The new Francis Heilmann wingsuit is an object of unusual art:
a wingsuit made with animal skins, cut with flint blades, built with tools such as pebble , bone points and awl ....
At start of the experiment, a simple question: how would have done men of prehistory 30,000 years ago, to try experiments of human flight,
tethered flight in strong winds, or cliff, with the technologies they used and the materials available at the time? If they had the idea or desire,
they could simply decline a flying object of their rudimentary clothing, cape and skirt skins.
Francis Heilmann tested his wingsuit at Tallard in France early July: although no profile and no internal pressure, it flies well,
with speed and a good glide, it is handy, very stable and trouble-free at opening, which is a nice surprise for possible use in cliff.
So for construction, like 30,000 years ago no complicated stitching or needles , only strips, ligatures and lacing
horsehair added to the trailing edges of the wings to try to generate a sound different flight.
The materials are 100% animal or mineral origin: antlers, bones, teeth, skin of otter, skin thongs,
tendons of beef, hide glue, human hair, horsehair, for the color , charcoal and red ocher , fixed using natural beeswax, etc..
Parachute to the back ground remains an anachronistic heresy, but the shoulder straps are hidden by envelopes skin
are provided skin moccasins , and a simple goat skin cap instead of the headset.
The first prehistoric wingsuit seems very "Indian" with long hairs,
but this is a first attempt to verify the facility to open the parachute with all floating material in the gesture of openness.
The next wingsuit will be treated more rustic, more understandable by the general public, using short horsehair, engraved bones , etc..
http://nsa33.casimages.com/img/2014/07/18/140718100029102552.jpg
More info, pictures and video soon....
