First steps to wingsuit flying

[Kirby46 0]

I've decided that I want to fly wingsuits and have booked my AFF course in March. However I've read that you need to complete 200-500 jumps before you can try a wingsuit. This seems a long way off and is this a strict requirement or just a guideline? Also I wanna get a helmet for when I start the AFF, I like the look of an open face helmet with goggles. Do some guys use snowboard helmets as that's what they look like in videos.

[yeyo 1]

steps to wingsuit flying:

1. forget about wingsuit flying
2. finish aff
3. make 193 regular skydives mixing all disciplines and having fun
4. remember about wingsuit flying
5. ask again

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[Absolut 0]

Hi, first congratulations on taking the first steps to skydiving. Wingsuiting is a really nice discipline in this sport and you can have a lot of fun. But remember that there are so many other disciplines like freeflying, formationskydiving... that are just as much fun. Take your time, don't rush, and you'll find yourself wingsuiting soon enough. Indeed the rules are 200 jumps, at least here in Switzerland you could start before that, but probably no dropzone would allow you to do so and it would really be a stupid idea. Because of the extra surface every movement has a much greater effect and before you start you have to get a feeling for the wind and how it affects you so you could save yourself in case of instability. Also don't buy any helmet yet, you'll get one in your course and afterwards talk to your instructors what is best. Start with the course and everything else will just happen at the right time. Blue skies!

[Absolut 0]

yeyo

steps to wingsuit flying:

1. forget about wingsuit flying
2. finish aff
3. make 193 regular skydives mixing all disciplines and having fun
4. remember about wingsuit flying
5. ask again

+1

[The111 1]

yeyo

steps to wingsuit flying:

1. forget about wingsuit flying
2. finish aff
3. make 193 regular skydives mixing all disciplines and having fun
4. remember about wingsuit flying
5. ask again

6. buy beer

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[Kirby46 0]

Thanks to you all for the advice. I shall indeed try to be more patient. I've never wanted to do something so badly in all my life :)
Have any of you guys ever done proximity flying? I'd love to hear about any first experiences.

[wasatchrider 0]

Kirby46

Thanks to you all for the advice. I shall indeed try to be more patient. I've never wanted to do something so badly in all my life :)
Have any of you guys ever done proximity flying? I'd love to hear about any first experiences.

now your looking even further down the road...
after your hundrends of skydives and many wingsuit jumps
start base do a couple more hundred base jumps then wingsuit base another 100 or 200 then you can start to do easy proxy flights.
Ive been skydiving and base jumping for a few years and have done wing suit base Ill tell you in another couple years when I do my first wing suit proxy.

BASE 1519

[wasatchrider 0]

wasatchrider

***Thanks to you all for the advice. I shall indeed try to be more patient. I've never wanted to do something so badly in all my life :)
Have any of you guys ever done proximity flying? I'd love to hear about any first experiences.

now your looking even further down the road...
after your hundrends of skydives and many wingsuit jumps
start base do a couple more hundred base jumps then wingsuit base another 100 or 200 then you can start to do easy proxy flights.
Ive been skydiving and base jumping for a few years and have done wing suit base Ill tell you in another couple years when I do my first wing suit proxy.

btw I took a short route and skipped a lot of steps which is not recommended. Could take you many many years or a lot of money and time off and connections and more money and time off. Or you could cut it short real short and end up on the list...

BASE 1519

[dthames 0]

Kirby46

Thanks to you all for the advice. I shall indeed try to be more patient. I've never wanted to do something so badly in all my life :)
Have any of you guys ever done proximity flying? I'd love to hear about any first experiences.

I have flown close to clouds.

About 28 months ago I was where you are, in that I had the goal to pilot a wingsuit. I was jumping before I understood the 200 jump rule existed and it seemed like something so far away. I recall the day I had my 66th jump and asked a friend, "Do you know what is special about that jump"......1/3 of the way there!" I think that very day an instructor sort of laughed at me and said that with 60 something jumps talking about a wingsuit was sort of misplaced. However, being a seasoned adult, I didn't let that deter me one bit. I didn't lose sight of my goal. Now I "fly".

The 200 jump rule seemed a little extreme to me and I understood that I didn't fully appreciated the reasons for it. Somewhere about wingsuit jump 20 or so, I had a little problem that I fixed without even being able to describe what I did to fix it. It was just sort of a natural reaction to the situation. Then I thought, "Oh, THAT is what the 200 jumps are for".

As others have said, enjoy the journey. There is a lot of fun just getting to the 200.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[Bluhdow 31]

Kirby46

I've decided that I want to fly wingsuits and have booked my AFF course in March. However I've read that you need to complete 200-500 jumps before you can try a wingsuit. This seems a long way off and is this a strict requirement or just a guideline? Also I wanna get a helmet for when I start the AFF, I like the look of an open face helmet with goggles. Do some guys use snowboard helmets as that's what they look like in videos.

Just skip to BASE jumping. It will be faster and there aren't all these crazy rules. Also, you should always base your gear choices purely on looks. That's how Jeb Corliss does it. Try to get sponsored by Tapout Clothing as quickly as possible. You're going to get laid so much.

Apex BASE
#1816

[ifell 0]

After my tandem I saw wingsuits on the Discovery Channel and booked AFF. Before even getting on the plane I asked the instructor doing the ground course about wingsuiting... It was laughed off and I was told to see him after the course. He just said I should concentrate on the task at hand and alot of experience was needed to fly wingsuits. I didn't care, flying was my goal so I did what I needed to reach it. Found out later about the 200 jump rule, go out and learn to fly your body, go to boogies, get tunnel time and in no time at all you will get your wings... And buy beer

[theplummeter 14]

Bluhdow

***I've decided that I want to fly wingsuits and have booked my AFF course in March. However I've read that you need to complete 200-500 jumps before you can try a wingsuit. This seems a long way off and is this a strict requirement or just a guideline? Also I wanna get a helmet for when I start the AFF, I like the look of an open face helmet with goggles. Do some guys use snowboard helmets as that's what they look like in videos.

Just skip to BASE jumping. It will be faster and there aren't all these crazy rules. Also, you should always base your gear choices purely on looks. That's how Jeb Corliss does it. Try to get sponsored by Tapout Clothing as quickly as possible. You're going to get laid so much.[/quote
]

You didn't even share which cologne to bathe your wingsuit in prior to each jump. I recommend Ed Hardy.

[Kirby46 0]

wasatchrider

******Thanks to you all for the advice. I shall indeed try to be more patient. I've never wanted to do something so badly in all my life :)
Have any of you guys ever done proximity flying? I'd love to hear about any first experiences.

now your looking even further down the road...
after your hundrends of skydives and many wingsuit jumps
start base do a couple more hundred base jumps then wingsuit base another 100 or 200 then you can start to do easy proxy flights.
Ive been skydiving and base jumping for a few years and have done wing suit base Ill tell you in another couple years when I do my first wing suit proxy.

btw I took a short route and skipped a lot of steps which is not recommended. Could take you many many years or a lot of money and time off and connections and more money and time off. Or you could cut it short real short and end up on the list...

Yeah man I'm under no illusion that this is not gonna happen overnight. I just hope I get there. Safety and training is paramount.

[Kirby46 0]

Haha some comments are hilarious. I really appreciate the advice though.
I'm not even gonna mention wingsuits until I'm nearly there. Just gonna enjoy the skydiving for now ;)
I go to the alps every year riding downhill mtb which is an hour from chamonix. So may take a drive there to spectate some wingsuit flying. Does anyone know any dates that it goes on out there?

[skow 6]

yeyo

steps to wingsuit flying:

1. forget about wingsuit flying
2. finish aff
3. make 193 regular skydives mixing all disciplines and having fun
4. remember about wingsuit flying
5. ask again

I've always loved this kind of "advices" from jumpers with noticeble number of jumps. "Forget WS flying/Swooping/HD flying until you have XXX jumps".

So how is anybody going to be ready at XXX jumps to fly WS if they don't do anything towards it?

I'd suggest the following:

1. Keep your goal in mind
2. Do AFF course
3. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
4. Practice/master basics of normal flying (belly, basic FF etc.)
5. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
6. Practice/master skills towards WS flying that can be trained without a WS (tracking, back tracking, atmo, flying with tracking suit etc.)
7. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
8. When you have XXX jumps and FEEL comfortable go to First Flight Course


* buying beer is of course mandatory in all of the steps

[Kirby46 0]

skow

***
steps to wingsuit flying:

1. forget about wingsuit flying
2. finish aff
3. make 193 regular skydives mixing all disciplines and having fun
4. remember about wingsuit flying
5. ask again

I've always loved this kind of "advices" from jumpers with noticeble number of jumps. "Forget WS flying/Swooping/HD flying until you have XXX jumps".

So how is anybody going to be ready at XXX jumps to fly WS if they don't do anything towards it?

I'd suggest the following:

1. Keep your goal in mind
2. Do AFF course
3. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
4. Practice/master basics of normal flying (belly, basic FF etc.)
5. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
6. Practice/master skills towards WS flying that can be trained without a WS (tracking, back tracking, atmo, flying with tracking suit etc.)
7. Ask questions/ read forums, artcles etc.
8. When you have XXX jumps and FEEL comfortable go to First Flight Course


* buying beer is of course mandatory in all of the steps

I think the fact that I don't drink is going to hold me back in this sport!

[dthames 0]

Kirby46

Haha some comments are hilarious. I really appreciate the advice though.
I'm not even gonna mention wingsuits until I'm nearly there. Just gonna enjoy the skydiving for now ;)
I go to the alps every year riding downhill mtb which is an hour from chamonix. So may take a drive there to spectate some wingsuit flying. Does anyone know any dates that it goes on out there?

Not mention wingsuits......right!

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[skow 6]

You got it completely wrong. You are NOT the one who will be drinking the beer :D

[normiss 718]

Douche fumes.

[FrancoR 0]

Kirby46

Yeah man I'm under no illusion that this is not gonna happen overnight. I just hope I get there. Safety and training is paramount.

If safety is paramount WS Base is not an option. That like beeing all for safety and riding a motorcycle on the track without a helmet.

If it does not cost anything you are the product.

[FB1609 0]

OP, nice you're so interested in wingsuit prox flying, but sadly (or happily) just like all who see a youtube vid, it probably will never happen for you. You can make it happen from scratch, but we're talking lots of time, money and effort, years and years of participating hardcore. Yeah, looks cool and easy, you might think you could do one with a few dozen jumps, depends if you want to live through it or not.

[Kirby46 0]

FrancoR

***
Yeah man I'm under no illusion that this is not gonna happen overnight. I just hope I get there. Safety and training is paramount.

If safety is paramount WS Base is not an option. That like beeing all for safety and riding a motorcycle on the track without a helmet.

It was a figure of speech. All I mean is that I'm not on a suicide mission. Just wanna experience it and fly wingsuits. I know that many people pay the ultimate price when proximity flying but that's part of it I guess.

[Kirby46 0]

FB1609

OP, nice you're so interested in wingsuit prox flying, but sadly (or happily) just like all who see a youtube vid, it probably will never happen for you. You can make it happen from scratch, but we're talking lots of time, money and effort, years and years of participating hardcore. Yeah, looks cool and easy, you might think you could do one with a few dozen jumps, depends if you want to live through it or not.

Yeah I know this, and it's a long shot but I'm not expecting it to happen tmw. If it takes 5-10 years then fine. I have my goal. I'ts all good.

[yeyo 1]

Quote

I'm not even gonna mention wingsuits until I'm nearly there.

Good luck with that!!! My cousin started skydiving because like you, he wants to fly wingsuits. I told him to forget about wingsuiting for now, and that everytime he asks a wingsuit question I was gonna add 10 jumps to the 200 requisite. As of today he has around 80 jumps, but he will need about 350 before I teach him.

Quote

Just gonna enjoy the skydiving for now ;)

Yep, thats a plan. And dont forget to read forums and ARTCLES haha

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[FB1609 0]

That's the way to look at it, it's all fun on the way there, if you have the time and money, you will get to realize your dream.

Look forward to a post from you confirming your A licence!