LandABirdSuit

Good thoughts all of you, this thread is getting very interesting. No way is it worth needing hanglider type strute for a landable suit. We need something WAY more low key. More like splints for the weak parts of our arms and legs. This would allow full performance during the free flight portion of the jump, but when it came time to land a 25cm to 50cm extension could easily flip out of an overlaping portion of the wing giving us the extra surface area. Struts would allow flaps which hopefully in turn would allow loops, higher level stunts and eventually landing. If all I wanted was a landable suit there are many ways of increasing the surface area however we must keep with the ideals of wingsuit flying. Larkin I want to land a birdsuit! I'm here to collect information from everyone with anything to say on the topic before I start designing a suit that IS landable.

Right, it's deffinitely not worth trying to land if we have to use some external devise... maybe the technology isn't here yet for a landable wingsuit, but I think we are damn close. If anyone has any kickass ideas for how to modify the actual suit (not landing gear!) but a way of improving flight performance, share them. I will continue dreaming about a landable suit and when someone makes a breakthrough we can all nod our heads and agree that they are a freckin' genious, and we would never have thought of that. See you in the skies or the recordbooks if you figure it out. Larkin I want to land a birdsuit! I'm here to collect information from everyone with anything to say on the topic before I start designing a suit that IS landable.

I can't sleep anymore! You wingsuit flyers ruined my rest! It's so exciting I just lay awake and dream about all the possibilities. Has anyone been able to do a loop yet? I doubt it with the current gear. What about putting a 'tail' on controlled by either had cables or the feet? Would allow aeleron type manouvers with possibilities for loops, flairs, and most of all controlled landings. Or struts allowing for an extra few square feet of wing? Anyway, I gotta dish out the time and money to actually fly one of these. I'd probably answer most of my own questions. It's so exciting though, a wide open field where there is still so much to be done! Everything but wingsuit flying seems so mundane now, and I haven't even flown yet! you guys/girls totally enthused. Larkin I want to land a birdsuit! I'm here to collect information from everyone with anything to say on the topic before I start designing a suit that IS landable.

Alright so snow would be a good idea and I like the ski jumper idea; however aim and timing would be pretty tough. And getting any funding whatsoever might be a little sketchy. However, if it is possible to redesign a wingsuit to land in water no aim would be necessary, a computer with RF or IR sensors could help with the flare timing (I am an optical/laser engineer). And most important I'm sure the military would help fund such a balls-to-the-wall venture. It would add a whole new level to air infiltration... and who knows, they might give us a couple crazy marines as test dummies :). Next step redisign the suit for a controlled water landing. Maybe a carbon fiber exoskeleton? And it there is no way to get the feet first how about wearing a damn helmut/torso protector allowing one to 'dive' into the water without injury. A 90mph dive scares the sh#t out of me... we gotta slow these things down! Larkin WAY too enthusiastic for my jumping experience Larkin I want to land a birdsuit! I'm here to collect information from everyone with anything to say on the topic before I start designing a suit that IS landable.

So we agree that landing chin first on any surface (ski mountain, matress, whip cream, coconut cream pie, etc.) would be iffy at best. How about water feet first? Jumping off a 50 ft bridge one hits the water with a speed of 42mph. From a 100ft height it is 60mph. People do those heights all the time with no injury. With a minimum vertical speed for the Skyflier 3 of 30mph we are well within known limits. Now, how can we decrease the horizontal speed? Can we possible flare a wingsuit? If not a current one than with slight modifications to the upper portion? This is a very interesting topic and in my opinion worth persuing. I think the technology and funds are available if more people than me think this is a feasable task. how fun it would be! Larkin I want to land a birdsuit! I'm here to collect information from everyone with anything to say on the topic before I start designing a suit that IS landable.