Flying Slow in a S3

[Jiggs 0]

Hi everybody,

I have around 120ish wingsuit jumps at the moment and have a MTR2 and a S3 (about 50 jumps on each). I have had some fun experiences taking up various friends for their first wingsuit jumps and I have brainwashed a few people into wingsuiting - Anyway what I am hoping for is some tips for flying with lightweight chicks (eg giving 20kgs or more away in weight). Does anyone have any good tips for being able to maintain low fall rates but low horizontal speeds - particularly with the S3? (no worries with the matter). It seems like when they put on a slow fall rate (particularly after a variable fall rate) I really need to chuck on the speed to maintain the lift.

Maybe an example would make it more clear - last weekend I was jumping with a 55kg chick (in a Classic) and I was jumping vid in my S3. Her forward speed was so slow that I would need to really bend my knees to stop presenting my leg wing to fly sufficiently slow in order to match her forward speed. Basically with just my arms I could go faster than her! Problem was that it was hard to maintain the fall rate without leaving her behind. I know that by doing video was not helping but everyone always wants video! - so any sage words of wisdom? Or should I just leave the S3 in the bag and use my Matter for jumps like these?

Also, I am looking at coming out to the US from June to August - any one got any suggestions for some cool flocking action / coaching while I am over? Any boogies in particular that I should check out?

Cheers

"Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain."

"In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

[PhreeZone 20]

August Flocking... WFFC or Lost Prarie!

I'm awaiting the answer to this since I've got the same problem sometimes.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[voodew1 0]

Just put a weight belt on the tiny ones to even the score

Don't take this seriously it was meant as humor but it should work

The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid

[bodypilot1 0]

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I am hoping for is some tips for flying with lightweight chicks (eg giving 20kgs or more away in weight).

Unfortunately the S3 is designed to creat lift through the forward speed it generates, and possibly another style suit make be needed for the people that are VERY light.

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Does anyone have any good tips for being able to maintain low fall rates but low horizontal speeds - particularly with the S3?

I have found that I can reduce my forward speed greatly by dropping my knees, using my wing grippers as flaps and cupping my torso.
If I start to drop too far below to get good video, I explain to them ,before the jump, to simply arch and sweep their arms back while keeping the legs extended. This will increase their fallrate and their forward drive.
If that fails and they dont respond to you getting below them and not being able to get a good video position, sometimes I punch out my legs, pop up and do a fast 360, while keeping them in video, and then reposition myself next to them but just up alittle higher.

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I know that by doing video was not helping but everyone always wants video! - so any sage words of wisdom?

Just remember to explain to them before the jump, that you'll do your best to get their jump on the video, also that your body sizes are not the same.

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Also, I am looking at coming out to the US from June to August - any one got any suggestions for some cool flocking action / coaching while I am over? Any boogies in particular that I should check out?

Your always welcome to come to sunny California and flock with us here on the West Coast.

Keepin' it safe!
Ed

Cheers

[LouDiamond 1]

Ed covered some good points already. To add to that I will say that either dropping ones knees or bending them up ,a la the box man , can help you adjust your fall rate but you will have to fly your whole body to the situation. Often times closing ones wings down slightly will suffice but as you found out your still had more drive than your subject on arm wings alone. Often times distorting ones wings won't suffice so you must also fly your torso. It usually takes people a while to learn the slight nuances that can effect your flight by slight and simple adjustments in the hip/torso region. We've all done it before on normal skydives and the same applies in the suit with the exception that the movements themselves are not as pronounced, they are very slight inputs.

With fast fallers with slow horizontal speed, it is like feathering a gas pedal to stay relative both horizontally and vertically with your subject. A modified box man with an ocassional arm or leg wing input can keep you relative on both planes. It becomes very challenging when the subject has large devaiations in their flight as they become accustomed to the suit. Rapid vertical descent followed by immediate lift and changes in between can lead to a situation similar to someone who corks every now and then during a skydive. Part of being able to fly with these types of subjects is dependant on your overall skills in flying your body, being able to read your subjects body and knowing what will follow as they continue to adjust their body position. This is very similar to what most AFFIs do on every jump with a student. Weather they realize it or not, they are reading and predicting what will happen based on the students body language and actions.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[Jiggs 0]

Thanks for your insights Ed, will have to give them a go and just go out and experiment I guess . I can always fall back to the matter but the S3 is so much more fun to fly.

Looking forward to the opportunity of flocking with you all!

Cheers,

Griggsy

"Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain."

"In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

[Jasmin 0]

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Anyway what I am hoping for is some tips for flying with lightweight chicks (eg giving 20kgs or more away in weight).....I was jumping with a 55kg chick

Wow, thanks for the compliment...I wish!!
You better be coming to skysisters, I think we might just have something new to play with....

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[Jiggs 0]

I will be there!

Tanya and I fly up on the Thursday morning (21st) 8am so looking to pick Jari's brain and carve it up with some flocking dives.

Not to mention some all time coaching would be cool.

"Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain."

"In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

[dragon2 2]

LOL I got just the opposite problem, with my 60 kg it's hard enough flying with others (usually 80-100 kg, usually flying GTi's) in my Classic2 (I get too much lift but not enough forward speed so I'm diving most of the time), but my S3 makes it mucho harder (more wing to collapse).... Maybe I should start wearing weights Or get more people to buy bigger wings

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Jasmin 0]

He's been busting his butt working at the moment, so he's really looking forward to kicking back on this trip...if we let him!

i have the same problem as Dragon2, I'll be in a classic2or GTi having to drop down like a rock to get down to everyone

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[dragon2 2]

LOL wanna go jump?

My problem just got a bit worse I just downloaded a jump that was still on my Neptune from last December: went 35 mph for a bit in my S3 (solo, and no stalling etc)

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[The111 1]

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went 35 mph for a bit in my S3 (solo, and no stalling etc)

That is just sick. What's your height/weight, if you don't mind me asking?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[dragon2 2]

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went 35 mph for a bit in my S3 (solo, and no stalling etc)

That is just sick. What's your height/weight, if you don't mind me asking?

60 kg, 1.72 m.
I think I've got about 15 jumps on the S3 now.

Usually I fly 50 mph in a Classic/Classic2/Skyflyer/S3. With the MTR-1 (at like 15 BM jumps total) I went 42 mph without trouble... I really wanna try a MTR-2!!

However my BMI has flown a Skyflyer at 30-something kpm for about the entire jump!

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[voodew1 0]

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However my BMI has flown a Skyflyer at 30-something kpm for about the entire jump!

His name must be superman as that just sounds like a weeks worth of shoulder pain.

It would be awesome to do that though - I am just to lazy to fight the burn!

The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid

[dragon2 2]

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However my BMI has flown a Skyflyer at 30-something kpm for about the entire jump!

His name must be superman as that just sounds like a weeks worth of shoulder pain.

It would be awesome to do that though - I am just to lazy to fight the burn!

Hmm so far I've never hurt my arms/shoulders at all after or during a jump. And I'm in pretty bad physical shape too... Don't know why it bothers some people, are you guys flying tensed up so much or something? Or maybe I'm doing something wrong..? I do get the occasional cramping up of my toes

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[voodew1 0]

I normally fly a GTI and have had no soreness or tiring from flying it except on high alti jumps (20k)

The S3 I have flown didn't fit me great so I was not as comfortableas in my custom suit, that could have something to do with it. I was not able to point my toes with the suit pulling HARD on some point of my body After 2 jumps I felt burning in shoulders. I am able to fly an S3 like shit and descend slower than I can maxing out my GTI though.

The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid