Dumb wing suit Question still want actual answer

[aldis12 0]

i’m curious would it be possible to wing suit jump from above Dover England and fly across the channel and land in France, it’s about 110,000 feet across someone said its a glide ratio 2:1 so that’s 55,000 feet high 110,000 forward is that even possible to wing suit. wondered since seeing my first wing suit video and my brain went there? and if it is possible how experienced would you need to be to make it

thanks

[OzzieDave 1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAVITgDEpe8

Been done with a delta wing from 33,000 ft.

The shortest distance across the channel is 33km and as far as i know Shin Ito has the distance record of 28.7km, not sure of altitude. So, if you can get the clearance to go high enough and have the skills it's just a question of resources and permissions/planning...

[aldis12 0]

thanks OzzieDave for the fast response

would it be possible without a solid delta wing and just the fabric wing suit like this one http://www.wingsuitfly.com/communities/2/004/011/323/392//images/4583976376.jpg or equivalent if you some how got permission/logistics and had the skills

thanks

[dthames 0]

Flying a WS is work. If I were challenged to do a long flight, I would be looking for a way to build in some inflation cells that were sealed and could be held at a fairly high pressure with a CO2 or O2 bottle. With enough pressure, the suit would be largely rigid, and some of the work could be removed from the system.

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

[Bluhdow 31]

You'll be so stoked on the system when it comes time to pull.

Apex BASE
#1816

[Skwrl 56]

OzzieDave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAVITgDEpe8

Been done with a delta wing from 33,000 ft.

The shortest distance across the channel is 33km and as far as i know Shin Ito has the distance record of 28.7km, not sure of altitude. So, if you can get the clearance to go high enough and have the skills it's just a question of resources and permissions/planning...

Was any performance data generated by Shin's jump (or, for what that's worth, Jhonny's jump a few years back)? I'm curious how much the reduced air pressure would reduce wing performance.

Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

[Anachronist 2]

I know aerodynamics isn't strict math, but mathematically speaking air density doesn't affect unpowered glide right (excluding crazy extremes of course)? Same glide ratio, same IAS, faster TAS (at high altitude that is). Because IAS is the same, wing pressure relative to the atmosphere might actually be higher? i.e. same pressure going in, but surrounding pressure a lot less? Obviously ground speed changes with TAS and wind.

3:1 is allegedly achievable nowadays (0 wind), add a strong tail wind and it might be doable from 30k (very jumpable). The big thing is the O2 and the cold, that is a special skill/equipment set, that out of the way, anyone with the physical endurance and skill to fly a big suit could do it (300-500 WS jumps).

The real biggest obstacle is a plane that can fly at 30k with the door open. Pac, Skyvan, and Caravan are all out. King Air is a maybe, C130 is a hell yeah, but you probably want to do a couple test jumps with all your kit, and maybe a couple high altitude ones first, then jump through all the red tape. $50k+ later and you have yourself a spot in history

[jakee 1,254]

Quote

3:1 is allegedly achievable nowadays (0 wind), add a strong tail wind and it might be doable from 30k

Not even Dean Potter had arms that strong

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Anachronist 2]

Yeah, it would be an impressive feat to hold that for 8-10 min. But Shin Ito made 17.8 miles absolute distance, and I think he was getting out at 30 couple thousand (Back in 2012 no less in what looks like a Vampire 3). The shortest distance across the Channel is only 3 miles longer.

Also, it looks like Jhonathan Florez got out of a King Air at 37k, just fyi

[mccordia 73]

Kyle flew 30.4 KM Link

So he would still need a 3 km swim to make it across

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[Anachronist 2]

Thanks for that Jarno. So yeah it looks doable, a rocking tail wind would certainly help. And for the point of "flying a WS across the channel" would you have to actually deploy over land, or could that last 3km be done under canopy? The general public (and most skydivers) probably wouldn't care as long as 90% of the jump is WS flight. After all, you are "flying across the Channel" not trying to "set a distance record."

[jurgencamps 0]

If you want to wingsuit across the channel, the answer is clear.