mccordia

So you're saying being light/skinny and having a large wingsuit are of no influence? Funny how everyone else seems to grasp the concept of humor and whats actually talked about. Yet you state incorrect things (regarding weight being no influence on glide, in real world situations) and just ignore it, trying to distract by putting your personal dislike center stage. Again..try and understand what's written. And also try and see how 15:1 glide ratios might be a 'slight' exaggeration on the actual real world phenomenon a light frame and big wingsuit, together or as seperate factors being of WAY bigger influence on your results in glide/hangtime than skills. Again, not saying skills dont come into it. But with just low weight, and a big suit you can already get there 3/4th of the way when it comes to good hangtime results. The only weaseling on display is your own inability to look past your personal dislike for a person, and try and actually mingle in the actual discussion at hand. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

With aggressive flares/directional changes, the barometric ones can give big deviations as well. When doing carves around formations, my estimated speed varies from about 160 mph dives to about 20/30 mph on the relative 'up'. Yet the readings from barometric logger show climbing of up to 20 mph in some cases. And thats flying a small suit. Its the actual over-pressure under the body thats creating the illusion the barometric alti is a lot lower than it is on the flare, and than suddenly shooting back 'up' to the normal/actual altitude. Its sometimes hard to trust all the gizmo's when we're using them for anything else but straight-line flying. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

You DO realize you're a quote on 15:1 glide ratios serious, while bitching about the part of the text that's actually correct? Though lan-knowledge on glide indicates we should all have the same glide, regardless of weight. In real life situations, its usually the skinny people who are favored. And by accident you do see people with low/no skill put on huge suits and do quite well falling super slow. No control aside from flying in a straight line, and even that not by skill but luck and some wresteling. But good distance and slow falling still. By accident. Im not saying there is no skill in performance flying. Thats the old grumpy muppet in you, again taking things way out of context. The finetuning of the top 20 to 30% performance will always be about skill. But the base performance, you get that largely as a present from the suit/body build combination. Try telling the 120kg guys flying wingsuits that they can fly the same glide as Lurch with practice. Simply not true. While even Lurch wrote before about new kids, fresh on the scene making him work from jump #1 Noop..not emphasizing pilot size and weight is more important over skill. Just saying pilot size and weight CAN be a more important factor than skill. Surely a professor should get the difference between those two statements. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

All I said was that the chance of a noob in a big suit getting a good glide, without actual skills/experience, is quite possible. As shown in several comps, where relatively new people set amazing scores with low experience. You'll never hear me say you cant get better and set even higher scores. But guess thats a point you'll ignore for the sake of (again) having something to bitch about Less time on dz.com and more time spent in a wingsuit JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Shouldnt be an issue. I backfly with all shapes/sizes rigs, even up to 210 student rigs, and never a problem. It is important to never use a 'sit' position (legs up, but down) backflying. zero speed = arms open, legs closed, straight spine full speed = arms open, legs open, straight spine And you work the subtle differences and angle from the shoulder. When you put your but into it, you do burble the inlets and may get less that perfect inflation. Every year many hundreds of suits are made, so chances of one or two having an issue, its possible. But contact us at PF, and be it technique or actual suit issue. We'll work it out, and make sure you end up smiling. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I don't...you did...you wrote an incorrect statement about weight. But lovely to see your eternal need for conflict hasn't faded... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Hi Ash, Though dropzone.com is a great place, you'll probably have better luck talking to the manufacturer about the problem. No idea what it may be, but shoot me an email on jarno@phoenix-fly.com and we will figure it out, and if need be do a fix in the factory or replace the suit for you free of charge. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Actually lighter frame can have quite a big effect on glide as well. A longer freefall (even if its just 10 or 20 seconds more in the comp window) in skydiving often also adds to glide, as you almost always benefit from a tailwind. The effect of less weight on glide is more/less depending on high or low upper winds. But even mild 30kmh upper winds can already give you 80 to 160 meters more depending on how much slower you're falling (thus benefiting from the uppers longer). Looking at the competitions, an added 100 to 200 meters can for sure make a huge difference in the end results. Into wind, it would be the other way around, but most competitions (and skydiving in general) tends to be done with upwind jumpruns. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

If you're standing at the same level the flyers plane out, than that would also be 'actual proof'. Otherwise you're stuck with the same problems in accurately judging how much of an actual climb or drop there is. Which bring us back to incorrect parameters for accurate measurement. Loic already can be seen going 'up' in an Sfly Expert relative to a CRW stack he passes, in the 2005/2006 movie/DVD 'Soulflyers'. Its all about reference and perspective. But with cheap quadcopters becoming the norm more and more, for sure at some point we'll get an actual on-level shot that clearly shows what's happening during aggressive flares. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Aside from being interested in factual data, no real drive to do so. There's better things to do in the mountains instead of trying to prove you go up 2 or 3 meters. Wingsuit is a great discipline, but claims and facts often are wide and far apart, and like many others here; Its often just amusing when things are taken way out of context and used as proof or evidence for something, which it actually doesn't show to be all that conclusive. When it comes to proof, GPS readings are so far the only semi-reliable source. And even though are more buggy than apple's latest IOS release. That aside, GoPro's are never what you want when it comes to judging distances and/or perspective...you want something with as little wideangle/fish-eye distortion on the lens as possible, to get footage one can actually use to gather some data on whats happening. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

No..it just shows you went slower than speed at which the tandem-canopy sinks. Even a 5 to 10 mph fallrate, you will be going 'up' relative to tandems. Most proof so far is ground cameras looking up. The camera being on level (the setup shveddy lists), is the only way. The rest is only great visuals. Again, before people start throwing 'shitty little wingsuit' type fits, nobody is saying it is or isn't possible. Just stating how you'd actually capture it in a way where the 'evidence' gives you some actual hard data. And so far, the 5 to 10 meter climbs logged via (slightly noisy) GPS tracks with FlySight on PPC/Paralog, are the only thing close to actual proof. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Anyone ever explain to you what the concept behind humor and sarcasm is? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

The problem with a lot of the 'proof' is the lack of reference (and understanding of perspective). As with your posted image. Even depending on allignment/rotation, the PC is clearly pullled up. And the canopy going 'down' is often a by product of it not being inflated yet, but having weight and thus dropping. Seeing the ground behind you is something any hard opening can produce on a wingsuit jump (even skydive). Not saying you're not climbing. But also saying, as 'proof' its hard (if not impossible) to judge. And getting objective, measurable results needs to be key. Setting up a camera on a ridge, at a flyby point and having a wingsuit fly past that (in the clear/open valley) and trying to have a max flare so its clear (seen from the side, at an exact on level angle) that the wingsuit goes beneath the point where the camera is, and comes back up higher, would be the only way. And it would have to be close, as even a few degrees lower or higher will already give it a distorted view. On the PPC jumps, people are getting 6 to 10 meter 'climbs' over several seconds, after 1000+ ft high speed (nearly headdown) dives, way beyond what we are doing in the base environment. Yet only 6 to 10 meter climbs, where we're seeing claims of climbs up to 100/200 meters at speeds that make a jetfighter look tame (but again, only as seen from the ground at off-angles). Again, before someone gets agressive, nobody is saying there isnt an actual climb happening. But the stuff provided as evidence mostly shows a lack of understanding of perspective. Nothing more. GPS seems to be our only (buggy) way of getting some truthfull results. Doing 3D animation/Compositing, Ive spent a lot of time doing image analysis regarding depth/3D allignment. And judging angles from the ground is simple hard, if not impossible. Even a simple video where the wingsuit pilot is clearly going down, can look like he/she is going up is shot from the right angle. Being exactly on level, static (not under canopy or an otherwise moving object) seems to be the only way to really do this. A simple camera drone thats 'parked' somewhere in the middle the of valley in LB, with a camera aimed straight ahead, might be the safest way of testing/trying to actually capture this on camera in a way that accurately represents the truth. Diving at balloons and flying under/over bridges recalls public/media stunts that showed these activities to be a less succesfull 'do or die' approach. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I'm coming to Perth to see Scott, and doing some wingsuit coaching stuff on his DZ. So for sure we'll bump into eachother Blue skies! Long flights! Enjoy your suit, and enjoy your FFC. You'll love it! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Hi Alex, There is a video on rigging on our Vimeo page Phoenix-Fly Rigging Manual - Video I understand its most likely to already rig/test the suit at home, but do hope you are planning on getting some quality instruction on actually flying the suit once you hit 200 skydives. Should you need some names of good Ozzy coaches, just give me a shout via a PM and Ill send you a few suggestions. Or I'll be in Perth myself in only 5 weeks, should you want to drop by for a First Flight Course. All the best! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Hi Jhonathan. Aside from complimenting you, and telling people, the suit is 'big'. There isnt a single other point to be made. Even the one 'smaller' suit is a big one, and would have had people scratch heads just a few year ago saying 'f*ck...thats huge'. The 'arguements' are just linked to the discussion, about whats a good progression. And maybe Im wrong, but it strikes me as very odd to call a suit thats 'smaller' an actual 'small suit'. Had you flown that competition in an I-Bird, Sfly Expert, Phantom....sure...thats a small suit. I'm missing the negative thing in 'an observation' that a suit flown is not 'small'. Congratulations on your victory. As well as going into a pointless argument online, pretending to win it, and than claiming to opposite You dont see me making negative claims or judgement calls about your love of flying, or amount of jumping. Probably would be wise to do the same the other way around. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

You're turning this into a huge discussion, but you're not answering the question and ignoring the facts/pictures. The photo posted, thats the suit he flew in China. Is that the 'small' suit you're talking about? I understand the need to call out which suit is based on what design. But look passed that stuff, and simply judge the pictures based on the actual size of the suit. That's a huge, carpet-sized, big ass wingsuit. Sure there may be bigger ones. But that doesnt make this small by a long shot. Grippers that are about double the length of a normal Sbird. An armwing about double the size, with the wingroot extending all the way to the ankle, several cells wide. Look at that pictures, and explain how that ties into your quote??? If you honestly believe that's a small suit (again, look at the pictures) thats a big problem in my book, and safety wise, you honestly need to start revising your view on what is big and small with regards to what you coach/advise. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Looking at the pictures from China, and the suit he is flying here I see a huge carpet. Perhaps its your definition of what defines small/large that needs some revision? As if this is what's considered a small suit by your book, Im starting to see one source for the whole issue of people upsizing way to fast these days... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I hope you're also joking there.....the suit Jhonny flew was 'huge'!!! Just because there are 'bigger' suits around, doesnt suddenly make this small and docile. There is big, bigger and ridiculous. But dont let that influence your view/image of whats normal/intermediate sized and suitable for most of the wingsuit pilots out there. The skewed views people have on whats 'needed' to fly well is whats pushing/driving the whole big suit craze. There's a lot of cool and amazing stuff you can do with suits that are half the size in wing surface, both in skydiving and base. As long as you make it about the actual technique and skills, and stop masturbating to time/distance as the only view on whats good and what not. If people focussed more on agility, flying technique and the actual control of movement (the way you do with dedicated training in FS/FF) in small steps, we'd be seeing so much more than people pointing noses in one direction and planking. What Jhonny did, the suit was for sure a factor in that. But its him having a shitload of jumps/experience that was the biggest factor. Put 10 pilots up there in the same suit, and you get 10 different scores. Stop making it all about the gear, and focus more on the pilot inside the suit, and the skills he/she has. That's what makes an awesome wingsuit jump. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

This whole discussion is the exact same thing as canopy downsizing. People focus on 'what the suit can do' too much, vs their own skills, and often go for bigger suits way prematurely, and (again, like canopy progression) without the proper steps/progression in between to work up towards flying that size suit. People coming to me to fly XXX suit better, I usually talk out of the suit first. Than fly a small suit, and work on the actual flying technique. There are subtle differences, but putting on a big suit doesn't make one fly better. Often it just adds a lot of additional dangers when people haven't learnt to deal with instability, deployment and more in the smaller suit first. A big thing also with big suit flying is that a lot of people fly with wrong technique. Not flying clean. As the amount of drag/surface lets them get away with murder (so to speak). Stuff that usually doesnt become apparent until they put on a smaller wingsuit (or when they take that big suit off a cliff through news reports). If people would just stick to the advised currency/experience levels that most manufacturers have (or should have) for their suits, that would already make a huge difference. Granted, some of those currency levels are also set more with sales than safety in mind. But you have to start somewhere, as we are way past the need to learn through trial/error. The knowledge is out there, both online and with the people teaching (be it the right coach you ask) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Whatever the fee is for coaching, when a coach asks someone for money for teaching, you would hope to see him slightly closer than half a mile away for the actual teaching/coaching part of the skydive?

Not hardcore proxi, but trying some new fun things in BASE. Hope you guys like it. https://vimeo.com/76175511 JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Damn Copycats... Wingsuit Landing from back in 2004 (with better VFX) - video (Full video can be seen here) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Magic Marker or sharpies! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Fixed it for ya Looking at the few high ranking pilots, sure, skill does come into things. But for a lot of people the focus on solo/glide keeps them away from actually learning to control a wingsuit properly. 'planking' in one body position is nice if you're into that kinda thing. But there's a lot more to flying than just that one aspect. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?