I will absolutely admit that I have no hard data or numbers on this topic. just a gut feel from traveling to a number DZs across several states supporting events and training.
I believe I heard one of the USPA execs on SDR mention that there was either 36K or 38K paid members in USPA for the year. I believe the number was also published by USPA.
If there are 1000 "active" wingsuit pilots then one out of every 38 people, to include all those under 200 jumps would have and fly a wingsuit.
Part of this discussion is one of perspective. For example the answer for each of the questions below would likely be different:
What is the number of current skydivers that have flown a wingsuit?
What is the number of current skydivers that own a wingsuit?
What is the number of current skydivers that put more than 10 flights on their wingsuit in a year?
What is the number of current skydivers that 51% or more of their skydives are wingsuit jumps?
What is the number of current skydivers that have made wingsuit flight their primary discipline (e.g. 90% + of all their jumps)?
I am in no way attempting to label or make judgements about any current or future wingsuit pilot. In fact some of my most enjoyable flights are with first time flyers and I welcome them to the community warmly and with the desire to see them continue.
In terms of "How many of us are there?", the point here is how and in what context is the question asked.
If we go to the extremes, "How many people have had first flights?" I heard Jeff N. trained 400+ people during his travels across the US over the past year or more.
On the other end, What is the number of people in the US that have made wigsuit flying their sole discipline? My exprience is based upon seeing the same 20 core people on the East Coast show-up at wingsuit events time and time again. Many of these being based up with Flock U, down with the Z-Flock, the guys from Texas, and our small group in Orange Virginia.
Perhaps Jeff might have the best sense of the numbers around this topic given his wide travels over the past 18 months.
ALL THIS SAID ---- Our focus is to introduce as many people to wingsuit flight safely as we can, and keep them invovled.
The Brothers Gray Wing Suit Academy
Contact us for first flight and basic flocking courses at your DZ or boogie.
www.thebrothersgray.com
What is the number of current skydivers that own a wingsuit?
What is the number of current skydivers that put more than 10 flights on their wingsuit in a year?
What is the number of current skydivers that 51% or more of their skydives are wingsuit jumps?
What is the number of current skydivers that have made wingsuit flight their primary discipline (e.g. 90% + of all their jumps)?
The answers to your questions would be nearly impossible to get. You could insert the words Hybrid, CReW, Atmonauti , pylon races or jumped with FF tubes in place of wingsuits in your sentence and it would still be damn near impossible to gather.
Some schools could possibly give you exact number of tandems or specific numbers to complete AFF everything else is just a paid fun jump. A dropzone could give you number of loads but I doubt few could give you exact number of jumps.
The Brothers Gray Wing Suit Academy
Contact us for first flight and basic flocking courses at your DZ or boogie.
www.thebrothersgray.com
It is very difficult to say how many Ws-pilots (more than 25 jumps per year) on the world,maybe 350-400,but my experience is:more than 3 birds on a dz make the other jumpers start thinking about.
A bit like a chain-reaction.
5 years ago we was 3 now we 20 birds here in marl.
People start skydiving now, just to become a bird.
In 3 years there will be 5 times more than now,in case there not to much Ws-related accidents before.
Easy to say-nobody can proof
www.pralle-zeiten.de
kaustik 3
300 +1
Yes, I believe thats about right unless you are surfing youtube then you couldn't throw a stick without hitting one of us in the legwing.