mccordia

Choosing between a fun jump (no camera or using it a mere flight recorder) or actually going out to shoot a subject with attention. Not for a commercial video or anything, but just to practice in aim/filming. Flying (wingsuit) without a wide-angle lens, slightly zoomed in. Focussing on aim and subject. Still not completely where I want to be...but getting better and better at it... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I forgot, but I will now Ive got the Kermit sock-poppet AND tatoo...do I win? Do I get the rubber wingsuit award? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

That 9 way looks more then nice! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Yuri has also debuted his Z-Device version 2! NSFW JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

We offer gay coaching for people wanting work on their "Holding Hands" skills!? And lots of group hugs afterward! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Probably try and fly as slow as I can for a nice long prayer? The only thing Im for is trying to make the sport as safe as can be by making sure people have a certain minimal amount of experience. More experience definitely doesnt automaticly mean its safe...I agree there..Im living proof that someone with a lot of experience can be dangerous as f*ck But taking all people up directly off AFF will definitely not make the sport any safer, and will increase the amount of scary happening in the sky. But I guess some people see that differently.. That new Star Trek movie trailer looks mighty sweet though! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Its called common sense.... If someone has 80 jumps, thats more then enough info for me to know that person is not ready skillswise. If someone is asking too many (irrelevant) questions and so nervous you can shove a coal up his/her ass and get a diamond back in 5 minutes...then its probably also wise to tell them to wait out a bit longer... As for the patches....I took a course (3 days damnit, that half day course sounds much more fun) to learn how to properly brief and teach students. To aquire some knowledge on the subject. Not to get one or more cool numbers to put in a sigline or cover of a book... It may not be the case for everyone, but most people I know go through the courses to become more knowledge-able in everything that has to do with teaching and instruction. Flaunting a rating is not something I care about... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Definitely agreed.. And in the case of this thread, its the 'instructor' who is failing to make sure students meet proper skill/experience levels.. Taking all the no/low experience flyers, who have no business even putting on a wingsuit, out of the equation helps a lot... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I know people who at (lower then recomended) jump numbers decided to take a book as a guide... Be it a book or someone calling himselves instructor....its not just about being able to tell people how to do something. Making sure they are ready (be it mentaly or skill-wise) to perform sayd task safely is a huge part of that... And thats definitely a part that gets skipped every once in a while...which is mostly what this thread is about.... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Manufacturers can only make guidelines and recomendations.. Its up to the consumer/user to follow (or like yourself) ignore them.. They are MANUFACTURERS...meaning the MAKE the suits....enforcing rules and recomendations is in part something a dropzone owner could or should do. But they are not selling suits to 3 year olds...everyone is responsible for his/her own actions.. Blaming other people or companies doesnt take one single bit of responsibility away from yourself... YOU are the one putting on a wingsuit, and YOU are the one pushing out of an airplane or off a cliff with it... If you are brave enough to do that..then also be a man and stop pointing fingers.. As for the person taking unqualified low experience flyers (such as yourself) up..if you dont agree...speak up and do something about it....talk to the person...talk to the dzo...talk to the manufacturer who's name the person is using as a teaching reference and stop him from being listed as a qualified teacher.. But stop crying in here and take responsibility for what you did and what you say you stand for... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I'll be hoping by in Empuria one more time in summer...though that'll most likely only be 1 or 2 days while passing through on a sun/beach/scuba holiday with my girly... Its going to be a busy year with lots of Belgian, Ukraine, Spanish and USA adventures...and hoping to find a winning lotery ticket in between all those somewhere JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

We had the Tramaltana (Spanish winds), so only got in 15 or so jumps over the whole week. Working on a video..should be online in the next few days.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

If you get me another barbie next time you come here....sure JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Dont forget my secondary nut-sack underneath my armpit! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Participation is on the way....but you already know the details on that one.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Anybody know where I can get an Olsen Twins; Wingsuit Clothing Package btw? Been going through a dozen toystores already..and no luck yet! http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~fxcordia/photo/fun/olsen_skydive.jpg Lets go save the world again! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I know sugergliders, just thought I spotted a beak in there... Guess you played with the image less then I thought....whats that gay looking red thing in the background...man..whoever picked those colours for a wingsuit should be shot on site! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Thats not what you call a proper "first jump - Campos" Sunglasses on and stand next to the...ehm...owl-dog-squirrel? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Also still waiting for pictures of that EG tandem-drogue-wrapper JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

The type of aircraft has less to do with this, its 100% the airspeed its doing at the moment of exit. If a plane flies fast enough, even after a shoddy exit, you can still 'climb' back up to way above the plane. All the math aside...what I do (and also what I seem to see most other people do) indiciates roughly a 45 degree angle works best. The flatter you are, the less altitude you seem to win. Instead you then seem to use the throw of the airplane to maintain (closer) the same speed as the plane..When you're more upright, you only get pushed 'back' by the oncoming wind. If you're a bit headlow, the wind pushes you on the back or top of your wings, and actually throws you down (or into a spin) If you check Vesa's exit (attached pic) in the Hercules Boogie 2004 video, seen from the side, you can see the rough angle at which the body is, relative to the plane. And that is excactly 45 degrees. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Felix tried it and spent some time spinning behind an airplane. Tearing part of the tail off. Much like a single-rope kite trailing behind a running child. Not too succesfull. The video used to be on skydivingmovies. Maybe someone can dig up the link. Joe Jennings also performed that stunt, bodysurfing behind a c172 on tow-rope in his camera-suit. That was succesfull and looked like a lot of fun.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

And on a safety related side-note: People who skydive with a BASE pouch for their pilotchute (notice the word 'BASE' in there, its not called the 'SKYDIVE' pouch) should not/never/ever attempt any high speed exits (or backflying, or flying with un-experienced other flockers), unless they have a severe interest in killing themselves or their fellow jumpers.. A premature deployment would in all situations be a potential hazard to anyone flying close or behind you. When the plane is doing 130+ knts, its even possible to stay on level with the tailgate plane in a normal 'tracking' (without a wingsuit) when done properly.. Jarno gives you the big thumb up! Its up to you where you put it (just pimping my new avatar) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

There is a little distortion due to a (moderate) wide-angle lens, but the height you see here is pretty much what it looked and felt like in person. Honestly...inside I was stuck in between "OOH DAMN THIS IS COOL" to actually being a little scared and worried about the height (sounds silly..I know) Costyn and I shot a lot of exits like these during a boogie at Spa (Belgium) last year. And we also have some cool video on exits like these shot from inside the plane. The pilot loved playing with exit speeds. We slowly increased the exit speeds from 100 knts to 145 knts. And there wasnt too big a difference between anything over 130 knts. Next time we meet the pilot/plane, we'll try and see how fast (and as a result of that; high) we can take it. If you browse through skydivingmovies or look on our website at the (full)video for the Hercules Boogie 2004 also has a segment on high speed exits (set to Robie Williams "Radio") with some amazing footage from Vesa and Andy Ford (even barrelrolling on exit) There are some exits shot from a (fighter)plane flying next to the hercules. Also clearly showing the climbing (sadly not following the wingsuits out all the way) Blowing your suit apart is not about the speed. Its about the technique. Though proper construction does help of course. You need to exit closed, and smoothly (in half a second or so) open up, and 'push' yourself up into full flight (climb) Exit completely open, and you'll just get pushed back or hear a big "BANG!" and find yourself in normal freefall with nylon confetty hanging from your body (seen it happen to a friend of mine) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Video (unless its 1st person) is a poor judge of height. If you look at someone staying on level with the airplane, from the perspective of a flyer who is doing a normal 'drop' (exiting earlyer)then on video it looks like the person is climbing way high above the plane, while actually he is staying on level. I had a few (lower speed) exits where on video of others it looked like I was way, way, way above the airplane, just keeping on climbing. While from my own perspective, I never got above the airplane.. But viewer perspective aside..doing a proper exit, body at about 45 degrees on the airstream, opening op smoothly, and pushing yourself 'up' on the relative wind in a maximum flying position, you can get a good amount of 'free' extra altitude. The key is good 'climbing' exits is the smooth opening up. If you just exit all open, then the blast of the wind will only push you back, or even demolish and tear your wings. On most high speed passes, you easily get 10 to 30 meters above the airplane. In some extreme cases (exits of around 140 knts) Id guess up to around 200 or so meters would be possible. So roughly 500 Ft of extra altitude would be my guess...testing and trying for more.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Bid starting at Jarno...5 euro's a night....5 euro's...anyone...anyone... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?