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fortress913

Birdman Suit from King Air Hop & Pop; Bird Man Instructor

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I'm thinking about jumping my bird man suit from a King Air from 4,000 ft. What do you guys think? I was told the King Air will not slow down on hop and pops, but will only use flaps. Would that be a problem for someone with relatively few birdman flights or any rules prohibiting it?

I've heard conflicting numbers required to jump a bird man suit: 200 or 300?

Also, I'm wondering what it takes to be a bird man instructor? Do you need some kind of certification?

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I found the answer to how many jumps are required to fly birdman: 200 jumps within the past 18 months or 500 jumps.

I still would like to know if it is ok to jump with a birdman suit from a King Air that doesn't slow down for hop & pops. Would the speed be problematic for a beginner birdman pilot?

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Please fill in your profile. There is a world of difference between someone on a competition CRW team with 3000 dives doing a hop and pop with 10 wingsuit dives, and someone with 210 dives, no hop and pops, and 10 wingsuit dives.

Until I know where you fall on the scale, I can't give you an answer.

t
It's the year of the Pig.

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hahahaha leave it to wikipedia to take such a simple concept and explain the hell out of it from its definition to each key moment in its history... i love it! :D
Web Design
Cleveland Skydiving
"Hey, these cookies don't taste anything like girl scouts..."

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the high speed and small door of the king air at a lowish altitude could be a bit problematic for a lowtime ws pilot.

however, if you need to look to the internet to determine this, then perhaps you arent ready.

good luck, and dont hit your head on the rear stab.

how many, is "relativley few?" post more information about yourself, and people will be more inclined to give you there opinion.


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Thank you for actually trying to post useful information, when so many are just hammering the guy.

I've got a pretty well developed nose for Trolls, and I'm thinking this isn't one.


To the original question: Exiting a King Air at speed with a wingsuit is going to be scary. If you exit with the wings open there is a reasonable chance you'll get popped up into the tail of the aircraft. Personally, I wouldn't do it, but if you really want to, I'd recommend rolling out the door in a ball, and then opening the wings 5 seconds or so later.

Details of the Birdman instructor program can be found on the BirdMan web site, or by contacting a Birdman Chief Instructor (3 of them on these forums are Scott Campos, Chuck Blue, and Jussi Holopainen,who is also the sales manager at Birdman headquarters in Finland).

Details of the Phoenix Fly instructor program can be found on the Phoenix Fly web site, or by contacting a Phoenix Fly instructor examiner (3 of them on these forums are James Boole, Baxter Gillespie and Robert Pecnik, the owner of Phoenix Fly).
-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

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Thanks for the helpful information. I'm not a troll. I was really wondering if it is ok to jump with a wingsuit from a King Air at that altitude. The reason I'm asking is that me and a few other people at a dz last weekend wanted to get on loads that were doing hop and pops only and we wanted to fly our wingsuits on these loads. One guy who works there said we couldn't do it and I didn't get a chance to talk to him about it. I have 250 jumps, 25 birdman jumps, and 5 birdman jumps from a hot air balloon. The guys who wanted to go with me have about the same number.

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I have almost 500 wingsuit jumps and I do NOT like going out of King Airs or Pacs with a suit on. At 4000 feet, there's almost no incentive to go through that hassle. It's doable, but like Tom said you are going to have to exit in a ball.
www.WingsuitPhotos.com

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Retracting my troll statement, and definaley stand with what I wrote a few posts up.

At 4K, not too much experience on wingsuits, a small cramped door, high exit speed, and hardly any altitude to recover if things go wrong...Id recomend trying that same jump from a King Air at 12k first before you start doing hop&pops..
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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Just tell me, what is the point jumping a hop and pop in your most expensive jump suite that even restrict your movement and you have to zip up in 10-20 seconds?



1 For test of your max glide without running out of stamina in some strainful suits.
2 Because weather or ATC does not permit full altitude.
3 Because its fun too.

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In Reply To
Just tell me, what is the point jumping a hop and pop in your most expensive jump suite that even restrict your movement and you have to zip up in 10-20 seconds?

1 For test of your max glide without running out of stamina in some strainful suits.
2 Because weather or ATC does not permit full altitude.
3 Because its fun too.


I have only 39 jumps so far. I would not exit under 2000m and I would not pull under 1000m with my suit on.

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Hey glen, aside from your own reasons to do this jump (which would also be mine;))I do disagree with you on all three point when its aimed at the question (and person) that started this thread..

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1 For test of your max glide without running out of stamina in some strainful suits.



Not really a valid point when someone only has 25 wingsuit jumps...
Skillwise he will benefit much more from a full altitude jump..both safety wise and in terms of practice..

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2 Because weather or ATC does not permit full altitude.



If bad weather means you cant get the jumping conditions (in this case altitude) you need to make your jump safely (based on your own skills), then you shouldnt jump...

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3 Because its fun too.



Its only fun if its all within your own comfortzone..otherwise its called dangerous/stupid..

Being an expert in that second catagory, I advice dont:P
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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I have almost 500 wingsuit jumps and I do NOT like going out of King Airs or Pacs with a suit on. At 4000 feet, there's almost no incentive to go through that hassle. It's doable, but like Tom said you are going to have to exit in a ball.



Well we do a few of those here in the early months of the year. Last year it was in the prodigy. This year it is in the Phantom.

Personally, I prefer not to(now) do these unless its the Islander. I opened the wings too soon a couple of weekends ago and went into a spin...no big deal....but the jump was a hop and pop. Could have used it to jump the other canopy.

Kris.

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I did a bunch of helo and balloon wingsuit jumps before I had 30 jumps on wingsuits and you only get about 4~4.5K from these craft around these parts and thats if you are lucky.

I had scarcely above 30 wingsuit jumps when I exited a king air ----- the fastest----the one that does not slow down much for exits. I knew what to do ball up and roll out. Its still an easier exit than a cessna.

All of the above well within my comfort level and smack up in the upper end of my Joy level.

This is not the canopy for low timer answer forum. My replies are real answers for the "why would". If you won't thats fine but a bunch of us did with no worries.

I know a couple of guys that prefer hop & pops for their V2 flights. There is no issue running out of stamina and they get a clear indication of ground covered.

Hop and pops are not for everyone but there are some reasons why someone could benefit from being capable doing WS Hop n pops. Sooner or later. You never know when your planned full alti jump will become a hop and pop. Skydive for more than a few years and it WILL happen to you.

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I had scarcely above 30 wingsuit jumps when I exited a king air ----- the fastest----the one that does not slow down much for exits. I knew what to do ball up and roll out. Its still an easier exit than a cessna.



But that probably wasnt a 4K load..?

The need to do hop&pops in case of an emergency (or squeeze in 30 seconds of freefall in 1000 ft with help of the throw from the airplane) is great fun, and yea, maybe experience everyone should have for when the shit hits the fan.

But again, in this case there is no need to do this..
Practicing the new high speed exit from a safe altitude first (just like you did;)) is a smart thing to do..adding one new factor per jump is enough...lower exit/shorter freefal, higher exitspeed, different exit/plane all at once is asking for trouble..
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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