Martini 0
pattersd 0
How many times has that bear ate you?
Martini 0
Not as many times as I've eaten him. I might get bit less often if I didn't tease him so much though. And I haven't flight tested a PDR for almost two years. But my (for the record four) wingsuit choppers do give me some qualification for my previous remarks.
QuoteIt seems pretty common now to see people in wingsuits below 200 jumps and I've heard of a few starting below 100 jumps. Hopefully these people don't start pounding it in or striking tandems.
you mean, like sub-80!? i wonder who would do that..
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda
fasted3 0
There is already a lot of discussion about jump numbers and WS, but I think that there is a new factor that deserves to be heard. The Tony Intro suit allows a faster path into wingsuits because of it's revolutionary design. I have no problem waiting to fly a more advanced suit, and do not argue with the 200 jump number for them, at least for myself.
I will try and make my case with one picture. I have attached one that is me recovering from a flat spin. I did not have to release anything, I just did it. By closing the leg and putting out my hands, the suit became something other than a wingsuit. Once I got it together, I went back to flying.
I was a taking a chance when I made my first flights, however, if you haven't ever done it, you will be too, and I don't care how many jumps you have. The only way to learn to fly is to jump out and do it, hopefully learning what you need to before it gets you. If you have thousands of jumps you may be a good pilot right away, or you may have a harder time than I did. If you are wearing the wrong suit, and haven't properly trained for the WS, you will be more of a hazard than I was.
I am the first to admit that I have a lot to learn. My landings are still not always great, for example, but what does that have to do with WS? I need a lot of landings; I will get them after wing flights. All that is required of that portion of the dive is not hitting anything, and making a good pull. After that, it is no different than any other skydive. Again I will note that this suit allows me to reach the controls without unzipping.
There is also the matter of WS instructors to think about. Obviously they sometimes think someone is ready with less than 200, so does that make them irresponsible? I say no, and that the decision should be based on more than just numbers.
Share this post
Link to post
Share on other sites