vesatoro

http://users.utu.fi/vejuto/files/45s_kjerag.avi The most beautiful flight I have ever flown :) Not as low as Yuri's though :D Vesa DivX 5.2.0 required "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Well, it seems that last year the the good wingsuitflyers flew to the lighthouse, and trackers fell long short of it. This year the landing area is standard for the good trackers in special pants, and good wingsuit flyers do some cross country in the fjord direction and then went for landing area. Or flew to the othse side... Wonder what's up next summer Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

40 minutes! did you really say fourty minutes? Some good shit that must be :) Damn, Bad luck you've had my friend, but nice to hear that feeling well you're now. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

We in Finland have already done it this way from 2001. The starting point was, that before 2000 one was to have more than 500 skydives before jumping any kind of wingsuit. The Finnish Aviation Association (FAA) and Parachuting Committee felt a need for this barrier to be lowered and made up a program for wingsuit instruction that our Civil Aviation Administration could approve. It consists of a manual I have written based on BM manual, my own experiences and personal communication with Jari. We also have our FAA instructors that basically are BMI's that know the Finnish regulations. This way all jumpers >250 jumps (with some extra details) are able to join the flock and this goes regardles of wingsuit manufacturers. If someone wants any details, I'll be pleased to answer :) Vesa BMCI Finnish AA Parachuting Safety and training committee #845 "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

A loop release and emergency pack opening system for base rigs? As seen in many accidents, pilot chutes and bridles do not always function to open the container and pull out the packjob as they should. The reasons vary. The pilot chute can be lost by a poor throw, it can be stuffed inside it's pouch, it can be trapped by ones boots, bodyparts, equipment or it can entangle with itself or with the bridle as seen in some accidents. Then sometimes they just refuse to inflate properly. In the worst case the PC or the bridle may be left unconnected by poor rigging. I have been playing with a thought about an loop release system, that would release the pin tension and consequently give the deployment system more chances to open the packjob even with a low PC pull force. The same system would also open the packjob in a "no PC situation". The system would consist of a soft/hard handle in a main lift web as in a skydiving harness, one/two "yellow" or steel cables leading to the underside of the loop holding flaps (top, bottom or both) routed inside hard housings and cloth shells and two ended or circular loops for the pack closing pins. That way the closing loops could be released from underside, regardles of the situation with the pins on the bridle in a case of an emergency (PC in tow and so on). When pulled, the pin tension would relieve thus giving the PC more chances to do it's job, and also to open the whole packjob for direct airflow to assist even a partial deployment during a "no PC malfunction". This system could also incorporated with a compressed spring with a kicker plate inside the backpad that would throw the packjob out to airstream and open the container even more. Of course this kind of a system adds to the system complexity, but it might also be worth it if engineered properly. I myself do not have skills for that. I may have had too much time or too few jumps during few months to think things like this, but I would still be pleased to hear any input you may have in mind :) Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

The codec used is in fact DivX 5.2.0 but seems like 5.2.1. is available also. Try for example: http://www.divx.com/ http://www.codec-download.com/ Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I edited some a kind of a video of the best flights 2002-2004 while waiting for Jarnos hercules vdo. Here you are: http://users.utu.fi/vejuto/files thanks to all ya birdmen and women out there :) Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Congratulations ManBird! "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Some more. Jari flying above Helsinki, Finland. I think the photo is taken by Jussi Laine. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I have here two captures of Andy Ford doing backflying. I think he is the best backflyer I have ever seen. Note that the other flyers are flying in a quite efficient flying position even though the "rabbit" is on his back. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Uhh, Jarno. That sounds scary. Sleep man all time you need... we'll have the time to wait. Not important enough to mess with ones healt. Best wishes to all Dutch flock. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Yihaa, finally it's here Great work Jarno and boys. When will we see the things they never showed on big screen "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I would maybe vote for the original Sabre. Good flying characteristics and not too much snivel on openings. I currently jump an FX which Im happy with as a compromize with good openings and swooping capabilities. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Douggs got my vote too

My apologies, if someone feels attacked. I also think the purpose was to discuss one aspect of those recommendations, and why not also the other aspects. As discussion can't be a bad thing? As I stated in a wingsuit forum: "A very good piece of advice indeed." and still think so. I wish I also had this document in hand when I made my decision. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Well, if I had to choose, I'd still take those 50 terminals rather than 200 slider ups. But that's just me. With terminal jumps one should have accustomized with the transitional speeds, gathering experience about altitude during a "long" jump, keeping a good heading during an efficient track. And in my opinion at 50 jumps one shoud have no question about exit confidence. If one has, he/she really is in a wrong place. Of course it's good to have some recommendations. But the problem is that people ussually follow them if it suits them. Especially in a sport like this where there is no one to say NO. If the recommendation is too low, we know what happens. If it's way high, people will do their own things. But the problem stays. How do we define the number... Don't know nothing, still have opinions. Yours may differ. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

I would suggest that the overall number of base jumps is not the qualifying factor. I cannot imagine one can achieve the needed skills even with 200-300 slider down jumps. 50 terminal jumps is in my counts much more. Subterminal tracking skills are good to have, as then you have learned to exit in a "restricted" track body position compared to normal "relaxed" exit and then starting to track as the airspeed increases. I would emphasize ones abilities as whole in the numbers and quality of base-jumps and ws-skydives, with some mental stress and "new thing" handling abilities added in. But what do I know. Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

A very good piece of advice indeed. Even I did almost everything the not so correct way... Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Not maybe a forward surge. But sometimes backwards. I have had two strange openings while dumping my FX70 at full flight. The canopy stalled during opening and "fell down" back of me for a while. Not a nice feeling. I was used to dump at full flight with S1 but with S3 it doesn't feel like the best way to go. "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Even those people at GFK are truly unbelievably efficient in organizing such a big boogie with only voluntary work, it would be too much for them to do every year. Hey, they also need to have the time to jump sometimes... Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Jarno, it's not a funny language of us, it's the funny language of those Swedes. There's nothing funny about Finnish and I doubt there is an online-translator for it Vesa "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Inte ännu. Vi försöker att gora den finska rekord i funflying-boogie som hålls här i Åbo inom two veckan. Då ska vi se hur kan de finska fåglarna flyga... "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

You too Daniel "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Jarno, stop surfing the dzcom, and save some valuable editing time "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)

Man, I can't wait no longer to see the vdo and the best wingsuit formation flying ever. Of course untill Herc. 2006 when we will build the formation above the plane with JP and then sink it down "Fear is the path to the Dark side" (Master Yoda)