WickedWingsuits

Here is an entertaining trip down memory lane. http://tailwheelersjournal.com/2012/flight-part-2/ Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I landed off by 1.5 miles a couple of week ago at my first visit to LSPC. The mistake I made was it was the first jump in couple of hundred without my wingsuit! Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

By this logic there are no AFF fatalities. Is this the case? I remember Dans accident as it was right around the time I started Wingsuiting. I think things have changed a LOT since then for the better. It might not be a great example of how the system is a failure anymore. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

How do you know that? And yes, rentals is doing better than expected! Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I do agree with you there! Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I think I might be coming across that way but honestly that is not my intent. I am very in favor of safety, knowledge, skill. I think *most* skydivers really want to learn new things, that is why they try new disciplines. My issue is with regulation as a side effect of skewed data. I also don't think that just a FFC would really solve the issue. Really a lot of what is being discussed need to be learned over multiple jumps, just like a canopy course where you do an Introduction and then later an Advanced. How was an Instructor rating enface that? You can promote skills and distribute knowledge without making it mandatory. Simon Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

One problem I have with this statement is a comparison to canopy education. People are screaming at the top of the lungs to address the canopy fatalitys, downsizing, wingloading, and severe injuries. If I apply your logic to canopy education then based on the total number of safe landings which far far exceeds safe wingsuit jumps we really have no issue because people make stupid mistakes. By your logic we would need no more regulation in the canopy realm. Just a thought if the rating did in fact prevent one fatality what exactly would the harm be of regulation or standardization? Unfortunately if the rating is implemented there will be no way to accumulate that data at all, unless we could see into the future of what would have happen. Comparing this to canopy issues is where one of the problems lies in this whole argument. We are still a "free fall" discipline, not an "at the ground" discipline. We have more in common with Belly, Freefly and CRW than we ever will with something that if done 2ft wrong will kill you. So, I totally agree that the canopy problems are real and killing people, we see that every week. I just heard of another skydiver paralyzed from a low turn. The two issues are not as similar as we are trying to be convinced they are. I did want to add, that I very much appreciate the input that was requested by USPA. I think there are a LOT more opinions out there than the "leaders' of our community try to present. So gathering input from many is important even if it proves my opinion to be in the minority. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Jarno, you are taking a key statement totally out of context, just like FOX News. I said that a WSI wouldn't have made a difference because there isn't even an experienced wingsuiter at the drop zone. That means there is zero chance that someone from the drop zone could ever be qualified or motivated to become a WSI. Therefore...by your logic wingsuiting wouldn't be allowed anyway because nobody is qualified to support it. Your rating is actually what will be the death of wingsuiting. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I am (was) a jumper at Snohomish who sat through the new four-hour WS procedure briefing a day before it was canned. From what I understand, there were no WS incidents at Snohomish other than the occasional off-landing (which all disciplines have had). Someone from Snohomish, please correct me if I'm wrong. For what it's worth, below is the bulk of the email from the DZO: "Following months of research, review and collaboration with many members of the greater skydiving community, this decision has been made in the interest of maintaining high safety standards at Skydive Snohomish. Much progress was made in coming up with an acceptable procedure to accommodate existing operations and DZ specific variables. Some of the major issues that Snohomish faces which can't be easily changed right now are the two LZ set-up, up to 3 planes routinely operating at the same time, wingsuit flight paths over densely populated areas, the lack of comprehensive training and qualification, and the increased logistical workload it would take for DZ staff and the wingsuiting community to manage qualification, in-air separation and communication. I spend a great deal of time considering the skydivers and their ambitions, and the last thing I want to do is unnecessarily bridle anyone's passion for the sport or the discipline they choose to pursue. Individually, the above issues could probably be addressed, but as a whole they represent a safety risk that in good conscience, I can not support." Based on this info I think this is 100% valid. I agree with Jarno, I DO think this is the future of wingsuiting. At some dropzones\locations it is not actually an activity that plays well with others. Just as CRW\Cross Country doesn't work well in some drop zones. I have been at drop zones where airspace restrictions prevented a safe spot away from the airport for a flock. We have all been at boogies that have too many planes in the air to allow hop n pops or high pulls. It isn't a great disaster if a small % of drop zones determine it is unsafe to allow wingsuit operations. Let's not blow this out of proportion and scare monger. A WSI wouldn't help one bit here anyways. If there is no local knowledge to lean on then there sure wouldn't be a local person able to get a WSI. A communication campaign to S&TA, Pilots, TI, DZO, etc would be far more effective. I have offered before to financially support such an effort and the offer is still valid. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Well said Jeff. I honestly think I would be more in favor of this initiative if it weren't being driven by scare tactics. If anyone were searching for options I think defining an Experienced Wingsuiter in the BSR as someone who also holds a current USPA Coach or above rating would be valid. That doesn't put any extra burden on the existing system but demonstrates that the person has the ability to share knowledge. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Aside from the fact that its quite a large group that presenting the idea to USPA (some of the people who are now screaming 'murder', where actually part of presenting the exact same thing to USPA a few years earlier), it mostly reads as an audio-visual barage of a few opposed to structured and disciplined teaching methods. The truth is, nothing bad will come of more structure and very strict rules on how FFCs should be taught. The sky wont come falling down, and the world will not end. But any student making a first wingsuit skydive WILL get the same quality instruction, regardless of where he goes. And not be get the 5 minute version, and a suit 3 sizes more advanced than what he/she should be jumping because somebody is more after a sale or quick buck than quality instruction and care for the student. Try making a wingsuit jump at Snohomish coming weekend, and see how that one goes...thats the future of wingsuit flying. Rules forces uppon us from the top down. In this case, no more wingsuit flying, ever on that dropzone. This sounds like there was an incident at Snohmish that we could probably learn something from. Could it be shared maybe? There might be a bit more support from the masses if this stuff wasn't so secretive. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I have over 80 surveys from new renters and almost none fail to identify that keeping your wings closed on exit is critical. How many actually nail it perfectly every time is a different issue. Steve is an example of that, you can't monitor everyone on every jump, especially as there is nothing at all you can do as it is happening. Should people know to keep their wings closed on exit? Absolutely, no argument. Will an instructor rating prevent Wingsuit tail strikes? No chance. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Who is "gearing up to travel and clean up in the mobil WS instructor examiner arena?" Are you referring to Simon's new truck? https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/250706_321479044601463_344584350_n.jpg It's pretty sweet looking, but I didn't realize Simon was a USPA Examiner? Glad to like the truck, thanks. It can't be us because WW revenue comes mostly from rentals not FFC and we don't have any immediate plans to change that. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Steve Harrington died presumably being fully open out of a Twin Otter, in a suit smaller and less pressurized than a couple of the suits seen in these pix. Are you suggesting that an Otter is exempt from tailstrikes unless it's faster than usual? It is sad to say but this single tail strike fatality is a bad example of how an instructor rating would help because Steve would surely have been at the top of the list of qualified instructors. I don't know of another US tail strike fatality, is there one? I think this one between experience and the fact that it was an Otter was a shock to everyone. It is a good example of how this sport can take the sensible and the best. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I don't think a comparison to AFF is fair. That is to take someone without any knowledge of skydiving and introduce them to everything from freefall, aircraft, emergency, gear, patterns, etc. A wingsuit certainly adds something else to the mix but 80% of the skydive remains the same. The 200 skydive limit helps protect the majority making this step too soon. We all know there are exceptions to this and some people are not ready even with 4000 skydives but we don't want to treat everyone as an exception do we? I am trying to say with my post is that even clued in skydivers screw up and die....or in this case get caught on camera. If that is the evidence being presented in FAVOR of additional and mandatory education then I would also like to present all of the exits by the majority of wingsuiters that do not come close to the tail...I guess these are the "near misses". Again I think a canopy class is also a terrible example. The chances of dying in a botched landing are far greater than giving back flying a go in a wingsuit. A beter comparison is CRW where you need to negotiate with the pilot, not put you PC over the tail, fly through many miles of airspace, pack your gear differently, deal with wraps. All of this is to be ceased above 2000ft (I think). I wonder if an instructor rating was ever discussed for CRW? Maybe it was. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

This is a good example of people that know better doing stupid things. Many skydivers, myself included have the knowledge to do things safely but sometimes screw up the priority in the heat of the moment. I think if most people are honest they will admit they have had one of these moments. I know personally two solid, mature, heads up, conservative and knowledgeable skydivers that died by doing exactly what they had told others not to do. I suspect some of you know more than two. It is so easy to take a picture out of context. I know this jumper and I know the jump that this photo was taken on. He knew better at the time and the first thing he said to me after this jump was "holy shit I thought I was going to hit the tail". He knew better but he still screwed up, luckily he didn't die this time. I had jumped with him before and after this incident and he knows not to open his wings on exit and I have seen him perform a safe exit. What I am trying to say is all the education and enforcement in the world won't stop people doing a few dumb things now and again, the history of this sport shows that to be true. EDIT: Turns out this jump is NOT the one I was aware of. I know the same thing happened somewhere else.....maybe we should stop mounting gopro's on wings! :-) Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Sure, and then you have the locals for peer pressure when that happens. Think of it as a two-layer firewall. Top layer = national rules. Bottom layer = local peer pressure. Who says we have to choose one or the other? They are not mutually exclusive. Why not use both? For those who respond properly to mentoring and education, the (hypothetical) rules will never even get in their way. It has worked for every other discipline in skydiving EXCEPT swooping. I do think wingsuit upsizing is a fair comparison to canopy downsizing however I think the risks are not similar. I keep hearing "if we had gotten ahead of swooping 10 years ago...". However my opinion is that our discipline is conducted at an altitude where it remains more similar to CRW, Belly, Freefly and even skysurfing than it does swooping. The crowd pleasing pressures do not exist and neither does the ground. If I wanted to be regulated I woud move back home and join the BPA. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Its just a shame that with no governing body enforcing the suggestions, rules and training from the start, you'll always end up fighting 'the asshole that does things his own way' and will end up hitting walls more and more often due to those same guys using up all good will with those same DZO, TI and S&TA's. This education campaign should not be one based on 'if you want to listen, work with us'. There are sadly to many people doing things their way. Its funny that 5.samadhi comments on this being the way to enforce rules, safety and training, where in another thread you're promoting doing everything possible to bypass those same recommendations for experience (like doing balloonjumps with non-TSO'd gear without proper permissions etc). Its those exact stunts that (both in media and on DZs) keep us in the spotlight as a bunch of lunatics, instead of structured and well trained professionals at what we do. Even with such rules you will still have stragglers....don't kid yourself that creating a police will actually solve all the issues. I prefer concepts like mentoring and education over rules and enforcement. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

In the case of USPA regulation ( possible/ probable?) there won't be " Wingsuit monitors" on the DZ. The burden of monitoring and enforcement of the current recommendations or new rules will still fall on the DZ staff, S&TA & DZM at the local level. Besides policing ourselves, we can help the staff be more educated in regards to wingsuits. Don't feed the hysteria currently being used as a propaganda machine for personal agenda. I totally agree that we can and should help educate more members about wingsuiting in general, from Pilots to TI to S&TA and DZO. All have preconceived ideas of what wingsuiting is and isn't. This would be a good direction to channel the existing energy. An education campaign. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

+1 Nice job. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

It also improves the performance of the escape sleeve if you are wearing layers. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Can I come? Oh....wait....see you there!!! Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

Don't forget about Airwolf....classic. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

I would put a bug in the ear of the S&TA...same as you would if you were concerned someone were downsizing on a canopy far to quickly. Same concept I think, just a different tool. Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com

A couple of these were people wearing Wingsuits but the Wingsuit not being the primary cause. I guess it is like someone going in with camera wings on and then wondering if it was related or not. Does that come into your study? Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month. Try before You Buy with Wicked Wingsuits - WingsuitRental.com