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lurch

Tony suit S-Bird review

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Sweet...
I gotta give it to em, the construction quality is pretty much perfect. Mine turned out a bit tight from toes through shoulders so I couldn't truly max out and lock my knees with it, but I'm gonna give it a few flights to break in and stretch a bit and see how it goes before having it altered. I also had a lot of bulky clothing under it, probably took 3/4 to an inch off of it. Minus the bulk the torso will pull flatter and be roomier in the shoulders. So If I can stretch out all the way without it binding from toes to shoulders wearing normal summer clothing under it I'll keep it as it is. I don't want to have it adjusted only to find its slack with floppy booties when flown in August wearing just a T-shirt. My old S-6 was stretchier when stuffed full of winter fluff so there was no binding sensation, I got a hunch it might actually be "just right" after break in and minus all the extra feathers I had on. We'll see.
Lemme know how you make out with it... even if you're heavier I bet that thing lets you get at least 3 minutes at will...
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Lemme know how you make out with it... even if you're heavier I bet that thing lets you get at least 3 minutes at will...
-B



I certainly hope so, I could get 3 in my (NON Super) Mach 1.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Got a 4th solo flight at the EXPO & w/ Altitrack. ;) Out @ 13,250 and deployed at 2,350. Flight time was 2:34, max speed 61, min speed 36, & avg speed 41 (must be weighted). Great flight even when the right arm zip opened about 5 inches on exit, suits approx 2" short, & very snug! Jeff noted later that he has had an issue w/ the same zip.

Jim

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Great flight even when the right arm zip opened about 5 inches on exit, suits approx 2" short, & very snug! Jeff noted later that he has had an issue w/ the same zip.



Noticed no snap fastener at the wrist on my S-Bird. My Mach 1 (late model with arm wing mod) had a snap fastener at the wrist.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Finally got to jump mine. Did 2 practice deployments (kick, collapse the leg wing and touch the handle), didn't try to max it out (not that I know how, yet), deployed high, and still averaged 39.

The suit is rock steady.

Anyone want to buy an M1?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Got a 5th flight on a different demo unit at FnD. This suit (Justin or Tonys stock) was w/out zipper locks as well & noted elsewhere. It was also taller & less tight in the body than Jeff Ns' unit. Alti data: out of the Caravan @ 12,360 w/ full deployment @ 2,190. Flight time was 2:23 w/ slow speed 27, avg speed 46, & max speed of 85. I really wish the ride had been on the Otter which getting an additional 1 to 1.5K. All around it was a great flight!!!

Jim R.
Jim

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Well, finally put some real mileage on my own. Now got 8 jumps on it. Wide mixture of docked flocking, mild maneuvering acro, flying camera and a few maxed out flights a couple weeks ago.
Final judgement:

This thing ROCKS.
Current max before arms gave out 2 weeks ago: 3:41.
Turns out to be easily flockable. The variable airlocks are turning out to be a VERY useful feature. I tried flocking with em open, followed by flying camera with em closed.
The pressurization is so effective that flying camera with it required me to lock my hands together behind my back to force the wings closed enough to get to the formation on time. Yet with the locks open I was able to do repeated brief foot docks on Joner at will, first try, taking my time with the setup. The result is a suit with twice the bandwidth I expected, incredibly versatile with a SHITLOAD of new ninja tricks built in.
Out of the 7 flights I've put on it in the last 2 weeks only 5 even registered on the Neptune and out of those, 3 logged fallrates in the mid-20's, either 24 or 26. Its quite repeatable.
I found the sweet spot on it. Pulling 3:41 I hadn't even found it yet...found it today and it is NOT subtle. Drop your head to just the right angle and the thing takes off like HELL. Catapulted my ass across the sky like I'd been shot from a cannon. Covered some -ridiculous- distances.
Finally got to fly it against a pair of X-birds, Justin and Phil, and yup... with this suit, keeping up with the X's is easy.
And I found that switching from flying ultradirty in a flock to maxed out, the thing hits you like a sledgehammer. I'd had wings back and tail folded flying at 78. At break off J and Phil took off forward in high gear and began to float on everyone else. When I saw them go I decided to see what would happen if I punched for minimum fallrate, turned the whole suit inside out in one move, bracing toes against shoulders, opened it wide dropped my head and winched the thing as tight as I could. The windblast died off to NOTHING in 3 seconds and left me hanging there in total silence watching Brother Skwrl drop away, deploy, finish deploying and start untying. By the time I was back down to the level his canopy was at I was a mile ahead.
From high fallrate this thing can do mid-teens at will. Just have to have the speed to do it with.

I've only named one of my suits, and that was the homemade biker jacket suit. But I'm naming this one.
I call it the Sledgehammer.

And sure enough, after a couple breakin flights it fits perfectly. Absolutely not gonna change a thing about it. When my arms are back up to speed I have no doubt it'll do 4.5+ minutes now.

Doctor K, when you want to max this puppy out, get your head down and your hips up, get wide and flat, and then hang on for the ride. Your arms will start to burn very quickly, but while you've got the strength you'll outfloat and outrun everything else in the sky.
Free your mind and your ass will follow. FUCK, YEAH!
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Oh, hell no, my hair is MUCH cooler. I've got that whole rock-star-in-a-hurricane look going for me, and a grin just this side of totally fucking insane.

Chuck Blue recently called me a hawk-nosed glasses wearing motherfucker. Higher praise hath a man seldom received. He might have ruined my life but he made my day. Chucks cool like that.

Gonna have to take a moment to live up to my nickname and be all grim and shit for a bit here.

A word of caution: For all you enthusiastic pilots out there... One thing I've already noticed is just how much easier it is to pop up on exit with these things, even with the wings deliberately shut down. Two weeks ago during one of my early test solos I was carefully and deliberately keeping the wings closed down and I still was much higher relative to the plane during the first 3 seconds anyway.

When the tail passed over my head and the plane pulled forward into my field of view I realized that I'd come a LOT closer to the tail than I expected to, even while being very deliberate about managing the wings and not allowing them to open for a full 1.5 seconds out the door. I'd missed it by a good 6 feet at least, but thats not the point. Even with the majority of the wingspan folded up the tail and bodyside wings alone were enough to make me either gain a foot or two, or at least lose NO altitude whatsoever during that exit.

And this was NOT a high speed exit, this was standard jumprun conditions. In my old suit, with the same moves, I would have been 4 to 6 feet below floor level by the time the tail cleared. This didn't even count as a "close call" but the fact that I was either staying level or gaining slightly relative to the fuselage startled me. And an Otter is one of the highest tails and safest exits available short of a tailgate. With Caravans, Pac750s and other lower-tail jumpships the risk is magnified tenfold.

These suits are going to be popular, all the more so because they work outstandingly well for us lightweight critters. If you do not respect this suit every second, it will kill you. And it will do it so fast you'll never even know it. I just lost a close friend because he forgot about this fact and he wasn't even flying one of these things. Nor was he particularly lightweight. I do not want to lose another. So please. During exits... keep those wings SHUT! And I mean TIGHT!

This is one place in wingsuiting where a split-second's worth of poor judgement, complacency or letting down your guard can kill you faster than you can blink. And its not just you. It could potentially take down the Otter, kill the pilot, and anyone on the ground below. Lets be responsible and stay aware of this hazard as a group, ok? As suits this good become common and people become accustomed to flying these on a regular basis there WILL be a rash of tailstrikes and fatalities unless we stay hyperaware of this risk at all times, on every single exit. There is just no room for carelessness. NONE. We're playing Tag with the Reaper every time we exit.

Live and learn, or die and teach by example. Brother Harrington made the ultimate sacrifice to remind us just how risky what we're doing really is. Lets not waste the lesson ok? I don't care if I'm sounding pompous, overdramatic or speechy or anything just so long as nobody forgets it. The potential for instant-tailstrike-death spooks me more than flatspins, canopy mals, in-flight collisions or any other hazards of wingsuiting because of just how easy it is to get blindsided by it and just how fast it can happen. If you make the mistake, the instant you begin to make the movement its already too late. There is no time to react no matter how fast you are. If you're feeling enthusiastic and exultant and you pop your wings open on exit, you are dead.
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Agreed with that safety warning..

On all current bigwing suits, little mistakes in opening up too soon or to agressive WILL bite you hard.
Ive managed getting above a C182 at slow, stallish exit speeds in a Stealth 2 (on a controlled flat exit, and powerfull flare/opening up). Accidently do so, before the Stabiliser is passed, and you (and potentialy anyone still in the plane) is dead.

Lift, will fly you into the rear stabilisor (high and low)
Drag will pull you into anything behind you. So even shit/non flying exits can hurt!)

Be carefull..
Nobody with less than 80 to 100 wingsuitjumps should be flying these type/size suits.
And thats aside the spin/steering difficulties in panicy situations on any suit with a big legwing and/or low armwing-root past the knees (wing surface you cant collapse in a spin).

Have fun...but be safe..
Great point Lurch!

P.S. The 'real' Adams Family movies 'Lurch' is a (Stefan sized:P) Dutchman ;)

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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Since FnD, I've had the opportunity to make 8 more flights on a demo chasing Jeff & students, flocking, and solo max flight. The design is very flexible and a blast to fly. Chasing & Flocking jumps have been logged at 2:15 to 2:40 w/ break offs @ 6K and my max flight best (exit weigth 220#) has been 3:22 w/ slow speed 23, avg speed 38, & max 54 from 13,490 and in the saddle @ 1,460. Full altitude & some exercise and who knows! :)

Jim

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in the saddle @ 1,460



Is that 1000 ft snivels? Or pulling 2K-ish?
Might want to consider upping that opening altitude.

'bigwing' suits can seriously f*ck sh*t up, during cutaways and other unexpected shit. Much, much more than a normal sized wingsuit.

Also considering you're new to the suit.
Pull higher...the few extra seconds of freefall are not worth it, when sh*t hits the fan..and that's ignoring an occasional fumble with the pilotchute and other unexpected stuff.

Have fun, but be safe....
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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I agree with Jarno on the upping the altitude a little for safety. Bigger suits are a completely different animal and can cause some strange issues not normally seen in a smaller suit.

Separate from that. I put a 2 jumps on a S-Bird the other week before the rain started. First jump my Neptune did not record the FreeFall and said I exited at 2500' with 0 sec freefall. The flight was very nice and the suit felt very solid.

I did a second jump on the suit from about 14.4K and the Neptune registered 3min 46 sec flight with an opening at about the same of 2500'

I am looking forward to more flights on it to see what I can do with it after figuring out a few things with it. It is nice and responsive and inflates very fast, don't open up too soon out the door as you will go up relative to the plane very fast, watch out for that tail... One thing I did notice was that in a "good" performance body position, maybe not super maxed, the arm pressure was extremely easy to deal with for the long flight.. Now I only have 2 jumps on the suit so far and don't think I really "Maxed" it or flew it even close to what I could do, but that is one thing I noted while on the flights. I will try and push it harder next time and see if I get a Burn...

I am looking forward to playing with it a bit more as I really think I can get some good stuff out of this suit. VERY Nice design..

Scott C.
"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

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Jarno,

"THANKS" for the concern! Yes, I've been pushing the line on the larger suits recently. After leaving FnD, I've been making 2-3 jumps every other or 3rd day w/ a progression from 3K downward on a the same suit w/ a very consistent canopy combination which is "lightly" loaded. The post was to acknowledge the range of the suit and what was achieved. Time to backup!!!
Jim

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I have a new super mach one and was wondering what the correct body position for max flight. I know that the S bird and the SM1 are different but the body position should be close to the same. I am 240 LBS out the door and have only been getting about 50 MPH average on my suit. I only have 5 jumps on it so I am a long ways away from dialing it in.
Kirk
He's dead Jim

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progression from 3K downward



Its not progression....its a dropping safety standard...
I do a lot of funky shit, but I do it all up high, and stick to pull altitudes.

There is no reason the range of a suit cant be played with higher.
You guys are already spoiled with 13 to 14K, compared to the 10k to 12k we get everywhere in EU.

We used to be a very safe dicipline, due to smart canopy choices, higher pull altitudes, respect for this dangerous new thing etc.

Look at the number of accidents the last 2 years, and see the 'progression' which can be attributed for a large part to the sliding scale/lesser respect for the dangers this dicipline brings.

There are some GoLow Hero's out there...but the general public doesnt always see the fuckups and close-calls they get into, or the aftermath of DZ regulations when they skip to another DZ, and leave the local flyers with the over-regulated shit to deal with..

More preaching in general than aimed at you in particular.
Respect these big suits..only jump them with 80 to a 100 jumps of experience in a wingsuit. FYB, PF and BM all have recommendations for big suits..and I know Justin also preaches the jump numbers for this one.

I hope everyone donning one of these to demo or own, is doing so at the proper experience levels, and the people handing you the demo are also using that same common sense, and dont put a sale ahead of safety.

Stepping of my soap-box..

blue skies..long flights..
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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have only been getting about 50 MPH average on my suit



Regardless of model or make...freefall SPEED doesnt say a thing about your flying.
You could weight the size of a garbage truck, do 100 MPH, but fly the suit like a concorde with sidewinder missiles and a rocket taped to its wings.

Focus on distance and forward speed. And the lower fallrates will follow..
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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I a lot of older suits, massive de-arching, diving etc was needed to get the proper drive out of suits.
Rolling shoulders and de-arching hips is often over-stressed.
And (for me) led to a lot of floating, instead of flying..

Most newer generation suits have the angle of attack built into the wingsuit design , in terms of relative arm/legwing-size, so quite often starting with an all out, flat and open flying position works best. And slowly tweaking it from there.
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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I agree with Jarno on the upping the altitude a little for safety. Bigger suits are a completely different animal and can cause some strange issues not normally seen in a smaller suit.

Separate from that. I put a 2 jumps on a S-Bird the other week before the rain started. First jump my Neptune did not record the FreeFall and said I exited at 2500' with 0 sec freefall. The flight was very nice and the suit felt very solid.

I did a second jump on the suit from about 14.4K and the Neptune registered 3min 46 sec flight with an opening at about the same of 2500'

I am looking forward to more flights on it to see what I can do with it after figuring out a few things with it. It is nice and responsive and inflates very fast, don't open up too soon out the door as you will go up relative to the plane very fast, watch out for that tail... One thing I did notice was that in a "good" performance body position, maybe not super maxed, the arm pressure was extremely easy to deal with for the long flight.. Now I only have 2 jumps on the suit so far and don't think I really "Maxed" it or flew it even close to what I could do, but that is one thing I noted while on the flights. I will try and push it harder next time and see if I get a Burn...

I am looking forward to playing with it a bit more as I really think I can get some good stuff out of this suit. VERY Nice design..

Scott C.



Got to fly mine for the 4th time today - for the first time without practice handle touches or flocking.

3:18 from 13.3k, opening at 3.5k, and I covered about 3.5 miles across the ground.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Thanks for that advice, this is the data from my 7th jump on the super mach one. I weight 247LBS out the door my viso recorded a 2:37 secong flight deploying at 4000 AGL. I am moving my deployment altitude down slowly with this suit. I also covered alot of ground.
Kirk
He's dead Jim

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