skydiver51 0 #1 July 22, 2003 This is for camera flyers who are about 230 lbs. out the door who video tandems. Our tandem master weighs around 215 out the door and when he has light weight passengers I can only keep up about half the skydive then I sink out. I jump a body sport camera suit with the biggest wings they make. So i'm wondering if maybe my arms aren't in the best position to completely inflate the wings. What position will completely inflate the wings? I have tried putting them straight out to the side, half way around in front, to alittle below and in front. Any ideas? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #2 July 22, 2003 I'm about the same weight. I started with a Tony C wing, and it wasn't big enough. I have a custom huge Tony D wing now, and it has the range to stay with everybody. I work at sort of a tandem mill, so we've got instructors at weights all over the map. It takes a big wing and a lot of practice to stay mobile with the floaty pairs. With Vectors you have the additional challenge of getting low enough to get a good face shot. To get the angle I want, I have my arms down in front of me like I'm doing a push-up with my knees on the ground but with my hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Go practice on your own dime with the really floaty ones so that you can work on your flying without sweating the camera work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pd190 0 #3 July 22, 2003 I'm pretty much the same out the door. I jump a Bev suit with large wings. At my DZ we have TM from 260 to 180 pounds. It's definatley a challenge moving from one TM to the other. The best advice I can give is practice, practice, practice. Be aggressive in your movement, but not overly aggressive to compromise safety. One senior camera guy taught me a few tricks, but pretty much I had to figure out the little tricks myself. Use every chance to jump with the TM's that you can. Figure out each one's flight characteristics and then tailor your dive attitude to match. Practice level changing on regular dives and use that when doing tandems. Oh, yea, get the biggest wings you can and then send it back to them and request bigger ones. Bev custom made mine from a crappy little drawing that I sent her. You can always fold in big wings, but you can't stretch small ones! Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 July 22, 2003 Ya know, since our PM about wings I've given it a bit more thought and it occurs to me to ask the question, are your swoop cords tight enough? You might be gypping yourself out of a couple miles per hour if they aren't set up right.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimoke 0 #5 July 22, 2003 Hi Guys, I am JimOke, 290lbs out the door. I have always been a victim of gravity. I am an AFF instructor for two years. I use a wingsuit for AFF with any student under 220lbs. I can also fly with girls 110lbs. One of the most valuable assets of flying camera? wingsuits is range. make a few solos with a pro track and see how fast you can go on your belly but more importanly how slow you can go. I recently designed my new wingsuit and friends of mine in Deland built it for me. I only have 50 or so jumps on it so far. I made a solo in a slowfall straight down.....no tracking, it doesn't help filming a tandem. I recorded 100 mph. I was more than amazed! Saturday I shot a tandem with Walt at my DZ. Walt weighs 135lbs. and is 6'4" tall similar to a string bean. the student was a girl 5'5" 120 with a sigma rig 50lbs they were a total of 305lbs out the door I am 290lbs believe me when I tell you I was concerned. he threw the drouge about 7 sec. I was on level and 50' away I approached slowly on level so I could get a nice face shot in case I was going low. to my amazement I was able to sink down into the sweet spot and stay there. so I backed up a few feet and rose up about 10' for a sweet carve in a 20' radius flying back to the sweet spot. holy shit this was no problem. with my previous suit I am not sure if I would have had the same results. my last suit was a dakine rags suit , chuck priest said it was the most fabric he ever used to make one jumpsuit. I designed the zero-P wings for that suit and he installed them. just remember with big wings come many saftey issues with all your handles. after 1000 or so jumps with that suit, somebody said Z-P wings for lift why not Z-P for the rest of the suit instead of cotton or another slow fabric for increased drag........how about increased lift? the birdman suit is all z-p nylon, it would not be good for tandems or much other then it's designed use tracking. so why not try z-p nylon for a camera suit? My suit was very expensive, and completely custom. $650. US. Know what? it was worth every penny for me. the down side is it is a very warm suit, it has a cool max fabric throughout the inside which helps a lot. I would be suffering in FLA or AZ but then again I probably would end up losing some weight. I think I now have an anti-gravity suit. there is hope, JimOkeThe ground always, remembers where you are! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garywainwright 0 #6 July 22, 2003 i'm 225 out of the door and jump a C wing with no problems. Remember though its a team effort between your self and the Tandem instructor. If you are sinking out a bit ask them to put the pace on a bit to help you out. (Unless of course they are very new - then they have enough stuff to deal with!) have fun!http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver51 0 #7 July 23, 2003 I adjusted my wings by the section on your web site and think I have them right. I figured I should make sure my arms are in the irght position then readjust them again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deadbrowncow 0 #8 July 23, 2003 I'm about 260 out the door and I agree with a lot of the other postings out here. Quade brings up a good point that maybe your wings arent tight enough and I would definitely look at that. Additionally, the prevalent advice of practice, practice, practice is probably the best so far. As for my personal technique, I break it down oldschool style when I am faced with your challenge and I "hug the beachball" or do the modified "pushup" as well. While it may or may not work for you, the only way you will find out is to keep trying. Best of luck!***"A smart person can act dumb, but a dumb person can't act smart"*** Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver51 0 #9 July 24, 2003 I thank each of you in your help with my problem! I think what's so agravateing about it is that I have around 120 aff and tandem videos and I should have already come up with a solution for this problem. Believe me I do practice. I do very little fun jumps. Instead I go on tandems and affs when they don't want video. Again thank you all for the help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #10 July 24, 2003 ( ten pounds or so which is cameras.... Depending on the TM and on the size of the student.. I will vary my exit and initial approach (post drogue) accordingly.... For a heavy pair.. i kick outboard on exit,, it makes for a nice view of the door as they leave,,, then lurk them hard,,, since a heavy pair can get well below, pre drogue.... For lightweights,,, I clear off the step.... and use a "pre-floater' move,,,, lots of wings,,, straight legs... fall slow,, and stay close..... I have been flying in for a nice close up ( NOT too close!!!shots of people's shoes ),, and Most importantly,, It lets me know what my range on that particular student might be...... If I can zoom up to the drogue,real easily,, I know I have good range,, and will be a bit more aggressive,,, as I swoop back down for close up # 2 and for the pull.... If it is tough to "Move Up" i. e. they are falling slow.... then I know to be more gentle,,, as I move down to catch the pull..... I always position myself to the TM's Right side at pull time.... so that I am away from their feet, at line stretch, so that the TM can see ME ,,,and so that IF the student Pulls, I have it nicely framed..........Of course this scenario works real well if you are out of an otter or caravan or anything with a good camera step,,,, and if you usually work at 14 grand ,,,exit altiitude..... For you camera people who are working out of a Cessna, and only getting 10 or 10 -5. you have to adjust your " anticipated work load" accordingly.... The size of your wings is important,,,,, and I have also found that booties,,,,, are very helpful for ME... skydive with enthusiasm, skydive with joy, skydive with friends Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sneaky 0 #11 July 25, 2003 Hey bud...Im rolling in at 190 sometimes 200 if my wifes on... I fly video on Tandems and Aff,all various sizes...I wear Desert combats and a sweat shirt ( im a Jipo ) and sometimes I wear my freefly suit for the big boys....Probaly for 1800 jumps now.. I dont wanna sound brash here coz I know where your coming from...But Fly your Body man...I dont use wings ,and I just skydive harder,sometimes I feel on the edge of my envelope,but i never fall off it.( not yet and when I do...I'll buy you a Beer ) Er .... have you thought about getting a Buddy to film you doing video and then you can critique yourself?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver51 0 #12 July 26, 2003 I want very much to get video of me shooting a tandem but i'm the only camera flyer at the DZ right now. I have been able to hang on, barely, on some light loads. So this has got me wondering where i'm screwing up on the others. Thaks for the input. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
