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Mac

R-Bird / S Bird Owners - Post pics of your suit

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I am in the process of ordering a new Tony WS, and I wanted to get an idea of what the various options in coloured segments, pin-stripes, flashes, etc, actually look like on a finished suit. I have an idea of my final design (well out of about 4 at the moment), however I just want to get a look at some suit designs on actual suits rather than the WS designer, to get a real life view.

Ideally the front and back if you can.

Thanks in advance all.

-M

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Cheers.

Are those blues the dark and mid-blue? As attached...

BASE soles I was, and also after not having the extended zips on my T, and then jumping an S with them, defo worth getting! Also I have full demo zips on my T, so was considering the winter zips, as I only use half of them for increased clothing.

Both sets of pics most helpful, I was unsure about the front contrasting colours as on the WS designer it looked a bit much, however the designer is a little misleading, as its less coverage than in real life, also I was unsure of the double wing stripes, but they work for me.

If anyone has an example of a contrasting leg wing pin strip that would be cool?

Thanks

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I actually recommend making the suit blank. I looked at all the decorative options and since everybody gets em, to me most of the Tony suits look the same and somewhat generic. I didn't want stripes, flashes or logos. So I ordered both my S-Bird and Rebel in plain blue and white and they both look fantastic. Plus since almost nobody buys the suits with NO decoration, its actually a unique color scheme I haven't seen anyone else use and the suits have a certain "Custom, but can't tell WHY it looks custom" look because its not something added but something deleted and it really makes the suit look elegant and clean. The only decoration is the name badge at the neck.
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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here is a pic of mine, the only tonysuit that has two different colored wings!! Rbird, wingflash top and bottom. base soles, extended zippers and a lense pocket... i absolutely love this suit!!!!!! and i just got my x3 to match it!!!(2nd pic)
Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

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First off, I would ask if your "sufficient jump numbers" are guaged from the Tony site? As I dont feel (personally) that they are reflective of what I would call good practice advice (for me in anycase, but I am a bit rubbish!). I flew a T and an R before choosing my first suit, and I am pleased to have spent a couple of years on a T, just learning the trade.

I decided I needed a new suit with a little more power. I've flown an R and an S, and opted for the R as the S was a bit more weighted toward a performance suit for me, and thats not what I was after.

The S seems a bit of overkill for me personally when I actually want something more all-round that I can fling about, flock, but turn on that little extra when needed.

If I was purely going for performance flights on time and distance, I would have gone with the S, but as thats probably about 10% of the flying I do, I decided the R (for me) was better suited.

As always, people fly different suits for different reasons, what works for one may not work for another, so ignore the above with a bucket of salt.


Thanks to the others with pics and suggestions.... Appreciated.

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Actually, do not ignore the above with bucket of salt because what you have displayed here is called an intelligent suit choice process and it is very important and all too rare.

The more time you put in on small and midsize suits the better you'll be if and when you ever want to try the big guns. I spent many seasons mastering the old Birdman GTI and S-6 suits. When I finally upgraded to an S-Bird after 6 years of flying I was able to get flights well over 3.5 minutes immediately and up to 4 with practice. It took 2 years of flying THAT to be ready for the Apache scale suits and when I got one of -those-, I was able to use it properly. Now I take flights well over 4 minutes for granted. If thats where you'd like to be someday the path you're on will take you there.

I've seen quite a few slow patient pilots who learned the same way and pack similar skillsets.

I have yet to see anybody succeed in taking a shortcut by going straight to big suits and be able to fly it well without foundation skills. I -have- seen plenty of birds TRY to make that shortcut... and fail, and require extensive remedial practice just to meet typical performance expectations of lesser suits with it and they never get anywhere near to using their suit to its limits. Usually its a guy with an S or an X who bought it inside his first hundred flights and can't understand why its all he can do to keep up with a pack of R and T birds. Its because he never learned to fly an R or a T bird in the first place.

Its like one of those zen riddles. Buy the suit so you can outfly the other guy, and you'll fail. Buy the suit so you can improve yourself, and in time you'll be able to outfly the other guy.

Good choice. Thank you for choosing well. The world flock needs as many of you as we can get both for the skills and the example.
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Thanks guys (Mac, Lurch and Butters) I will definitely take your advice serious, I have been flying my wingsuit(S-fly Expert)for less than a year and now I'm really glad I asked for advice before buying. The jump numbers I referred to was according to the Tonysuit website and you made me realize that there is more to flying than meets the eye. I am quite confident in flocks and do enjoy it, maybe I should do this for a few more months before I spend a lot of money on a new suit. I must admit, I am envious of your 3 and 4 minute flights, that is why I want a bigger/faster suit, I'm still battling to stay afloat for 2 minutes.

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Quote

I must admit, I am envious of your 3 and 4 minute flights, that is why I want a bigger/faster suit, I'm still battling to stay afloat for 2 minutes.



Just as an example, I have been flying my T-Bird, not deemed to be one of the "cool suits", and as well as enjoying flocking and chucking it around, I have done 3mins 10 secs in it. I admit, I am not the biggest chap (5' 10" and 145lbs wet and naked), but I would hope to show that in learning to fly your suit, you can squeeze some performance out of it that people are quick to dismiss because its not "advanced". I learnt alot about the dynamics of flight in the suit by concentrating for a time on performance flying in it.

As another note, I don’t know what type of physical frame you are, but after starting to Wingsuit, I decided my frame would certainly be more efficient if I lost weight. So solely with the advantages for wingsuit flying in mind, I lost 55lbs (actually I lost 65lbs but looked like I was riddled with AIDS so put back on 10lbs), this I feel made a positive difference to my flying (and overall health as a secondary benefit). But, I am a little bit obsessive about things when I put my mind to it.

Caveat: I only state what works for me. Its not a rule of thumb or advice on best practice.

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