fall rate

[CBRnick 0]

This may be a dumb question but I was wondering what sort of fall rate people get on average in a birdman suit.

Im not asking because I want to try it, I do my AFF in two weeks nd I know I have a long journey before I have the ability to use a wing suit properly, but I am like most of us amazed at some of the birdman videos that are floating about. I particular some of the base birdman dives.

I know fall rate is very objective with a lot of variables such as weight, size and skill, but on average what sort of fall rate do most bird men fliers reach and what sort of lateral speed is it possible to reach.
The video linked in another thread here with the french man doing the cliff base dives trailing the orange smoke got me wondering about what sort of speeds he was reaching.

Many thanks :)

[LukeH 0]

an experienced pilot in an advanced suit can sustain a decent rate of around 40 mph. i'm sure there are folks out there that have maintained a lower decent rate.

[The111 1]

We share something in common - I'm also aspiring toward wingsuit BASE one day. I'm not there yet but I'm a little further down the journey than you. Knock out your AFF, make some more jumps, and then come join us in the flock!

As someone else pointed out, it is possible, with all the right variables (good pilot skills, body type, suit) to sustain speeds of 40mph, or even below. I'd guess 30mph is doable by certain people in certain suits, or who knows, even better! I always thought 40 must be close to the limit, but just recently sustained 36mph for half a minute myself, and I know there are people with slower suits (sugar glider!), better body types (taller, skinnier), and better skills than me.

On the other end of the scale, you can get up to 200mph and beyond in a dive. Average speed for a good flock (group dive) is somewhere between 60-80mph.

Those were all vertical speeds.

Lateral speeds of 100mph or even more are probably possible. I've heard stats quoted that the S3 can sustain 2.5+ GR (glide ratio), and the V1 can maybe sustain 3.0.

And most importantly, it is really really fun.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[TomAiello 25]

If you're really focused on wing suit BASE, you're better off looking at glide angle than fall rate.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[CBRnick 0]

Quote

If you're really focused on wing suit BASE, you're better off looking at glide angle than fall rate.

Not so much focused on it, more like just intrigued and interested in the speeds they were achieving after watching some of the videos.

Im very aware that any sort of wing suit flying, or any other discipline within skydiving is a long way off for me at this moment. My journey starts with AFF in 10 days.

Thansk for all the replies guys. It does look fun and so maybe its something Ill lean towards in my skydiving future :)

[KrisFlyZ 0]

Quote

It does look fun and so maybe its something Ill lean towards in my skydiving future :)

Lean?! You'll be in it head first before you know it .

Kris.