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gus

GS-1 student brief

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One of the instructors (with no ws experience) at my home dz has a GS-1 on the way and has asked me to give him a brief for his first flights. He's very experienced, clued up and capable and I'm happy to help but I'm not at all familiar with the GS-1.

Is there anything non-obvious that I should be checking for during kit-up / before exit?
Any change to emergency procedures? I see from the pics that the wing release is up by the throat.
Basic body position advice? What are you GS-1 pilots doing with your arms?

Thanks,

Gus
OutpatientsOnline.com

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To start with -- advise spread eagle body position for the first flight -- if he feels unstable relax and arch ----- definetly do numerous practice pulls the suit gives me a 'at the mercy of the suit' during pull time compared to tri-wing suits.

Once the first few flights are completed focus on arms and legs straight out from the hips causing the suit to be flat along the back (the body hangs below such as a hang glider) If the suit comes with a tail wing take it off until he has a good grasp on the flight of the suit

The suit has hand loops not thumb loops. After inserting hands in adjustable loops pull lanyard from zipper over thumb to keep it from trying to unzip during flight.

Above all practice deployments for the first flight!!!

I am once again assuming he has no wingsuit flights at all --- a couple lesser performance suit flights would be great!!! The GS1 can fly you where ever it wants to take you if your not incontrol.

Good luck and I hope he enjoys it --- I have heard that there is a new wing coming out and if he ha ordered it with that wing it may not be near the issue I have explained above -- it is supposed to be a mid range performance wing (for flocking)


The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid

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I concur with Voodew's advice. We've done a number of flights with the GS-1, in combo with other suits on the load, and it does fly differently.

The 2-cents I'll add is that the "feel" of flying a mono-wing is different from flying a tri-wing. In a tri-wing suit, your arms and legs can move indepedently of each other. In a mono-wing suit, the ankles are connected to the wrists by the wing fabric, so arm/leg movements are more together. That is, I found turns to be more "whole body" turns rather than arm & leg driven. When you move your arm, your legs get a tug, and vice versa. This felt very strange at first, but you get used to it.

But I'm no expert on the GS-1 - not enough flights yet (but 100's on tri-wings). Our GS-1's are back at the factory getting upgrades now.

Old Guys Rock!

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Gus: The GS1 is no beginner suit, It would be wise to have your buddy jump the more docile suits for a few jumps at least til He gets his safety procedures down.

(Assuming Your buddy has no WS experience, otherwise disregard)

Great flights. He's gonna love his suit.



Keeping it real 22x7

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Quote

I wouldnt recommend the GS1 for a first suit. Not that I find it scary to fly (quite the opposite), just there is a lot of suit there to handle the first time out.



I'm glad that came up, I was wondering about that. I have a demo Prodigy which should fit so I'll suggest that.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Gus
OutpatientsOnline.com

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Gday Gus

Like the others I agree that your instructor friend should be competent on a docile wingsuit first. Not 1 or 2 but 20 to 30 flights and stable. Know all the basics well. There are too many little things to get to know before using a high performance suit, same as you'd recommend someone should learn before using a skyflyer 3 etc.
Once he does start jumping the GS1 it will feel very different and as pointed out weird, but fun weird not scary weird.
Due to its different flying position and the fact it takes a bit of time to really learn to fly it properly, some people can get turned off if they have just one demo on it. However for me thats where the fun started. Im no expert but i do love flying it with about 80 jumps on it now.
What ive noticed to me and others is once you start jumping the GS1 it seems to have a mind of its own and may start turning with, what you'll think, is no imput, and then you'll think, so now how do i correct something I didnt start. Normal corrections as on other suits may not work that well. No need to panic, you'll find a way.
But early on definately pull high!
Its a great idea to do lots of solos just to feel the suit out. Ive found lots of ways to turn for example, from using hips, leaning over, bringing in some arm, raising/lowering legs to name a few. The more I fly it the more interesting it gets.
The main position to start with is as mentioned straight torso, arms and legs and a biggy - pointed out (sideways) toes.
It feels awkward but like most things you'll adapt and then make your own ideal position. Also the suit will fly nicely and faster with the head lower but you can work up to that. Then you can include a slight shoulder role. I find the best position of the hands is palm towards your body, its more comfortable that way too.
Early on it may give you a decent chest workout and you'll feel like you've done a hundred pushups but Ive found many new suits (for me) I fly do that till you find the right position to relax into for that suit.
Hope this helps as well, and like it was said earlier in other replies train all the safety procedures well, Prac pull etc.
Go big;)
Rocket

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Gus,

I have made about 40 GS1 jumps now and this suit is a very different beast, after 500 + wingsuit jumps on Classic II Skyflyer and V1 the first jumps on the GS1 where pretty funky. Very small inputs are required to fly the suit, I was useda s others have mentioned greater freedom of movement and when you dip a shoulder you can really dive out of the sky its great fun but not a starter suit.

Once dialled in it was easy fly even with HALOgear and additional crap to worry about but I would not jump this as a first suit.

As for overall safety checks when putting on the suit be carefull that the teflon cables arent pulled out of sequences as this can undo the arm wing just need to be careful, also make sure the zippers have had the bottom mod, if its a new GS1 they will have. Basically its a stopper created by a tab of fabric over the zip, mine did not have them and it was a pain realgning the cottom zips all the time. Fortunately I always carry a Fordy a handy red and yellow bit of kit that can do rigging anywhere;)

If you have any other enquiries give us a shout, its a very different beast, if your jumping with him, hold back on your forward speed the GS1 is floaty as hell and the forward speed as not as high as the V1 S3 etc

Cheers

Fraser
Dont just talk about it, Do it!

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