Wing suit + C130 Herc + beach in Uruguay = Happy me

[aubsmell 0]

Are there any other flockers going down to the Exotic Sky Adventures boogie in Uruguay later this month?....

I can't wait to fly my S3 from a Herc, I've been waiting forever, I'll have to buy beer, the whole point with going to Uruguay instead of Sweden first to fly from the Hurc is because of all the beer I'm going to have to buy, it will be much cheaper down there....more money for jumping.

I hope I'm not the only one flying....it's not too late to join up....

A

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[Deuce 1]

Good luck Aubrey! You'll have a ton of fun, and the beer is defintely cheaper just about anywhere else

Once you can consistently exit the Herc in an S3 stable, everything else is a piece of cake!

[fergs 0]

Aubrey,

Mate, have a great time.

Next time we get together for a beer I'll tell you about all of the free C130 jumping I did a year or two back somewhere in the Middle East. Some of the loads was only 10 or 11 of us onboard.

Life is good - you'll have a ball.

Blue Skies,

fergs

[aubsmell 0]

Is it a lot different? I've done a few from an antonov, moving pretty fast.

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[aubsmell 0]

Heya Fergs...

I just saw Susie and Dave Mcevoy, they were here for PIA, they are super cool, I can't wait to go back over to Oz, I'd like to come for Skysisters...in April, are you going to be over then?

A

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[fergs 0]

Aubrey,

I'm planning on being there for at least some of it. Can you scam enough time to then come south and visit Canberra for a cpl days? I can promise you some flocks right over our Parliament House. Who knows, may even have Jari on a load or two with you. Plus lots of other fun stuff.

fergs

[Deuce 1]

It's a whole lot different than a Skyvan, which is my only other tailgate experience. There seems to be plenty of time to get in position in the dead air as you drop below the ramp, but then WHOOOOMP! You are either flying right then, or flailing.

[Tonto 1]

It's not just the airspeed. Although I've never jumped a wingsuit from a C-130, I have 200 plus FS hops out of them, usually launching a big peice. (8 - 12)

The props all turn the same way. This causes one side to push up... the other to dump. And they're BIG props.

I'm trying to remember now... but this info goes back to the late 80's. I think its the left side of the ramp that dumps, and the right that lifts. It's easier to stay well presented on the lifting side, and being well presented is critical when the speed arrives. You'll have just enough time to think "This isn't so bad?" before that speed arrives.

Any pic of a mass exit off the tailgate will show you what the good side is. See if you can find one.

Enjoy!

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Deuce 1]

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The props all turn the same way. This causes one side to push up... the other to dump. And they're BIG props.

I'm trying to remember now... but this info goes back to the late 80's. I think its the left side of the ramp that dumps, and the right that lifts. It's easier to stay well presented on the lifting side, and being well presented is critical when the speed arrives. You'll have just enough time to think "This isn't so bad?" before that speed arrives.Cool

Any pic of a mass exit off the tailgate will show you what the good side is. See if you can find one.

Enjoy!

I had a lot more luck exiting from the starboard side when I was filming in my camera suit so I think that's the lift or "up" side. The port side exit was a lot more turbulent. The Jari exit shows that there is a definite very hard push from the sides to the center. If two camera fliers were on either edge of the ramp, they usually passed each other getting pushed to the other side.

The slipstream is really clean, it's just really, really FAST. On the birdman exit, check out how tightly the suit is pressed against the flier, and how far back (and high!) the first out are.

If anybody can get a copy of McCordia's Herc Boogie Birdman DVD, do so. It is the coolest thing out there, and the coolest, most dramatic non-BASE wingsuit video there is.

[aubsmell 0]

My boss was an organizer at the Herc boogie, I'm going to ask him tomorrow if he has a copy of the video.

I hope Im not the only one down there with a suit... I would take a couple of suits down, but I don't think it would be the best aircraft for a first flight, but it sure would be fun for me to watch as a BMI, is that so wrong?

it would be like larning to skydive at Byron (it is super windy there) learning to fly a wing suit out of a herc would set you up for success down the road for sure....(jk)

A

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Don't be a homo, just bust it up over the airplane like you know what's up! Give it hell, Aubrey.

[Deuce 1]

There's not much birdie in the regular Herc DVD.

Check this out:

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=1801

[mccordia 74]

If eveything works out the DVD will become available for 'the big public' soon at bird-man.com (for a not too expensive price)
It has a plethora of groovy exits...Vesa, Jari and Andy Ford would probably be the best to ask (bunch of show-offs...climbing above the plane, and adding a barrel-roll...watch me...this sh*t is easy!)

And couldn't resist playing with that exit pic a bit JP :)

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[Deuce 1]

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And couldn't resist playing with that exit pic a bit JP :)

That's a big improvement.

The point I was trying to make is easier on your version. Look at the wingsuit flyer below Jari. See that tail? It's a testament to the strength of the suit. (But we did get some 'accellerated wear' jumping out of that thing, didn't we, Jarno? )

[mccordia 74]

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But we did get some 'accellerated wear' jumping out of that thing, didn't we, Jarno? )

I think the score at the end of the week (from I think +- 500 wingsuit jumps made from the Herc) was 3 suits with minor tears on the corners of the wings, one suit with a tear in the corner of the wing (Fredric)

But I think in general the suits held up great.
And we lost a Sugerglider on one jump....on exit he got blown up and away, and we never saw him again

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[aubsmell 0]

Quote

I'm planning on being there for at least some of it. Can you scam enough time to then come south and visit Canberra for a cpl days? I can promise you some flocks right over our Parliament House. Who knows, may even have Jari on a load or two with you. Plus lots of other fun stuff.

I hope I just get to come over, the thing is that time is the big factor...even if I come over I don't think it will be for the whole event. Do you think they'll have Sydney divers' skyvan? The thing about going over to Oz is that it is just such a haul, and I'm not usually to stricken by jet lagg, but it is a complete reversal of my internal clock. Most people, including myself woudl be hard pressed to deal with that easily.

Back to the point, did you ever jump your S3 from those herc's in the middle east?

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[aubsmell 0]

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But we did get some 'accellerated wear' jumping out of that thing, didn't we, Jarno? Tongue)

I think the score at the end of the week (from I think +- 500 wingsuit jumps made from the Herc) was 3 suits with minor tears on the corners of the wings, one suit with a tear in the corner of the wing (FredricCool)

That is crazy, just from the increased speeds? It sounds like from all the comments that, with the push toward the middle of the ramp, and the increase in speed, taking a multi person exit wouldn't be a good idea.

And from the photos I looked at of exits from the herc, the horizontal seperation on exit is pretty dramatic this could pose some interesting issues when organizing flocks from this beast. (not that it seems like I will, considering that no one has chimed in saying they are going to Uruguay with their suits) If you stagger the exits, it would have to be a very quick exit seperation in order to maintain proximity.

It looks like I may be the only person there flying a wing suit, so I'll have the Herc to myself, and the the Uruguay sky!!! Oh, well.

A

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[Deuce 1]

Aub, we got killer flocks together out of the Herc. 4 across the ramp is no problem. We put this one together with me laying base.

Pretty decent flock, eh?



Edit: Even if you are out solo, it's a great ride. Hit the slipstream, open and de-arch and you will at least stay level with it for a while. Thin guy like you should be able to get over the tail!

Again, have fun!

[mccordia 74]

At the herc-boogie, they came up with 4 row exits, where birds jumped and waited one second before opening their wings, and others opened them straight away. So one row of 4 people would be wait/inflate/wait/inflate.
Doing this, people didn't really get in each others way.
And with the base exiting last and dropping down a bit, everyone 'floating in the backgground' could just dive in and start building the formations..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[aubsmell 0]

Quote

At the herc-boogie, they came up with 4 row exits, where birds jumped and waited one second before opening their wings, and others opened them straight away. So one row of 4 people would be wait/inflate/wait/inflate.
Doing this, people didn't really get in each others way.
And with the base exiting last and dropping down a bit, everyone 'floating in the backgground' could just dive in and start building the formations..

Super cool, that is just the type of info I'm looking for....even if i end up the only bird in Uruguay, I'll try to really get to know how to fly from the Herc so that if I make it to the Herc boogie in '06 (or convince a bunch of flockers to go to the ESA boogie next year) I'll know how the relative wind lives and breaths out of a Herc.

Deuce,
That is a rad picture (yes you can still use the word rad as an adjective). I've had that sort of zero fall rate effect where I feel like I'm above and then equal with the plane for a long few seconds from two other fast moving aircraft, from a high speed pass from a Casa and from the Antanov at the sweedish freefly fest, I forget which number of antanov is was, but it is like the Russian version of the C130.

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[Remster 30]

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Is it a lot different? I've done a few from an antonov, moving pretty fast.

I cant comment on the wingsuit exits, but the AN72 ran faster then the Herc (when I jumped them). The air was more turbulant on the Herc though and pushed us sideways more on RW exits....

And have fun at the ESA boogie! We had so much fun in Borneo with them a few years ago now!

Remster

[vesatoro 0]

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[I forget which number of antanov is was, but it is like the Russian version of the C130.

Just a small detail, but the SFFF plane was An-26b, a twin turboprop cargo/passenger plane. Not resembling too much C-130 except having a tailgate. The Russian "C-130" is the An-10/12 series with 4 engines and looking quite much like a Hercules but with a sharper nose.

Vesa

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