Question Proximity Flight

[Butters 0]

DSE

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Start focusing on tracking jumps in the last 50 jumps or so before you get into wingsuits.

This, I disagree with. Amongst other stereotypes, people that have been hard trackers for many jumps before they put on the wingsuit frequently turn out to be the worst students. I'd prefer to have students that stay on their bellies and do RW with their buddies. They're more aware of their bodies vs learning (usually bad) habits that don't really apply to wingsuiting.

I've always advocated tracking. Belly, back, flat, steep, fast, slow, ...

DSE

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Start getting used to thinking of a skydive as a 3d flight path where you're going somewhere. Where you got out where you're going and where you want to be when you open. Keeping track of that at all times throughout the skydive is a critical foundation skill especially for wingsuit flying.

This.

I agree, but you forgot one very important thing. While keeping track of where you are, where you're going, and where you want to be you need to know where everyone else (including the pilot) is ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[verticalflyer 11]

I highly recommend you read the articles on the following link

http://www.flylikebrick.com/safety-training.php

Tracking has its place however the ability to control you body relative to others is far more important, e.g. understanding the relationship between your movements and others in the x,y,z axis is vital in addition to spending a lot of time once qualified on 2-3 ways not trying to join every flock going and simply going for numbers. Fly your body. Hence building skills in RW and Freefly should help you greatly and also in approach techniques to bases since with a wingsuit closing speeds and your ability will determine how safe you and others around you are.

Dont just talk about it, Do it!

[DSE 3]

A lot of people parrot tracking hard before getting into WS.

That doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
Teach enough students, and the ability to "foresee the future" becomes fairly easy.
Since you're at the same DZ as Andy or Feather, ask them about several student predictions they saw come true over the summer (Including how students with a lot of tracking experience did on their FFC).
It ain't rocket science, but being body aware is much much more important for the early stages of wingsuiting than tracking skill. Being able to fly to others, being able to understand your body position relative to the earth when unstable, knowing what inputs accomplish what results is more valuable than knowing how to drive from point A to point B.

[mccordia 73]

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Start focusing on tracking jumps in the last 50 jumps or so before you get into wingsuits.

Opinions vary. Im also strongly advocating not doing so, unless its jumps with others.
Jumps where you work relative to people. Not solo, the odd jump aside for navigation.

In my view people with more experience in orientation, awareness and general body control in the air built up through freefly, RW or the odd group trackingjump etc tend to be much better skydivers (safety wise). That teaching you a lot more than holding 1 body position'.

Performance is not what first wingsuit jumps are about. Those are about safety. And being aware of your surroundings, and your own body in the sky relative to other people. Though 'youtube-wise' it may not always seem so, a person doing a 2 minute first jump doesnt always mean he actually did well. Control, altitude awareness and general safety are more important aspects. And regardless if its flying like a rocket or falling almost straight down, thats aspects that will benefit a lot more from experience gained through spending time in the sky, flying your body relative to other people.

Even if people are 'killing it' on their first few wingsuit jumps, due to a lot of tracking. They often scare the shit out of me sky-rocketing through a group, with no relative flying experience.

Unless you plan to fly solo in your wingsuit career, practice the skills needed to fly next to another person in freefall in the learning environments where those skills can safely be acquired. Wingsuit flying isnt the place to 'learn' that, with distances, closing speeds and directions varying the most.

Its quite common to 'jump right into things' but much like other disciplines, a steady structured progression before and after a first flight course are way important things. Having solid goals in learning that motivate you to get better and better.

Canopy wise, I flew a 170 for close to a 1000 jumps. You dont 'need' a small one to have fun in a safe way.

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[Butters 0]

DSE

Since you're at the same DZ as Andy or Feather, ask them about several student predictions they saw come true over the summer (Including how students with a lot of tracking experience did on their FFC).

Will do.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[Butters 0]

DSE

A lot of people parrot tracking hard before getting into WS.

By the way, I'm not parroting anything. I've been (and will continue to be) a fan of tracking.

DSE

It ain't rocket science, but being body aware is much much more important for the early stages of wingsuiting than tracking skill. Being able to fly to others, being able to understand your body position relative to the earth when unstable, knowing what inputs accomplish what results is more valuable than knowing how to drive from point A to point B.

This is the problem. Tracking, done right, is about being body aware, being able to fly to others, being able to understand your body position relative to earth when unstable, knowing what inputs accomplish what results ... not just knowing how to drive from point A to point B.

PS: Sadly, that limited perspective of tracking is the same one I encounter regarding wingsuiting from numerous skydivers.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch