vesatoro

It is a serious question wheather to have a RSL when flying with a wingsuit or not. I also do not consider a Cypres a substitute for the RSL, as they are intended to operate in different conditions. The RSL does no help if you forget to or are inable to pull your main. The Cypres does not save you if you chop your main at 200m , but RSL may do it. The negative thing with RSL is, that when flying a wingsuit, a spinning malfunction with in the main canopy is the most ussual thing to have. And in that case you want to stabilize your position after releasing the main to pull the reserve. In this case the RSL will deploy the reserve depentless of your falling position which may not be a good thing. And most people open their main canopies quite high up when skyflying, so taking a few seconds delay before pulling the reserve is not a big problem. On the other hand, in the summer I saw a video from Estonia, where the left riser released at about 300 meters (altitudes are my estimates) and the main was wholly released at 150m, because of the RSL, the reserve was open at about 50 meters giving the guy about 10 seconds to clear the line twists from the reserve, and make a flare... Luckily it was not the right riser which broke... I'd say, that if you're flying a big and docile canopy, and are very familiar to it´s opening charasteristics while opening with birdmans, then it is ones own decision to use an RSL. If flying a small canopy and opening high, or being not wery comfortable with openings (for example newbie skyflyers) one should maybe do without an RSL. But it is always an individuals own decision what backup systems he/she chooses to use. BM flight manual or BMI check list do not say if one should or should not use an RSL. Vesa BMI FX79, Cypres, no RSL "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Well, the wing loading on wingsuits generally varies in the range between 10 and 15 lbs/sqft when the whole body area is also counted in. So I'd prefer landing a canopy with a 8:1 wingload, than my Skyflyer... And with a 25sqft canopy my wl would be around 6:1 Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Well, as ussually, it's not too easy to state an exact number of jumps when you're ready to do something new and different. I think every wingsuit flyer should know if he/she is ready to take someone on his/her back and to handle the exit, flight and separation. I wonder if someone would be really ready with under 100 flights, but that's only my thoughts... I think the exit is best done as a straight exit from the door against the wind, the rider holding the bird's rig from the yoke or sides. I've done most of those jumps from a C206, so prefer girls as passengers, as there is not too much room at the door, and for other reasons too. The Otter is just great for those exits. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Nope, I don't have a picture of that, sorry. "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I've done few of those, and the speed has been around or a little less than that you've had, between 95 and 100mph. It's quite heavy to your arms when trying to fly efficiently, but sure it's fun

Don't know if I should put this in Gear and Rigging, but as the subject is discussed here... If You really need gloves that can be used in very cold climate, I'd recommend trying Yoko GoreTex Windstopper fleece gloves with leather palms. Yes, they cost a bit (about 60$ in Finland). I've done some 2 1/2 minutes skyflying jumps with them when it was 0C on ground and -25C in 13500ft, but with warm hands. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I'd say that the difference between feelings is quite big. While tracking you are quite fixed to one body position to get the good performace out of it, but flying a wingsuit is much more relaxed kind of flying. With a wingsuit you can have that flying feeling with less effort and stay longer up there. With a good track yo can have 90sec flight, but with wings you can double it so, keep on going Vesa BMI "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

In my opinion belly flyers go out first unless there is skysurfers in the load, then ffer's. Both exit on biggest groups first basis. Here you can read a good explanation why this is the preferred exit order: http://www.skydiveaz.com/Exit_Order.htm so: 1) Skysurfers 2) Belly-flyers (largest to smallest group) 3) Freeflyers (largest to smallest group) 4) High-pulling solo jumpers (or after AFF's and tandems, depending on the opening altitude) 5) AFF Students 6) Tandems 7) Wingsuit flyers (who should always be aware of those open higer) ?) spaceball groups ?) CF jumpers these groups have to be taken into consideration as separate cases, depending on their special exit preferences. This is the recommended rule when the jumprun is against the wind. When the jumprun direction is some other, the before mentioned order doesn't necessarily apply. Vesa SA BMI "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

My longest flights (from 13500ft) with good tailwind have been about 7-8km long (measured roughly from map) Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

My connection is a University LAN (outside traffic connection 155Mbps fullduplex Ethernet in FUNET network) so I suppose the problem was in the sender... I normally get about 100kbps in so it should have taken less than 10 minutes. A friend of mine was also having same the problem so maybe the ftp server was just too busy at the time. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I suppose he is Mr Pekka Vanninen from the Parachuting Club of Kemi (in Northern Finland). The body of the suit is actually wery dark blue and the wings are bright green. It's an old GTi. Those colors are not in the standards, but I think BM will also make suits with custom colors. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Took about two and a half hours to download, but was worth it

I'm too a bit concerned about this advice. What correcter the situation in this case, may not work in another. And may also lead to more problems. The reason is the law of circular momentum that increases the rotational speed when the radius of rotation is decreased. perform continuous loops from standup position and then go to tuck position and see what happens. Kim wrote: >Finally, he closed all three wings and started to curl up in to a ball. Even before he could ball up completely, his spin stopped, he arched...< In my opinion, this only indicates that as he started to curl it changed his position from one to another. The new position was aerodynamically more or less opposite to the position causing the spinning and stopped it. just my thoughts Vesa BMI "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Quite many of the more experienced wingsuit flyers fly with cameras. Using the camera-helmet is not really a big deal if you 1. fly well with a suit and 2. are used to do filming on regular skydiving (freefly or FS). If the both conditions do not apply to you, then it's worth getting the knowledge of flying the suit and being as a cameraman separately before combining them. If you just have to concentrate too much to your flying, then you will not be able to do your camera work and vice versa. Of course, when wearing a camera while skyflying, the camera helmet should be designed with virtually no snagpoints. Entanglements with suspension lines and camera helmet is even more complex and dangerous situation when wearing a wingsuit compared to situation without a suit. Jussi Laine type massive camera systems are only for those who really know what thery are doing. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Yes, I think Contrail is the very same canopy. I used to jump a Contrail 105 with 1.5 wingload, and liked the canopy a lot (800 jumps). I think it opens more nicely than Stiletto (slower and more on heading) and also has more lift in the end of the flare. Also the fabric is much easier to pack than the one PD uses. I chanced to FX79 as it suits better to wingsuit flying with bit snappier and on heading openings. But after all Contrail/Viper is a very good canopy for it's cost. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Great to hear Vesa (Toropainen, yes it's a ridiculously long and difficult name to spell for all the foreigners = almost all of You) "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Done two night flights, the first of them with northern lights up in the sky. Amazingly cool :) The lights of the city and runway look nice from above. If you choose to go for a night flight, I think it's worth considering to open a bit higher than normally, and go with a canopy you really trust to open nice and straight. You don't want to have problems at night and to chop your canopy... And as Yuri said, if there is more than one, you really have to know where they are. Be aware and safe. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Grommet to pin, always regardless of going for a wingsuit flight or any other kind of jump. rig: Mirage G3 (small, BM modified) Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Yes, as an eyewitness I can testify that he really got over the top. I would estimate that in the best exits he vent at least 5 meters over the wing level. I only managed to do few meters over with two attempts, but it was still a lot of fun. For climbing you have to jump off the ramp very flat and at about 20-30 degrees angle to the air blast coming below the plane. If you exit in more vertical attitude, you climb very steep for a while but the airspeed slows down too early and the climbing stops. If you exit in too much horizontal position, you end up in a dive... And of course you have to ride the slipstream very aggressively to get high up. New pic's from Herc.02: http://users.utu.fi/vejuto/Gallery.html Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I have both mods I modified the main container after the reserve ride (removed 2/3 of the stitching between the side flaps and bottom flap) I now also have 2 feet longer bridle than the original Mirage, and a bit bigger pilot chute. And the openings are nice.

in the beginning... (1) Contrail 105 (2) 1.5 (3) too slow (200-300m) and the canopy changing the direction all the time. Full flight deployments were much worse than when some vertical speed was gained before opening. (one reserve ride caused by major line twists and spinning.The container was unmodified Mirage G3) now flying (1) Extreme FX79 (2) 2.0 (3) I have about 100 wingsuit flights with this canopy, with no big problems. First I used to get some vertical speed before pulling, but later noticed that it opens much better from full flight. Most of the openings are precisely on heading and very comfortable. Line twists have occurred two or three times, but with no spinning at all. Rig: Mirage G3 with modified main container (modified after the first reserve ride:) Suit: Skyflyer Vesa Toropainen BMI "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

C U there Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Well, sometimes you just have to work. I'll go to Hanko for midsummerfest and be around the next week for the Finnish record attempt. Then I'll go to Parasummer to coach new birds. Suomeksi voi jutella muuallakin... Vesa

Actually if you (Jussi S) count yourself in, then there's still two more: Jussi Holopainen and Jussi Liukkonen so J Laine J Sistonen J Liukkonen J Mattila J Holopainen You should make a Jussi-team :) Vesa, and my second name is Juhani ;)

You can see the shadow of that leg-camera mount in the stabilizer. Vesa