keithbar 1 #1 February 6, 2009 so I've got about 10 flights on the new w/s so far (knock wood) no real stability issues. exits have been rock solid. a little wobble here and there when I'm working on dearching and trying too hard and fighting the suit. I know I have a long way to go in getting any real performance out of the suit. hey I've had a couple of flights that lasted a minute and a HALF but just wondering how many more solo's i should get under my belt before trying the flip over to back fly and back to belly transitionsi have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badenhop 0 #2 February 6, 2009 try back flying on your next jump================================== I've got all I need, Jesus and gravity. Dolly Parton http://www.AveryBadenhop.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #3 February 6, 2009 Quotetry back flying on your next jump I agree!"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #4 February 6, 2009 Assumed you worked out any and all instability issues with the suit you learned on, you should have belly to back, to belly transitions worked out before buying a higher performance suit. If not, you have bought "over your head". Learning to be 100% in controll of your suit, BEFORE purchasing a higher perfomance suit is a wise choice. Try your transitions on your next flight. If they scare the shit out of you, dont be affraid to take a step backward and fly your old suit again and practice..... www.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #5 February 6, 2009 I may be wrong, but isn't the Raptor your first purchased wingsuit, and the first wingsuit you've jumped in many years, Keith? In this thread Keith talks about his (Raptor) wingsuit getting the better of him, and demoing a Classic years ago? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #6 February 6, 2009 When it comes to learning to backfly, just hoping out of the plane on your back over the next 20 or 30 jumps (legwing slightly closed) will give you a bit of a feeling for how backflying flies. Dont hold it longer than a few seconds, and just keep watching the plane. The moment you go unstable of headdown, roll back to your belly. As you do this more and more often (not in anything over a 2 way with an experienced flyer), you will notice you can keep it on your back longer. At that point, you can start getting into more advanced backfly training. For which there are brief instructional videos on our website and I have it from good authority there is going to be an awesome DVD on backflying like a pro..out in in a few days... Just take it easy...if its been a long time since you've flown a wingsuit, first make sure you are acustomed to flying again, and finding/keeping heading and having awereness of where you and your fellow flyers are relative to eachother... No rush...have fun...keep smiling...JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Professor 0 #7 February 6, 2009 Also, backflying is backflying. If you already know how to do it without the suit, then you'll be fine. It's not that much different, it just adds some challenge to it. Ted Like a giddy school girl. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #8 February 7, 2009 Quote Also, backflying is backflying. If you already know how to do it without the suit, then you'll be fine. It's not that much different, it just adds some challenge to it. Yea..exelent point.. As bad as it sounds, for people wanting to learn how to backfly from scratch, getting some instruction on backflying without a wingsuit (freefly 'for real' or in a tunnel) can make it a lot easier. As its just bodypositioning there, and not also being bothered with lots of wing and maintaining heading etc So yea..I sayd it....you can take of a wingsuit, and still work on something new in terms of wingsuit skills..Look at the Babylon Freefly guys. 90% of the people here probably have more wingsuit jumps. But they take everything they know from freeflying over to their wingsuit flying, and as a result fly much more dynamic and assertive than most of us who started on wingsuits from scratch... In the end, flying your body is flying your body....with or without a wingsuit..JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhoenixRising 0 #9 February 7, 2009 Well Said! JustinWingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching Flock University Tonysuits Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keithbar 1 #10 February 7, 2009 yeah this is the only w/s i've bought. I don't know if I'd say the suit got the "best" of me. had I come down from that jump and said this w/s shit's crazy and I'll never do that again. I would agree with ya. but when I had my issue with the wing releasing. it startled me, suprised me, even scarred me. but i didn't flip over on my back or tumble out of control. after I quit trying to do a dumbass thing and make it worse. I found a position of stability. flew that position down to my predetermened deployment altitude. and deployed stable. thinking back on that jump the only reason I can come up with for the release. is instead of dearching and pushing down on the air with my arms to make the suit work. I was arching had my arms back and gripping the grippers way too tightly and trying to get the armwings tight by reaching upwards. and must have just overstressed the cuttaway. def a learning experencei have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hjumper33 0 #11 February 8, 2009 I think it can be a little like head down, steep learning curve at first, but some people just get it. Just flip over and try it, or try to barrel rolls, they are fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pendragon 1 #12 February 9, 2009 Quote Also, backflying is backflying. If you already know how to do it without the suit, then you'll be fine. It's not that much different, it just adds some challenge to it. Howdy Ted! I'd just like to add to your comment: ...with the exception of: When tracking on your back, optimal lift is gained by dearching and leaning your head back to cup the air, so that you are looking more towards the direction of travel, rather than just up at the sky. If you do this in a wingsuit, you will start to go very steep. To get a feel for the position, try lying on a mat with your arms and legs out as if you were wearing the suit. If you were flying, you would be pressing down on your heels, wrists and shoulder blades. Keep your spine straight and your head facing straight up. Then try the same thing in the sky with the suit on. Also, with some of the bigger suits, you will need to partially close your leg wing. Hope that helps!-- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
