Skyflyer 3 as a first suit.

[OSOK 0]

I've come across a really good deal for an S3 with 20 jumps on it.
Even though I don't have enough experience to fly one, what are you guys' opinions on using this as first suit? I've done lots of tracking jumps, and plan on doing lots more plus wingsuit-practice jumps by the time I hit 200 jumps, which is when I'd like to fly wingsuits.

[Buried 0]

sure, it can be done. is it recommended? No.



"lots" is still little if your jump numbers are correct.
----

edit to add - depends on how good the deal is, you may want to wait and get a suit or the newer models which will be out by the time you are ready to fly a higher perfomance suit.

Where is my fizzy-lifting drink?

[The111 0]

There is no reason to buy gear long before you can use it. What would you say if a whuffo buddy told you he was going to go through AFF, and had found a good deal on a sport rig to buy before the class?

If you're made of money, go ahead. But if you were made of money, you wouldn't be hunting down "good deals." Catch-22.

Wingsuits (like cameras) are changing constantly, another reason not to buy one prematurely.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[mccordia 73]

Spend the cash on jumps..have a good time..

And worry about suits and what to fly when the time comes...

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[VectorBoy 0]

How good is the good deal?

How good are you? This is the unknown factor.

For a lot of us wingsuits are nylon crack. We can dedicate funds to a wingsuit ( or several) and jump it primarily and regularly. For others its just..... eh kinda cool... to do sometimes but way down the list of jumps to do and gear to get. Its hard to justify when a wingsuit costs almost as much as a new canopy. You won't know what type you will be until after your first jump.

If you are in the wrong suit for your first jump you probably won't die but it might have a profound effect on which category of wingsuiter you will become. And nobody here can even remotely answer that question for you.

[OSOK 0]

Well... I don't know how to answer the how good I am part. All I can tell (which most of it doesn't even have much to with wingsuits) is that I've done lots of tracking dives, and today I got 75 secs of freefall in one of them, tracking a bit over a mile (as per my GPS).

About the wingsuit, I'll be able to jump it before I buy it... so I can tell if it's really for me or not. As of now, I love tracking... that's all I can say because that's all I've experienced.

[VectorBoy 0]

About the Good deal.

Earlier this year good clean S3s were for sale in the classifieds for $800 on average. For whatever reason a few months later that same average for S3s came down to $600. We are talking the span of 2 months literally.

Will you do the required 100+ jumps in a month, two months or a year from now?

A year from now I bet you will be able to get a deal on a clean used but currently as of yet to be released PF flocking suit which I can guarantee would be easier to learn on and will offer you better general purpose performance, flocking ability, inverted capability than the 4 year old S3. A year from now you will get great deals on Mach 1s, vampires and phacros when the companies release the Mach 5, the Vampire fang and the EG supersport......not really but get my drift.

[OSOK 0]

Got it... thnx guys and VB!

[bdrake529 0]

I have minimal experience but I can offer this anecdote for what it's worth:

I've seen video of a person trying to learn on an S3 (at around 250 jumps) and it confirmed to me the wisdom of starting on a beginner (or possibly intermediate) suit. This persons' flights were ok, but at pull time, the suit flew him all over the place (tumbling, spinning) since he wasn't experienced enough to completely collapse the wings and maintain a stable body position. It was quite scary to watch and several other people have strongly suggested he not continue on that suit for safety reasons.

Brian Drake

[Waldschrat 0]

Was this suit a S3S with ribs? (if you know it)

Can you upload it to skydivingmovies?

[Zeemax 0]

Quote

About the wingsuit, I'll be able to jump it before I buy it... so I can tell if it's really for me or not.

I'm confused. In your first post you said you'd be waiting before making any wingsuit flights, but that you wanted to buy the suit now for when you were ready, yet here, you say you'll try the S3 before you buy it?

Without sounding like mr 'no', you really shouldn't jump an S3 at your number of jumps. If you were jumping it to try it, how will you know what to look for? How will you know how it compares to any other suit? What are you looking to gain from test jumping it?

In my opinion, if you want to buy it, go ahead, it is a great suit, but really, please don't jump it until you have a few more jumps, and at least some experience in flying lower performance suits.

Stay safe

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[bdrake529 0]

I don't know if it was an S3S. I don't have the video to upload.

Brian Drake

[johan420 0]

This S3 is a "beast" of a wingsuit..it have a LOT of power and you could easily lost control..if you decide to buy it make sure it will fit you well...if the suit is to short/small it tends to be very nervous to fly...when i started to fly wingsuit i begins with these S3 and i had about 180jumps(not a smart move)..i borrowed a BM-classic the first 4-5jumps...now i have "downsized" to a S-FLY expert..
Anyway.. it`s a great suit...

[aerodynamite 0]

My first wingsuit flight was with s3. I had 700 skydives and I had no problems with it. I still don´t recommend anybody to do the first flight with s3.

- No mercy in the flock! Straighten your legs!!! -

[MarkM 0]

Quote

I don't know if it was an S3S. I don't have the video to upload.

This is my favorite S3S vid.

http://www.tarsis.org/s3s-spin.mpg

Vrroooom.

[badenhop 0]

Dude!
That was awesome!
That was intentional, right?

==================================

I've got all I need, Jesus and gravity. Dolly Parton

http://www.AveryBadenhop.com

[MarkM 0]

Quote

Dude!
That was awesome!
That was intentional, right?

Wasn't me, but no, wasn't intentional. Think the guy hit something or was bumped on exit.

[AveE 0]

oh shit.... hope THAT was intentional

[monkycndo 0]

Holy Sh!t.

Saturday, I did my first WS jump since breaking my landing gear. It was on a demo Mach 1. I flew base and shortly after exit, I had a completely unintentional barrel roll. But it ended up smooth as silk, on heading and back to level stable flight. I just thought that was cool and followed the flight plan.

After landing, my fellow flockers thought it was pretty bold doing a barrel roll on the first light back and on the new suit. I fully admitted it was not planned and had a good laugh. I just wish I got it on video.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[Gadget 0]

No wasn't intentional, and the guy is a girl
She is from Denmark and post here under the name

Ladybird.

If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes???
My logbook

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

Think the guy hit something or was bumped on exit.

Actually, it's a woman, not a dude in that clip. I spoke with her at the AN-72 boogie about it. The whole ordeal shook her up quite a bit but she got back on the horse and hasn't looked back. She also happens to be a good wingsuit pilot and I suspect I will see her again this year at the An-72 boogie.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[chrisgray 0]

Wow...that was a little scary to watch.

That is exactly the reason why a beginner pilot should start with a beginner suit.

Happy Flocking!!

-Chris-

WSI-6 / PFI-55
The Brothers Gray Wingsuit Academy
http://www.myspace.com/cgwingsuitpilot
http://www.myspace.com/thebrothersgray

[KrisFlyZ 0]

Quote

Wow...that was a little scary to watch.

That is exactly the reason why a beginner pilot should start with a beginner suit.

Yup.

Also, it may not be such a wise thing to cut wings that remain inflated(tri-wing design) in freefall. IMO, these wings can be shutdown easier when attached to the body.

Kris.

[Martini 0]

The main reason, IMHO, not to start with an S-3 is that you probably won't enjoy it and won't learn much from it. It isn't an easy suit to fly well and can be fairly sensitive. Find a more forgiving suit to start with and you'll have a lot more fun right away. The guy I bought my GTI from wanted it back later because he didn't like his new S-3. I had already sold the GTI for an S-3 and knew how he felt, it took quite a few jumps on the S-3 to get it to behave.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[chrisgray 0]

OSOK, I see that according to your profile you live in Florida. Once you get more jumps under your belt you absolutely need to visit Z-Hills. You can learn to spread your wings under the guidance of Chuck Blue or Jeff Neblekopf. They are both awesome WS instructors and they have a wide selection of demo suits for you to try. Jeff can also measure you for a new Tony Wingsuit while you are there. I love my Tony Aerobat.

Good luck with your progression into the flock!

-Chris-

WSI-6 / PFI-55
The Brothers Gray Wingsuit Academy
http://www.myspace.com/cgwingsuitpilot
http://www.myspace.com/thebrothersgray