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ManBird

What wingsuit flying does to your track

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On Sunday, we couldn't get more than 5,500, and I felt like going for the pond, so I disconnected for the day. I got out at 5,500 feet and tracked like a bastard. Dumped at 3,200 and was in the saddle at 2,900. Got a 29 second delay in my FireFly freefly suit, according to the ProTrack. Looking at the chart, it was more like 26 seconds from 5,500 to 3,200.

It felt like I was in a wingsuit for the whole track. I was basically in the same position, but with my "wings" collapsed... just keeping any air from slipping out. Before getting the GTi, I did about 25 tracking dives and got my consistent fall rate down to the low 80s and freefall time up to 87 seconds in my freefly suit. After flying the wingsuit this much, it's gone even lower. I'd really to try to track on the same jump as someone taking it easy in a Classic or GTi. It'd make for some interesting footage.

Now I REALLY want some Pantz for tracking on hop and pops.
"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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Sorry to bust your bubble but kevin and I already tried following a tracking dive in BM suits and regular trackers still fall way too fast vertically to keep up with in a suit.
"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

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It's been done before, actually. I forget the guy's name, but there's a Red Bull sponsored BASE jumper/skydiver that can track with people in wingsuits in half flight.

The tail end (about seven seconds) of my jump start heading up went up to 78MPH, but the average (excluding the first four seconds of building up speed) was 67 MPH. I wonder how the forward speeds would compare, though. You can actually get faster or as fast forward speeds without a suit (compared to basic wingsuit flight), but you have to be doing about 90 MPH down (a good track at 90 down will also put you at 90 forwards), whereas you fall rate would be drastically less when matching or exceeding that speed with a wingsuit.

Beef.
"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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Both myself and Bobby Pritchard exited dead last on a "regular" tracking dive in our wingsuits and not only got down to the front back-flyer, we was able to take docks on us as he saw fit. We then popped hard wings and zoomed off at 4500, leaving them in the dust. Not a big deal at all. It just takes the ability to totally collapse your wings and fly with your elbows out a bit. Not efficient, but totally doable. Those jumps were with Bobby in his old Classic and me in my old Skyflyer.

Chuck

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Sorry to bust your bubble but kevin and I already tried following a tracking dive in BM suits and regular trackers still fall way too fast vertically to keep up with in a suit.



this particular dive included a F*ed up tracking dive that funneled, so you gotta figure that in as well :)

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Wingsuit jumps have definately improved my track. I went tracking with 2 guys this weekend out over the Gulf of Mexico, I was wearing tshirt and shorts, and tevas, I weigh about 215 without gear, the other guys are much smaller and don't have a beer gut, I left first and they were not able to stay up with me, much less get the same forward speed. hehehehe, can't wait to track with those freeflyers back at my home DZ, I'm gonna smoke em naked.:o
C-ya
Blair
O yea, the wingsuit flights over the ocean with the beach swoops in front of the bar made for a nice weekend as well.;)

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O yea, the wingsuit flights over the ocean with the beach swoops in front of the bar made for a nice weekend as well.;)

Damn... bastard. I'm gonna cry. SHitty weather for like 1,000 weekends in a row here in Oregon.
"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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Has anyone tried flying circles around the track dives with the wingsuit? I did that once - staying above them and flying circles around them as they all tracked. At pull time I punched it out and left them in the dust.

_________________________________________

You look like a well fed robin. -monkey1031

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Three more... that is, three miles an hour less and I will be tracking in double digits in shorts and a t-shirt (hit 95 at one point, but averaged 102). Yee haw.

Got the SF3 down to 44 for about eight seconds. I need 2'45" of that, then I'll be stylin.
"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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Yeah, JumpTrack.

Edited to add:

I should also mention that after experimenting with several locations on my body, I have found that my front pants pocket, in the middle of my thigh, is the best place for my ProTrack. I believe others have found the best results there. That part of me moves very little and is always exposed to clean air.

I don't really rely on/use the audible feature on it. If I'm in the spot when my PT is supposed to sound, if often times won't. I have better altitude awareness without it, anyway.
"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

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