GTi as first suit

[edid 0]

I'm interested to hear from experienced or instructor birdmen. Wingsuit flyers and suits are few and far between around my home DZ (bar the occasional Skyflyer) so getting a classic to lend and start with is a problem. So I figure I'll just buy one. I have heard though that if your confident of your flying ability and emergency proceedures then, for your money, a GTi will keep you happier for longer. Not looking to make learing unreasonably difficult or dangerous for myself but is a GTi as a first suit a viable choice for those that have the requisite 500 jumps and are up for the challenge or is that just crazy talk.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

It is my personal experience and opinion as a BirdMan Instructor that a decent skydiver with a smooth flying style will not have any problem whatsoever jumping a GTi as a first suit.
My first jumps were on a GTi. Dan Preston's first jumps were on a Skyflyer. We have a friend who had the bare minimum requisite jumps to even try wingsuits and he started on a Skyflyer. That is definitely not recommended, but "they lived" through the learning curve and now both.
I will say this, though: If you are considering ordering a suit and "just going for it" without any proper instruction, then you had really better have your shit together. Smart business would be to get to one of the many functions across the nation this year where BirdMen will be. That, or go somewhere that has BirdMen Instructors and demo suits. Wingsuits are EXPENSIVE toys and it would be a shame to drop good money on a suit only to find out that wingsuit flying scares you to death. I fly my suit every weekend, but sometimes still get a bit spooked at pull time when I am jumping alone, hoping my tiny main comes off my back straight.
Think of jumping a wingsuit with the same caution you would as skysurfing. That extra piece of equipment has some very specific emergency procedures which must be followed to the "t" or you risk catastrophic consequences. Bottom line here is that you should endeavour to check as many safety blocks as possible on your maiden flights. Once you have your confidence built, then you can truly rule the suit and the sky.
Chuck
another wingsuit nut
My webpage HERE