to travel to him? On a broad cultural scale (forget wingsuits and even skydiving), it is traditional (for a reason) for students to seek out instructors. Not the other way around. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I don't know anything, but when I recovered my cutaway canopy from a slightly murky swamp, I took it home and swished it around in a bathtub full of cold water, and repeated until the water came off clean. Then I hung it up to dry. The downside? The canopy was finally getting easy to pack, and now it is all crispy again!!! www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Woohoo! www.WingsuitPhotos.com

There are instructions for measuring on the order form, or you can get measured by a BMI or by Kim or Erika at the office in DeLand. Be warned though, I think there is currently at least a 6-8 week wait time on new suits (disclaimer - contact Birdman, don't take my word for it!). So not in time for the Keys... :( www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Very impressive Scott, and here I thought my first jump of 66mph was brag-worthy. What suit did you jump? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Had fun Scott, sorry I didn't get to say bye to you, I was holed up in the office taking my C license exam so I can go to the Keys. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Hey G, saw you at Seb today. :) And get ready Perry, I will be at the Keys!!! (with a wingsuit) Sat and Sun for sure, possibly Thurs and/or Fri as well. I still haven't bought (or ever seen) flotation gear yet, but somebody told me it is supposed to be attached around your waist... is that going to be a problem for those of us wearing wingsuits? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Will be there first thing Saturday morning, ready to fly... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Hmm, I actually used to do that for my first few WS jumps, but I was having a lot of problems then and gave it up, thinking that raising my arms was exposing my wings too much. I guess I could give it another go... Thanks Ed. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

On the topic of linetwists, I thought I'd share a discovery I made recently. I was still getting linetwists sometimes, and it was very puzzling. After tossing, I'd put my arms to my sides, keep all wings closed, arch, and look up. I'd watch the canopy start to inflate. Perfect, on heading. When it was 90% inflated, and I was pretty seated up, I'd look down at my hands and start unzipping. After that I'd look back up and see 2-3 linetwists, with severe harness shift that caused me to immediately start diving. This happened several times before I finally figured it out. Even though the canopy was 90% inflated, it was still sensitive to harness shift in those final inflation moments, and when I looked down and unzipped one arm, I guess I would subconsciously put my weight toward one hip to make the unzipping easier. So, now I do not move either hand until *100%* inflation. I just stare at my risers and try to keep them even by keeping my hips weighted evenly. To me, that's the most important thing, because even with 10 linetwists, my canopy will fly straight if the risers are even. But just 2 linetwists with harness shift can get worse fast. Anyway, dunno if anyone else experienced anything similar, but I thought I'd share because this puzzled me for a while and I was proud when I figured it out. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Did anybody else mention the near miss that happens at 32:20-32:26? That's what it looks like to me at least, I could be wrong... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Agreed. Leave me the fock alone. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I don't think my GTI has a stash pocket inside it. Does it? Anyway, thanks for all the other info guys. I will probably try the Neptune as an altimeter. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Yes, I've been a crazy post-whore in this forum the past few days. Nylon crack, that's my only excuse. I want to buy a Neptune primarily for extended logging, but I would also like accurate speed measurements/graphs if possible (yes, I'm a nerd). However, I don't want to depend on it as my primary wristmount altimeter - I have a Galaxy I'm more than happy with for that. So, does anyone know if a helmet mounted Neptune will register accurate speeds? I'm also concerned that having a Neptune on one ear and a Pro-Track on the other will confuse me. I already have a Pro-Track and Dytter combo that works great. Maybe there is somewhere else I can strap the Neptune? I used to keep my Pro-Track on my MLW for accurate freeflying speed measurements, but removed it from there when I started mounting the wingsuit to the rig because I thought it might damage the wingsuit. I am now the owner of one Pro-Track, two Dytters, and soon a Neptune... way too much $$$ spent on devices I can't use all at once. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Yeh, I guess in some ways the "transfer" would be a nice way to ease into real RR landings. I could do a very short RR flare to toggle finish the first time, and progressively increase the amount of time I use RR's until I don't need the toggles at all. Does that sound logical? Of course I will practice up high still and wait for good conditions to try at landing... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I think I understand that HP landers "transfer" from rears to toggles at some point during the swoop. I never quite understood this because it seems to me the that in the split second between letting go of the rear pressure and adding pressure to the brake lines, you'd lose lift and drop. I'm not asking about HP landings, however, I think my confusion does still apply. I understand why you'd recommend against dropping toggles, but if I learn rear riser landings now, it will be from a straight in approach (NOT a HP landing), and it will be for the sole purpose of preparing me for a broken brake line (in which case the toggles will be useless). To me, even under my huge 170 with no HP speed inputs, landings still seem to happen relatively quickly and instinctually. I start flaring and next thing I know I'm planing out and surfing (if the wind is low enough). It seems like a split second. If I *were* to try rears, I can't see having the time to think about aborting them halfway through and going back to toggles. I feel like by then my ankles would already be hurting. Maybe this means I shouldn't try a RR landing yet. I just feel like if I did I'd want to commit and NOT think about reverting to toggles during the flare... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Bringing back an old thread... one more question. Initiation height - do you start a rear riser flare at the same height you'd start a toggle flare? I've been practicing up high a lot but am still scared to try for real. But I want to try sometime before I downsize... EDIT: And another question. Where is the best place to "grab" the risers? Right at the attachment to the lines? And do you drop the toggles or leave them in your hands too? www.WingsuitPhotos.com