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maxmadmax

How many are we?

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Well, that really depends on what you define as being a WS pilot. Lots of people have tried WS and lots of people own a WS but this does not make them a WS pilot unless they are out there doing WS flights every weekend.

I would say that in the US there are 1000+ people who own 1 or more wingsuits. Although, there are less than 200 people in the US and Europe combined that I would consider an expert or advanced WS pilot. An example of this is the fact that it will be a challenge (but not impossible) to find all the needed talent to accomplish the two 70+ way WS World Record attempts scheduled for later this year.
WSI-6 / PFI-55
The Brothers Gray Wingsuit Academy
http://www.myspace.com/cgwingsuitpilot
http://www.myspace.com/thebrothersgray

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Well, that really depends on what you define as being a WS pilot. Lots of people have tried WS and lots of people own a WS but this does not make them a WS pilot unless they are out there doing WS flights every weekend.



Well I am going to have to call bullshit on that one -- I own quite a few wingsuits and only fly when I have time which damn sure isn't every weekend and sometimes not even every month but because I don't get on DZ.com and toot my horn about how great I am, I am not really a wingsuit flyer -- well I sure hope all you great pilots can really perform as good as you say you can.
I guess what I am saying is that self proclaimed greatness my not be so great in others eyes -- maybe let performance be the proof of wether or not someone is a good wingsuit pilot


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

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Why does everything need a label?

If a tandempassenger with 1 tandem wants to call himself a skydiver...what do I care...
Same for wingsuits....if someone does 1 wingsuit jump per year and wants to go around yelling he is a 'wingsuit pilot' then who am I to deny him that pleasure?

Worry about your own jumps, being safe and having fun...the rest doesnt matter..

And as for how many of 'us' there are...way to many but never enough..B|

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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We gave the figure 300 in the US to the Washington Times reporter to rather overstate than understate the numbers.

I agree with the comments here. As Chris and I travel to various events and DZs we find one or two people at each that have tried a wingsuit once and far fewer that own a wingsuit, and a very small percentage that fly wingsuits as their primary activity.

At the wingsuit events we tend to see the same faces over and over.

Many of us have discussed this topic at wingsuit boogies with all sorts of numbers being thrown out.

200 active wingsuit pilots in the US (IMHO) is likely high.
WSI-5 / PFI-51 / EGI-112 / S-Fly
The Brothers Gray Wing Suit Academy
Contact us for first flight and basic flocking courses at your DZ or boogie.
www.thebrothersgray.com

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Well I am going to have to call bullshit on that one -- I own quite a few wingsuits and only fly when I have time which damn sure isn't every weekend and sometimes not even every month but because I don't get on DZ.com and toot my horn about how great I am, I am not really a wingsuit flyer -- well I sure hope all you great pilots can really perform as good as you say you can.
I guess what I am saying is that self proclaimed greatness my not be so great in others eyes -- maybe let performance be the proof of wether or not someone is a good wingsuit pilot



I have to agree. ;)
www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

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200 active wingsuit pilots in the US (IMHO) is likely high.



I bet there are a LOT more than 200 active wingsuiters in the US. I would have guessed the number to be closer to a thousand. Unless there are way more wingsuiters in other countries than over here, how else could the market support the 8 or 9 manufacturers out there making wingsuits? It's hard to believe that many people would drop a grand or more on a wingsuit and not fly it.

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how else could the market support the 8 or 9 manufacturers out there making wingsuits?



What support? All you need is a sewing machine and website. Or a laser cutter and a printing apparatus adapted from an existing clothing line B|

Oh yeah, I forgot about the IT/HR/legal/marketing/customer support departments.
My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

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how else could the market support the 8 or 9 manufacturers out there making wingsuits?



What support? All you need is a sewing machine and website. Or a laser cutter and a printing apparatus adapted from an existing clothing line B|

Oh yeah, I forgot about the IT/HR/legal/marketing/customer support departments.


Don't forget a cool logo. If you have a super-cool logo, people will buy your product no matter whether it flies, floats, or farts. Prada will be envious of your customer base because they'll be young, hip, adventurous.

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It's hard to believe that many people would drop a grand or more on a wingsuit and not fly it.



Why? many people have back-up rigs worth many times that they rarely jump. Some have many canopys worth at least what a WS is that they don't jump much. Some of us more than one wingsuit and you can only jump one of all of the above at any given time.

Some of us have a suit for a given type of flock. Some guy ( more than one really) out there has about six later model suits but keeps on coming back to old faithful. mangine that.

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I will absolutely admit that I have no hard data or numbers on this topic. just a gut feel from traveling to a number DZs across several states supporting events and training.

I believe I heard one of the USPA execs on SDR mention that there was either 36K or 38K paid members in USPA for the year. I believe the number was also published by USPA.

If there are 1000 "active" wingsuit pilots then one out of every 38 people, to include all those under 200 jumps would have and fly a wingsuit.

Part of this discussion is one of perspective. For example the answer for each of the questions below would likely be different:

What is the number of current skydivers that have flown a wingsuit?

What is the number of current skydivers that own a wingsuit?

What is the number of current skydivers that put more than 10 flights on their wingsuit in a year?

What is the number of current skydivers that 51% or more of their skydives are wingsuit jumps?

What is the number of current skydivers that have made wingsuit flight their primary discipline (e.g. 90% + of all their jumps)?


I am in no way attempting to label or make judgements about any current or future wingsuit pilot. In fact some of my most enjoyable flights are with first time flyers and I welcome them to the community warmly and with the desire to see them continue.

In terms of "How many of us are there?", the point here is how and in what context is the question asked.

If we go to the extremes, "How many people have had first flights?" I heard Jeff N. trained 400+ people during his travels across the US over the past year or more.

On the other end, What is the number of people in the US that have made wigsuit flying their sole discipline? My exprience is based upon seeing the same 20 core people on the East Coast show-up at wingsuit events time and time again. Many of these being based up with Flock U, down with the Z-Flock, the guys from Texas, and our small group in Orange Virginia.

Perhaps Jeff might have the best sense of the numbers around this topic given his wide travels over the past 18 months.

ALL THIS SAID ---- Our focus is to introduce as many people to wingsuit flight safely as we can, and keep them invovled. :)B|:D:ph34r:

WSI-5 / PFI-51 / EGI-112 / S-Fly
The Brothers Gray Wing Suit Academy
Contact us for first flight and basic flocking courses at your DZ or boogie.
www.thebrothersgray.com

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What is the number of current skydivers that have flown a wingsuit?

What is the number of current skydivers that own a wingsuit?

What is the number of current skydivers that put more than 10 flights on their wingsuit in a year?

What is the number of current skydivers that 51% or more of their skydives are wingsuit jumps?

What is the number of current skydivers that have made wingsuit flight their primary discipline (e.g. 90% + of all their jumps)?




The answers to your questions would be nearly impossible to get. You could insert the words Hybrid, CReW, Atmonauti , pylon races or jumped with FF tubes in place of wingsuits in your sentence and it would still be damn near impossible to gather.

Some schools could possibly give you exact number of tandems or specific numbers to complete AFF everything else is just a paid fun jump. A dropzone could give you number of loads but I doubt few could give you exact number of jumps.

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It is very difficult to say how many Ws-pilots (more than 25 jumps per year) on the world,maybe 350-400,but my experience is:more than 3 birds on a dz make the other jumpers start thinking about.
A bit like a chain-reaction.
5 years ago we was 3 now we 20 birds here in marl.
People start skydiving now, just to become a bird.
In 3 years there will be 5 times more than now,in case there not to much Ws-related accidents before.
Easy to say-nobody can proof :)

don´t pester the jester . . or better: WHY SO SERIOUS ? ?

www.pralle-zeiten.de

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