I'm looking for bigway wingsuit pilots who are interested in jumping into NASA the weekend of Oct 23-25, 2009. The event is Ballunar Liftoff Festival, the aircraft will be a CASA, the flock will be up to a 30way formation in an attempt to set a TX state flock record, and the cost is TBA but usually around $125 for registration, admission to the festival, and 5-6 jumps (and huge Sat night pool party). You must have at least a C license and meet the other USPA requirements for an open field demo to participate.
We're starting so early this year since Ballunar will be bigger than ever to make up for last year being cancelled due to Hurricane Ike!
If you are interested in receiving an official invitation (sent out in summer) please let me know, and please include your e-mail address if I don't already have it. Everyone who was invited last year is already on my list!
I'm also looking for a few wingsuiters for free demo jumps into Ellington Field the following weekend at Wings Over Houston Air Show. This is geared more towards Houston locals as we will be doing a 4way or 5way out of Al's 206. Unfortunately, this is the same weekend as the San Marcos Halloween Boogie. However, this will be the first time wingsuits are jumped into this event!!
Re: [moonglo] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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You know I'll be there. I moved to Houston last year and was excited about the 2008 event. I even had several people from FL and other states that were gonna come. Hopefully I can re-enlist them all for this fall. I work right across the street from the LZ so it will be interesting to have co-workers come out and watch.
Re: [moonglo] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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It's almost Ballunar Liftoff Festival invitation time! If you want to flock over NASA I need your current e-mail address!!! Thanks
Hey Jenn, care to make a list of all the confirmed attendants you already have?
I know I know, it sounds like something Purple Mike would say. BUT... we need a good reason for people from out of state to come... and if they see how many you have so far they might be more willing. I know Scott Bland and Scotty B both expressed interest to me recently and I told them to get in touch with you!
Re: [The111] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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no one is "confirmed" until Al has their registration in hand, but here's the list of those who were on my 2008 list and those who have expressed an interest to me as of today:
Jenn Hinson (LO) Matt Hoover (video) Bob Futrell Purple Mike Scott Bland Susan Caracio Alex Frey Gray Mike Nick Wright Tom Rose Bart Stonestreet Pete Ritzou Adrian Binnion Guillaume Richard Jason Romero Stacey Carl Kevin Orkin Jimmy Rude Scott Callantine Scotty Burns Steve Harrington Ted Cheslek Zach Schroedel Tony R Ed Cummings
Re: [moonglo] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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Hey Jen, are the jumps just on Friday and Saturday or on Sunday as well? I will wait until I get the e-mail from Al but I wanted to poke around and figure out what flights made sense.
Re: [moonglo] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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we have 12 wingsuiters confirmed for the TX record attempt at Ballunar: Jenn Matt (video) FlyinBob Purple Mike Scott Bland Susan Potter Michal Gray Mike Adrian Jason Steve H
There are a few slots remaining on our load (CRW, FF, WS) contact me ASAP if you are interested in participating in the demo but not yet registered!
Re: [The111] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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I'll put some photos on my site soon. For now, here are two interpretations of "the grid." I'm not sure why 90 degrees is a requirement...
The idea is to fly the jumpers in the grid, not to distort the grid to where the jumpers end up.
Now, if AHEAD of time you said you were going to use a different grid and gave it to the judges, that would be different and maybe should be allowed, IMHO.
Re: [kallend] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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I'll put some photos on my site soon. For now, here are two interpretations of "the grid." I'm not sure why 90 degrees is a requirement...
The idea is to fly the jumpers in the grid, not to distort the grid to where the jumpers end up.
Now, if AHEAD of time you said you were going to use a different grid and gave it to the judges, that would be different and maybe should be allowed, IMHO.
I'm in partial agreement with that, but the other interesting thing is that this group, even during dirt dives, kept creating diamonds and thinking they were square. When I would stand outside as they laid on the ground, I could see they were not square and instruct them where to move. But the take-home information here is that they were flying a diamond (rather than a square) not because of poor flying skills, but because of inability to estimate an angle with their eyes. And it seems to me that records should be more about flying skills. But, on the other hand... we are obviously already judging people on their ability to recognize distances (spacing) with their eyes, so by that logic I guess it might not be unreasonable to expect them to measure angles with their eyes too.
Re: [The111] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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You bring up an interesting point... accidentally dirt-diving it into diamonds... Did you guys measure the distances on the ground when you were dirt diving it? Cause it might've still looked like diamonds from above even after you told people to move further. Maybe it's not so much about being able to judge angles as it is about getting used to a certain angle. Practicing it more on the ground, with rigs and wingsuits on, laying it flat on our bellies, and finding visual cues that enable us to find the same point in the sky. Stuff like "I'm supposed to see that much of his foot, and this part of his rig.. up to here.. " and other crap like that.
It seems to me that the angle is pretty much set by the first two people following the base. Row 2, or whatever you wanna call it. Everyone else mostly looks at distances and follows sight lines. So if you had flyers trying to correct the initial angle, the diagonal sight lines would get screwy.
By the way, good job guys! Nice formation. And sweet pictures (as always), Matt. Looks like it was a fun boogie. Wish I could've come.
Re: [The111] Houston Wingsuit Demos October 2009
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I'll put some photos on my site soon. For now, here are two interpretations of "the grid." I'm not sure why 90 degrees is a requirement...
The idea is to fly the jumpers in the grid, not to distort the grid to where the jumpers end up.
Now, if AHEAD of time you said you were going to use a different grid and gave it to the judges, that would be different and maybe should be allowed, IMHO.
I'm in partial agreement with that, but the other interesting thing is that this group, even during dirt dives, kept creating diamonds and thinking they were square. When I would stand outside as they laid on the ground, I could see they were not square and instruct them where to move. But the take-home information here is that they were flying a diamond (rather than a square) not because of poor flying skills, but because of inability to estimate an angle with their eyes. And it seems to me that records should be more about flying skills. But, on the other hand... we are obviously already judging people on their ability to recognize distances (spacing) with their eyes, so by that logic I guess it might not be unreasonable to expect them to measure angles with their eyes too.
In Chicago Jeff laid down a grid of points on the ground in the correct geometry and had the jumpers lie on it.
Personally I wore a full-face helmet and had the angles marked on the face plate so I could align the marks on the people in the row in front.
(Dirt diving the wrong formation gets you no records in RW or VRW either)
). You must have at least a C license and meet the other USPA requirements for an open field demo to participate. 
ROCK IT & POST!!!! 
.... How about some pictures! 
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