Backfly help

[devildog 0]

I'm flying an R-bird w/ inlets, currently, and I've got about 17-18 jumps working on my backfly (69 WS altogether). I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I've got no outside video atm to show (which I'm going to try and correct as soon as I can, I usually jump at a small 182 DZ with not many frequent WSers). My first attempts usually sent me into a head-down dive, which I finally stopped doing when I stopped arching with my head back (carry over to get back to belly I guess). Around attempts 10-12 or so, I actually rolled into a fairly stable backfly. I took one attempt from about 12k down to 7k before rolling back over. Now, however, I can't seem to get back to it and I feel like I'm regressing. My tail keeps popping up (hinging at the waist) and it seems that whenever I try to push it back down, it sends me into a dive even without my head slightly up. Rolling with the tail closed and only half opening sort of helps, but only to a degree. I'm trying to figure out what I might be missing? Arms maybe not extended enough? Down too low? Too high? Chest / pelvis issues? I realize its probably hard to diagnose over text and no video (or even pictures) but thought throw it out here to see if I could get some help before I find an outside camera.

Thanks!

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.

[splat123 0]

I am no expert, but wingsuits with side inflation in the waist area like Rbirds, Vampires etc are difficult to learn to back fly in. Can fly my shadow stable and fully open, but my V4 attempts are l

[skydave114 0]

fly butt down (de-arch) with feet close together, until you are stable with good directional control. Then slowly flatten out and open your leg wing. I find that when inverted, my r-bird leg wing overpowers the arms.

[mccordia 73]

Typically, wingsuits with a 'split' armwing, that dont have a single surface but a smaller upper wing, and longer narrow cell allong the body tend to be less suitable for backflying.

You dont fully control the lower wing, which means the tail tends to over-power the upper armwing. And the armwing-root being linked to the leg, also leads to opposing inputs between arms and legs, which can cause a lot of sliding around, leading to a suit that can't really be flown on the back in any inefficient way, and is hard to control.

Thats why there is a certain wing type/suit size (single surface armwing, and wingroot not further than a few inches bellow the knee max) that most aggressive acrobatic (back) flying wingsuit pilots choose.

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[devildog 0]

mccordia

Typically, wingsuits with a 'split' armwing, that dont have a single surface but a smaller upper wing, and longer narrow cell allong the body tend to be less suitable for backflying.

You dont fully control the lower wing, which means the tail tends to over-power the upper armwing. And the armwing-root being linked to the leg, also leads to opposing inputs between arms and legs, which can cause a lot of sliding around, leading to a suit that can't really be flown on the back in any inefficient way, and is hard to control.

Thats why there is a certain wing type/suit size (single surface armwing, and wingroot not further than a few inches bellow the knee max) that most aggressive acrobatic (back) flying wingsuit pilots choose.

So should I maybe just not bother till I grab suit #2?

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.

[dthames 0]

devildog

***Typically, wingsuits with a 'split' armwing, that dont have a single surface but a smaller upper wing, and longer narrow cell allong the body tend to be less suitable for backflying.

You dont fully control the lower wing, which means the tail tends to over-power the upper armwing. And the armwing-root being linked to the leg, also leads to opposing inputs between arms and legs, which can cause a lot of sliding around, leading to a suit that can't really be flown on the back in any inefficient way, and is hard to control.

Thats why there is a certain wing type/suit size (single surface armwing, and wingroot not further than a few inches bellow the knee max) that most aggressive acrobatic (back) flying wingsuit pilots choose.

So should I maybe just not bother till I grab suit #2?

My thinking as well. You can always practice your Split-S in the meantime.

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

[kallend 1,623]

dthames

******Typically, wingsuits with a 'split' armwing, that dont have a single surface but a smaller upper wing, and longer narrow cell allong the body tend to be less suitable for backflying.

You dont fully control the lower wing, which means the tail tends to over-power the upper armwing. And the armwing-root being linked to the leg, also leads to opposing inputs between arms and legs, which can cause a lot of sliding around, leading to a suit that can't really be flown on the back in any inefficient way, and is hard to control.

Thats why there is a certain wing type/suit size (single surface armwing, and wingroot not further than a few inches bellow the knee max) that most aggressive acrobatic (back) flying wingsuit pilots choose.

So should I maybe just not bother till I grab suit #2?

My thinking as well. You can always practice your Split-S in the meantime.

Which is a really quick way to reverse direction.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.