SkydiveMonkey 0 #1 August 21, 2002 Ok, I'm a little ways off yet, but I'd love to try a suit. What would you say are the minimun number of jumps before strapping on a Classic II for a current skydiver? I know the Birdman site says 500, but I'm assuming this is for an average weekend skydiver.____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #2 August 21, 2002 Last time I talked to a Bird-Man instructor, it was 500 to make the jump on your own, and something like 200 if you had proper instruction and coaching. I made my first Bird-man jumps when I had around 250 skydives. However, I had a fairly good relationship with some experienced wingsuit flyers for guidance and instruction, as well as an additional 300 or so (non-skydive) parachute jumps. Maybe one of the Bird-man instructors can give the "official" answer here?-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomblin 0 #3 August 21, 2002 Birdman recommends 500 if your simply going to sit down, read the manual and try it on your own. With instruction from a BM-I the minimum is 200 jumps. (so says Kim business manager of Birdman, and Rob T. the mirage ad guy) I did my first birdman jump (after instruction) with only 168 jumps & didn't have a problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #4 August 22, 2002 How often were you jumping then? and what suit did you use?____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #5 August 22, 2002 I will train and jump with a current jumper who has 200 skydives. I will rent or loan a suit to a current jumper with 500 jumps, so long as he or she watches my BM tape and I brief them on the ground. Chuck BM-I Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #6 August 22, 2002 I was looking on the website - have you heard of "TrackPantz"? The website doesn't show anything when I click on it - I'm assuming it's only the lower part of the suit for mega tracking?____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Macaulay 0 #7 August 22, 2002 I went on tracking dive with Dwayne when he was wearing TrakPantz. The person leading was really steep, so a few of us lightweights stayed up pretty high, and Dwayne was right in there. Dwayne is a hell of a tracker in general, but he have some nice horizontal speed/distance relative to others. From the ground, horizontal movement was fairly noticeable (being that he pitched at like 1500). The TrakPantz I saw looked like thin freefly pants, but near the foot on each leg, the front of the pantleg was rigid with a mesh opening at the top of the rigid material. It looked like what they were doing is sort of forcing you're feet into an optimum tracking position. Sitflying isn't recommended. - Mac Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #8 August 22, 2002 I got to play with a pair of the pants a while back. They're basically freefly pants with an inlet at the crotch (actually the pair I saw had cordura that allowed airflow), and directed vents at the ankles (sort of little jet nozzles for directed airflow). I think they're great for BASE (especially on big wall, high bust sites near me). I think they might do well as a pair of general purpose freefly pants with some extra fun factor, but I don't really freefly anymore so I'm not sure about that. If you're looking for max tracking fun, though, I'd definitely stick with a suit over the pants.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
