mccordia

We've flown wingsuits with untreaded backcables before, and that didnt seem to make too big a difference in the flying? I can see leaving the cables loose, would mean the wing can spread a bit more, and not being pulled against the body, maybe buldge a bit more, forming a higher profile...but dont you think using a few jumps as a guide to immediately ask your clients to pull their suits apart is a bit premature? Isnt calling other people idea stealing whores a bit much, seeing you guys stepped in when most of the current designs are based on ideas from other people (dead and living) from the past 'your' ideas for the 'mercury wing' (legwing attached to the back of the leg) was also something that was already on other wingsuits before, and even though we mentioned it didnt work, your initial cries online all sayd it was better. Yet later you agreed it didnt work that well. Some more testing with your current new revelation wouldnt hurt.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=6529 JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Any chance at kilo's and cm's so the non-american people (there seem to be quite a few of those) in the rest of the world get what you're refering to? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

So when are you finaly putting your money where your mouth is, and paying full price for a suit not given to you by a manufacturer at some discount deal Admit it..you're a dirty brand, hopping from manufacturer to manufacturer JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I see what you're hinting at... Tristan can indeed make every wingsuit he puts on look gay! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I think the external audible ports are also becoming more problematic with the various new sized dytters. The holes all seem to be designed for the 'old' bigger protrack/dytters. So in short...internal audible pockets..awesome! I really like the Vapor Narrow. Seems like a a really good low profile helmet for everyday use in wingsuit flying. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

The videos where people are going up, are just filmed by someone falling faster. Though flaring a wingsuit and falling close to zero mph, much like flaring a canopy is possible, quite often people fall quite a bit faster. Where normal freefall is around 100 to 140 mph, a wingsuit can fly at anything between 30 and 80 mph on normal jumps. This downward speed is called the fallrate. The glide ratio (sometimes also referred to as L/D sometimes by people who like showing off complex theories and language) is something completely different. Simply put, its how well a wingsuit is flying. The Glide Ratio shows, how many meters a wingsuit travels forward for every meter it does down Depending on the size/model wingsuit and skill of the user, this can be anywhere between 1:1 and max out at about 3:1 (which means, 3 meters forward for every meter you fall). But strength/stamina comes into play greatly here. On short basejumps (for a variety of reasons) people can fly greater distances, then for a full 2 to 3 minute skydive out of an airplane. On dives out of airplanes, glide-ratios around 2:1 are possible for good flyers. But having a strong wind in the back, like under canopy, can of course greatly help in getting better distance. With a wingsuit, you can actually choose to fly for either maximum freefall, or maximum distance. Comparing it to a canopy. If you fly with your toggles down, your canopy will fly slowly, and it will sink slowly. So you will stay in the air really long. If you dont use your toggles, and let the canopy fly, you'll go down faster, but you will also fly further. In a wingsuit this is the same. When you fly the wingsuit a bit 'flaired' (which is usually a bit head-high) it doesnt travel so far, but it uses all lift to stay up in the sky. Giving you maximum freefall time. When you dive a little bit, all the lift is used to actually make you travel. Which means the freefall times will be a bit shorter, but you will be flying much, much further. So to summarize.. Fallrate and glideratios are two different things One is the speed at which you travel downward. The other is the combination of your forward speed and downward speed/travel. If an airplane is flying really fast, it is possible to get so much lift from the speed/throw of the aircraft, you CAN actually climb/win altitude. And not fall at all. Here is an example where the plane is not diving, but the wingsuit is climing http://www.flylikebrick.com/playmovie.php?id=37 JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

I think you get that with every suit Tony makes... They're old the moment you walk out the door, cause he's already upgrading/updating the look and performance for the next one he makes JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Most camera's with nighshot CCD have this 'limited' option picking up the infrared..if any lens can really enhance this..dont know..but it sounds sketchy. I think there was a lot of media hoopla on this subject a few years back. But even with high priced infrared camera's the effect is supposedly very limited. Seeing slight hints of nipples/pubes through filmsy/thin silk fabric etc. Just doing a simple google search on this lens mostly comes back with forum posts of people who say its not/hardly working. But I guess they like clinging onto the old X-Ray goggles legend, and probably make a nice buck in the process.. And it may just be me, but I cant really see any practical application for this IFR 'clothless' filming. If the person is ok with you checking them out underneath their clothing, they'll probably show you the rest as well. I mostly seems to be aimed at perverts who want to enjoy a day near the swimmingpool (as ladies pubes/niplles, and kids near a swimming pool are their website examples?? wtf?) If its nipples you want, just go to the european beaches or Mardi Grass festival JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Seeing the varied replies from most people here and the ones I got over email/msn with the most varied concepts of how well or bad it would be gliding at higher altitude...I clearly wasnt the only one who wondered JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Care to explain what you mean by that Robi? As your wording is (to me) a bit confusing? Is the question, weather a wingsuit flies less optimal at higher altitudes/thinner air embarrising? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Ey Jester.. My compliments on your joystick (damn that sounds dirty) Definately a toys we'll we putting to good use, and a fun must-have for everyone who likes to look beyond L/D and actually have some fun in a wingsuit JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

30k JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

There's a lot of claimed records. But not all records have been backed up with actual GPS/Flight data and submission to the FAI or Guiness organisation. Adrian Nicholas (AFAIK) still has the official (Buiness Book of Records) title for longest freefall and longest distance flown with 4 minutes 55 seconds of freefall and 10 miles distance in a classic (like) suit. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Any link to that video? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

With 12 km of freefall, and 20,5 km of distance. That roughly puts them at 1,7 L/D for 6 full minutes of flight. If those numbers are correct, its should roughly be safe to say glide doesnt suffer too much at higher altitudes (though jetstream winds up high could be the reason for them flying further up high) For the aviation experts around here...anyone know anything about airplane glide performance at lower and higher altitudes? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Just a ballpark figure would be fine...glide at 25k, 20k, 15k, 10k, 5k (excluding fatige, wind etc). Just so I can take what we are currently flying distance-wise in a 2 way from 12K, and do a rough estemate on what the possible distance would be from 25k. We're not looking to set records or anything. We just need to see how much altitude we need to not get our feet wet, or do the gay thing and use our canopies to actually make it JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Hi benedikt, I dont see any reason to break off higher on a two way, with a flatspin being the specific reason for extra altitude. Though a flatspin can come with a lot of altitude loss, it mostly depends on your reaction, and how severe it is. And keep in mind most people who fly a wingsuit will probably never experience one. Flatspins dont happen often, but when they do, its typicaly only on exit, during special manouvres, and on sometimes on bumps when people have lost sight/track of eachother and suddenly make an unexpected pass. Quite often, then the flatspin happens when people close their armwings, as a reaction to someone burbling them. Or out of fear of falling on top of someone. Or, during a barrelroll or other manouvre, when they close the armwings, but keep the legwing open, and then twist themselves around.. Just always keep flying your wingsuit. If you slip/slide on top of someone, dont push off or close your armwings to duck. Just keep flying and you'll be fine. And when it comes to trying new things on solo jump (loops/rolls etc) set yourself a 'safe' altitude bellow which you wont be initiating any new moves. This so you have the altitude that you want/need to do what you want to do. When I just started backflying, I wouldnt do it bellow 6000 ft, as I sometimes ended up spinning towards the earth on my back. Now Im fine flying on my back till just a few seconds before pulltime at 3K. Given 2500 ft is a low, but do-able minimum opening altitude for a wings. Your seperation/pull heigh of 4500 ft still gives your a large margin for recovery, SHOULD anything ever happen. Though you probably wouldnt want to be in a situation where you are opening at 2500 ft, its still way within safety limits (in terms of having a normal canopy flight and not worry about AAD fire) So as usual when I reply...a lot of words saying....no...I dont think you would have to be seperating any higher because of flatspins maybe happening. But also note..if seperating a 500 ft or more higher makes you feel a lot better about the skydive, your own comfort and safety is much more important then those few extra seconds of working time. So just base your seperation and pull altitude on what you are happy and comfortable with..and dont open lower because other people do.. JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Heyhey.. Couldnt find it in 'the archives' so here's my question. Is there any information (be it a rough estemate or rough GPS data) about the glide ratio a wingsuit gets higher up at say 25.000 ft? There have been a few awesome high altitude distance crossings (both in wingsuit or with wing) like Gibraltar/English Channel, but on both of those, no data (or even just video in some cases) was ever released, even though initialy it was promised in both cases. And at the moment Id be quite curious to see how much our flight performance degrades in the thinner air, up high. We're working on a project here, and Im trying to get a rough estemate of the needed altitude for what we have in mind, distance-wise. Say you're normaly cruising along at roughly 2.0 glide for a full skydive around 10.000 ft or so. Anyone know what your glide would roughly be when you are at 25.000 ft? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Could be a cool game....see who can maintain a laser-lock longest, flying in pairs...;) JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Myself and buddy Christ may be hopping around in Empuria Brava, 2nd week of Januari. Anybody else thinking about maybe doing some hip/hop falling and flying over there? I'll probably be mixing it up a little, freeflying and flying wingsuits...but some more people to play with is always cool! JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Its been very quiet concerning the SFly Pro. Maybe our in-house expert 'Le pat' could give us some more info on that one, since he's been flying it for a while now? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

The arm wings deflating at pulltime? Its definately not something Ive experienced flying the Blade in the +- 140 jumps I have on the suit now. Though Im bound to be called a brand-monkey, I would dare say that the Blade is one of the best suits out there when it comes to wing pressurisation. Making docks or flying completely without use of the grippers (unless its 100% full flight at which you're trying to dock) does not lead to any sinking or performance drop in the jumps Ive done. And docking/gripping/flocking and making cool hand gestures in flight is about 90% of what I do in the sky. I think a big reason for this 'drop' is people not creating a good wingshape with their arm, but 'hanging/pulling'the grippers too much, not letting the suit inflation work for them, but 'pulling' or forcing the wing into the shape. When you let go, and the wing doesnt have the tention all off a sudden, it looses shape and collapses. When flown properly, with only mild tension on the grippers, it shouldnt give you any deflation or drop.. If you browse though our extensive video library at our website, there's dozens of videos with docks/pulls etc in there, and its all 100% inflated wing Im seeing there. Especialy in transition from front to back. I completely tuck my arms and legs in, and it just feels like inflatable beds stuck between my arms and legs. And when Im on my back and I open up the wings again, they are still inflated. I would ad the Con that the legwing can be especialy hard to shut down at pulltime. Im used to opening in full flight, but when you try to shut it down by closing the legs together, or even more fun, try to do a frontloop (preferably not a pulltime btw:) the legwing can get in the way, as you really have to squeeze the air out. When it comes down to just max flight performance, I would say that most high performance suits are closer matched, in terms of what they can do, then most manufacturers are willing to admit... JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

So your trying to tell people reserves never malfuction? Ed Put in other words...dont you think, if reserves had features that would also make them much better in use as a main, dont you think everyone would be jumping reserves, and all the manufacturers would start making mains with reserve-technology? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?

Besides a bit of sketchy opening past weekend with a loose toggle, combined with a few twist and my canopy diving (even took a nice picture of that, due to accidental biting on my tongue-switch) Im usually pretty happy with the openings (Spectre 150). I think a normal, sensible canopy-choice (in terms of model and size), and good to incredibly shitty (as long as its symetrical) packing are all you need for good openings on wingsuit jumps. So far Ive had less then a handfull of twist, and never anything that came close to having to chop it. Though my ego thinks its just due to me being damn good.. But I did wonder if there are people jumping sliders with holes/mesh so their canopy opens faster on WS jumps? JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete?