How to fix a SuperMach 1: make it into an S-Bird!

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

I hate to have suits hanging on the rack that I, for whatever reason, just don't like to fly anymore. Such was the case with my old SM1. After seeing a few friends with S-Birds I finally bit the bullet and had mine converted. It's fucking awesome. Check it out:

[The111 0]

Where's the before/after pics? Was it just material addition, or did you have to do addition and removal? Who did the physical work?

Nice job!

I still haven't flown one of the _-bird suits... but they do look more balanced... maybe I should get this done to my SM1.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[kallend 1,623]

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I hate to have suits hanging on the rack that I, for whatever reason, just don't like to fly anymore. Such was the case with my old SM1. After seeing a few friends with S-Birds I finally bit the bullet and had mine converted. It's fucking awesome. Check it out:

Would that suggest I can convert my old Mach1 into an M-Bird?

Agree about the awesomeness of the S-Bird.

...

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

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Tony does conversions at the shop on older Mach1/SM-1 suits. I believe he charges people $400 for the mod. He cuts off the old wings and sews on completely new "Bird" wings complete with all the new stiffners, inlets, etc. I had my suit back to me in just over a week. It's fucking awesome.

I don't know if I have any old pics of the suit in it's SM1 configuration, Matt, but you have seen it a hundred times.

Chuck

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Also, Matt, it's more of a deletion of fabric than an addition. MUCH more manageable and faster. Not "washy" and "heavy" like it used to be.

[lurch 0]

Fuck yeah, Chuck's blickin' it with Da Bird badness now!
Chuck I dunno if you read my review of these things but after putting a few hours airtime on mine I'm still being impressed. Compared to its Mach equivalent its like night and day. No matter how maxed out I am, if I ask for even more power, the suit delivers for as long as my muscles can demand it. Its like having a canopy with bottomless flare. In flight it delivers a feeling of absolute invincibility in terms of sheer powerband and range. If its in the sky and I can see it, I can catch it.

Matt... if you haven't flown one of these puppies yet you don't know what you're missing. When you do, and you hit the gas on these things, it will startle you. Normally I'm not the guy to jump on the trendy gear bandwagon but these things are becoming popular for a reason... one HELL of a gain in performance and the only thing on the market that beats my homemade stuff hands-down. Couldn't be happier with the thing... at last, my lust for ultimate low-fallrate has been simply satisfied. To me its like a wearable Porsche... so perfect I can think of no possible improvement.
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[The111 0]

I'll have to demo one when I can... and get my SM111 converted if it's as awesome as you say.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[VectorBoy 0]

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. MUCH more manageable and faster. Not "washy" and "heavy" like it used to be.

Interesting, I love my super mach. It is a lot of suit but it never felt heavy in fact I always thought it flew itself. Despite its size it never wears my arms compared to other suits.

I have noticed everybody going ape for these new X suits or the conversion of their super machs. I should convert just one side to get a true A-B comparison.

[lurch 0]

How heavy are you VB? I noticed the thing about the Machs was they worked far better for medium/heavy guys than light ones. I tried an SM1 and for me it was USELESS... worse than useless it was a handicap. Slowed me down, and like Chuck described, felt very "heavy". Was a relief to get back into my light, quick and nimble old Birdman suit.
My S-bird on the other hand... I suppose its still a bit heavy in feel relative to my older suits but a lot of that I think is because its still just plain enormous, and the thing is, it still feels quick and easy to fly and a LOT more versatile than my old BM gear. I was never impressed with the R- or T-birds, armwings felt too small in proportion, but the S strikes a perfect balance, big enough to be massive, still small enough to be easily manageable.

Glad I didn't get a X though. After flying this thing with a bunch of FFC students I often have to fly with elbows locked to sides and arms behind my back, feet and knees together, suit 100% shut down, flying with just my toes and shoulders cause some students have a heavy arch and fly with their arms way back in a 45 degree V. With an X, I'm almost certain it'd be just too damn much wing for most purposes with my weight and not worth the trouble for the extra 2mph it'd get me. Law of diminishing returns. Any more fabric and I'm not at all sure I could stay with all students. Just too much drag to compensate for.
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Lurch described it perfectly, Glen. My SM-1, in comparison to my P2, S6, or even Raptor felt very slow and it was definitely not "flickable" if that makes any sense. Reason? I only weigh 150 pounds. Scotty burns still LOVES his old SM1, but he is a walking canonball (no offense Scotty).

[The111 0]

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Lurch described it perfectly, Glen. My SM-1, in comparison to my P2, S6, or even Raptor felt very slow and it was definitely not "flickable" if that makes any sense.

But the real question: is the new suit blickable?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[lurch 0]

Matt, come ON, when have you ever seen Mr. Blue NOT blicking it? Even IF the suit turns out to be distinctly NOT blickable, somehow I am quite certain, that Chuck will blick the living daylights out of it anyway.

I understand the necessity of this. Its a philosophical thing, a form of zen. Although I am not an authority on the blickage arts, I express my ability to relate to it any way I can... for example, I divide by zero whenever I damn well feel like it. Usually whenever I do this, everything in my field of view turns blue! Coincidence? I think not!
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[Skwrl 56]

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so perfect I can think of no possible improvement.

I am disappointed, Lurch - coming from an innovative guy like you.

Off the too of my head, I can come up with a CamelBack modification for in flight drinks...

Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

[lurch 0]

Ok, you're right. It needs more diamond plate. Maybe some carbonfuckingfiber. Or some construction stripes. Everything is cooler with construction stripes. Maybe I'll add some. That way when I buzz you under canopy y'all be seeing plaid like a hornet in a blender.
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[PhoenixRising 0]

but he is a walking canonball (no offense Scotty).

Fucking Chuck Blue!!!! I just spit my coffee all over the floor here at the charlotte airport when i read that. Awesome. Pure awesome.

In regards to the conversion, it is a lot of bang for your buck. If you have an old suit, and 400 dollars, do it. Worst case scenario you have a suit that you can sell easier than before. ( I'll bet money you won't want to sell it though :)

Justin

Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching
Flock University
Tonysuits

[kallend 1,623]

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so perfect I can think of no possible improvement.

I am disappointed, Lurch - coming from an innovative guy like you.

Off the too of my head, I can come up with a CamelBack modification for in flight drinks...

Aren't those pockets in the front of the leg wing for holding your beer?

...

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

[yeyo 1]

yo!
Is this conversion made to other models? Can I convert a Raptor into the R-Bird? Or an Aerobat into something-Bird?

-y

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[scottygofast 0]

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but he is a walking canonball (no offense Scotty).

Fucking Chuck Blue!!!! I just spit my coffee all over the floor here at the charlotte airport when i read that. Awesome. Pure awesome.


Justin


A Flying Cannonball thank you very much... and remember, I make fat sexy in a wingsuit bitches!! even with my old SM1 with holes in the tailwing from over 2 years ago.. as well as in my new Stealth 2 that flys pretty damn nice... you skinny guys dont understand the plight of the fat wingsuiter. These suits all handle very differently when you load them like guys like me do... go put on 30 or 40 lbs of weight, and mabye take a small pilot chute and attach it to your head, and then go fly... :)

gitter dunn!!!

Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

[BlindBrick 0]

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These suits all handle very differently when you load them like guys like me do...

Got to agree, my SM is incredibly responsive. For a scrawny guy it's the equivalent of flying a student main while for the likes of Scotty and me, it's closer to a cross-braced napkin that makes whatever Luigi's currently flying look like a circus tent.

To quote one of my old instructors "Don't downsize, SuperSize!" So yes, you do want fries with that.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Got to agree, my SM is incredibly responsive.

Compare to what? I fly a Stealth which has a similar cut to SM1. I got 3 flight with Vampire3. V3 is lot more agile and responsive than Stealth and a lot easier to fly.

[PhoenixRising 0]

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yo!
Is this conversion made to other models? Can I convert a Raptor into the R-Bird? Or an Aerobat into something-Bird?

-y

Yes. Send in the raptor and have it converted. As for the aerobat? We did a new version of it last year. But I would probably recommend you just keep yours the way it is.

Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching
Flock University
Tonysuits

[PapaSmurf 1]

Howdy Justin,

Why should a smurf convert his raptor to an r-bird ? How much difference will it make for a short cannonball ?

Thanx!

Me