mccordia 73 #1 July 31, 2005 I just got back from Germany, where I spent a whole week at the DZ TU-7 (Seedorf). My home dz has a small boogie like this once a year. As promised (Thanx Jari, Jussi!!) the morning before leaving, I got a nice brown box from a DHL delivery man, and inside, found my new S3S. The past week, Ive made about 18 flights with the suit, and can say that it's a definate improvement of the 'normal' S3. 1st...the suit just looks cool. Next to the technical improvements, you can see that extra work has been put into also making it look nice. A lot of 'non-wingers' actualy comented on how cool it looked compared to my 'old' suit (although the almost 'all-black' colors probably also helped a bit. The differences with the normal S3 that you notice straight away are the new toggle-releases. I've sat in about every corner of a porter, and in a couple of Cessna 206(Turbines), and didn't have any problems with the toggles coming off. I think this is definately a feature that should stick, and should be used in all future suits... The leg-zippers also have a new 'protective flap' over the bottom part, and no longer use the small buttons. This has the advantage that you don't have to unclick the buttons after opening, and can unzip straight away. I feared that the zippers would come open without the buttons to hold em closed, but I didn't have any problems with this during the week. The biggest change are the hard ribs. The do ad a bit of extra care for the suit in terms of putting it away. You can no longer just stuff it in a gearbag, or smack in into the bm-stash-bag with your eyes closed. You basicly need to pack it. Folding the wings, so the ribs rest on one and another. And then fold the 'packed' wings onto the chest, and do the same thing with the legwing. Closing it like a harmonica, and then rotating it onto the chest. And then folding the whole suit again, so it fits into the shash-bag. Because the ribs feel a bit harder, there is a fear of damaging them. But seeing how the rest of the suit is made, I don't think it will be a problem. When you compare it to the S3, the construction feels much more solid. And you can see that on certain areas, the suit has been modified, with pieces of binding-tape sewn into the wing to make certain pieces (like the leg-wing corners) more solid/durable. In terms of flying you realy notice the difference. The suit inflates much eayer. When you put tension on your arm or leg, the ribs instantly inflate it, so it's no longer just air-pressure doing its job. I think BASE folks wil probably like this feature. In backflying, the ribs also help quite a bit keeping the wing rigid, and not flapping. The biggest difference is noticable when you fly the suit in a les the optimal posture, or non-symetric postures. One example: I could look over my shoulder (after a tandem-flyby) and rotate my upper-torso to the point, where your arms are in such a wierd position, that normaly one wing would become distorted to the point where you'd 'fall over'. But the ribs kept it inflated. It adds a lot of stabily, and makes the suit easyer to fly over the a normal S3. The bigger air-deflectors are the feature all people that see the suit ask about. They look strange on the ground. But when flying my head-cam setup, I could see that they do inflate and channel air over the wing (where the smaller deflectors would just stick to the suit on my old S3) Next to me being happy with my new suit, I had the great luck to make a number of great jumps with a few good friends. And thanx to Jean-Louis Becker (aka J-Lo) a couple of people also got to experience their first few flights. We flew some cool 2, 3 and 4 ways. Jumped with smoke, tried several cool camera setups, did heli-jumps, and thanks to a wonderfully insane pilot, got to dogfight with a porter on several occasions. Here's some stills from the past week. After Ive finished the boogie DVD later this week, I'll make a small compilation of all wingsuit jumps. I'll also post a small video from Tristan, who shot some of the most insane wingsuit vs plane footage you've seen in a long time! Too bad the boogie is over, back to work JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #2 August 1, 2005 QuoteClosing it like a harmonica You mean an Accordian right? The suits performance is awesome isn't it! Be safe. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #3 August 1, 2005 QuoteQuoteClosing it like a harmonica You mean an Accordian right? Hey, it's his suit, let him fold it how he wants! www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #4 August 1, 2005 QuoteQuoteQuoteClosing it like a harmonica You mean an Accordian right? Hey, it's his suit, let him fold it how he wants! Ok, but I'm still looking at one of my harmonicas and how to fold it.... Be safe. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #5 August 1, 2005 QuoteOk, but I'm still looking at one of my harmonicas and how to fold it.... Hey, if he says he folds it like a harmonica, he must fold it like a harmonica. Quoteone of my harmonicas You got a harmonica collection going on over there Ed? Perhaps you should get one of your accordians to illustrate your point to Jarno. Just givin you a hard time....www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 73 #6 August 1, 2005 I've got a harmonica installed in my wing, you should hear the sound it makes in freefall (OKAY, OKAY....I ment harmonica......so sue me!!) But I'll upload some of the footage next week. I made one of the slowest tandem-flybys ever with my S3S...can't wait to play with it more...JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fenceline 0 #7 August 2, 2005 Mccordian maybe???? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VectorBoy 0 #8 August 2, 2005 Ok, but I'm still looking at one of my harmonicas and how to fold it.... Be safe. Ed Funny Ed I'd never picture you as a harmonica player. In fact I'd see you as more of an accordian player for sure: " and-a-on-a, and-a-two-a". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #9 August 2, 2005 QuoteIn fact I'd see you as more of an accordian player for sure: " and-a-on-a, and-a-two-a". Well, with a Catholic Italian upbringing in the late 60's, I was MADE to take an accordian class or two also..... Be safe. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Well, with a Catholic Italian upbringing in the late 60's, I was MADE to take an accordian class or two also.....
Be safe.
Ed
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com
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