advice and info on the S3 by Birdman

[aaronssps 0]

Looking at buying an S3 that was recently posted. Wondering if anyone can give me info on the suit i,e how it flys, what suits it's comparable to, do you like yours, etc. This would be my first suit and before anyone says it....i won't be jumping it for another 100-200 more jumps. I just have some extra cash from good ol' Uncle Sam and figured it would be a good time to buy since I know I eventually want to get into WS. Thanks, blue skies!

[mynamebedan 0]

it is twitchy

[mccordia 74]

The skyflyer1 is often refered to as twitchy.
And even that one is only 'twitchy' when flow at its max (mostly due to the small legstance)

The Skyflyer3 is a fine suit that can be flown easily in most of todays formations/jumps, and if you can get it at a nice price its a fine suit to make your first few hundred wingsuit jumps on, without ever feeling the need to upgrade.

Not everyone is on 'new suit' budgets, and this is a fine alternative when found at a nice price..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[hjumper33 0]

I agree. I put my first 100 wingsuit jumps on one, and loved it. I would put it in the same performance range as the original phantom. I did my first few wingsuit base jumps on it, as well as doing quite a bit of flocking, and found it to perform very well.

[The111 1]

Quote

it is twitchy

No, it's not.

I still fly mine pretty regularly.

This entire video was captured wearing an S3... if it was a twitchy suit, the video should be twitchy too.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[mnskydiver688 0]

After flying a Firebird for the first 15 or so flights I got a used S-6, (thanks Steve Such). Initially when I tried to max it out it felt somewhat washy with the leg wing. Made it look like I was doing a fishtail burn out. The leg wing is a little wider with the s-6 than with the s-3, but it just takes a little bit to figure out the balance. Now, I really love the s-6. I am able to keep up with a lot of different suits and it is a easy suit to move around and manipulate. I think you will like it your s-3. Guess what? You won't have to deal with the crappy plastic in the wings either!

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[TheCaptain 2]

Wow, I can not believe most think an Skyflier 3 is a good beginners suit.

A Skyflier 3 is not a beginners suit. I would really suggest atleast your first 10 wingsuit jumps be done on a more conservative wingsuit. Beginner wingsuit should have easy access to the BOC without have to reach around the wing (as you do with the skyflier 3). I had 40 wingsuit jumps on a GTI before I started jumping a Skyflier 3 and the first 5 jumps on the skyflier 3, I was getting a handfull of wing when going for the BOC. The attached picture is of my Skyflier 3 and you can see how far below the BOC the wing comes and how far out it stays that long.
As many have stated if the price is right this suit will do for quite a while. I weight 220 LBS out the door at 6'2" and could substain low 50's for the entire jump in a Skyflier 3.

Kirk
He's dead Jim

[PhreeZone 20]

Arron, I'd suggest jumping a lot more and more frequently before getting a suit.
You have also said that you are also looking at adding camera to your skydives this year, I'd take it slow since you are adding a lot of new factors to the jumps in a fairly short time period.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[mccordia 74]

Quote

Wow, I can not believe most think an Skyflier 3 is a good beginners suit.

He is asking about buying his first suit, which he will own/fly for a long time after that. Not asking about what suit to fly for his first jumps.

My first suit was an S3. I had about 50 jumps on a classic II and a few on a GTi before that time.

A wingsuit is no other than a canopy. Stick with rental gear untill you're capable and experienced enought to handle the size you will be buying/flying for many jumps after.

I didnt buy a 280 sq/ft main when I went looking for my first rig.
But yea...though it wasnt what I ment in my answer, I do agree fully with what you say.

Any wingsuit that has possible restricted acces to the hackey, and a wingsuit large enough to give you trouble in unstable situations, is FAR from a beginner suit.

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[IslandGuy 0]

Yup, S3 is not a good first jump suit.

But it is a nice suit - stable, lots of performance and range. Great for flocking or whatever. You'll like the suit.

I jumped mine for well over 200 jumps. Actually, still keep it as a backup. Only thing I didn't care for was the construction. Seemed I was always asking Tony to fix this or that, a seam that unraveled, or the booties, or zipper. And, thank you Tony, it was always repaired way better than new.

Also, before you switch up to the S3, if you haven't already done so, I'd recommend a long bridal and maybe even a larger PC. Depending on how big a guy you are, the S3 can make a big hole in the air.

[TheCaptain 2]

Well, in ensence he is asking about an Skyflier 3 as his first wingsuit. Up until my post no one stated anything about starting out with a different suit, so more or less it was OK'ing that suit for someone's first wingsuit jump.
I think (personally) that if someone wants to get into wingsuit flying, they should find by any means necessary get a true beginners suit (Classic, Classic2, GTI, Firebird, Prodogy, Phantom, Arco, Intro, Aerobat, or the standard S-fly) for their first (atleast) 10 wingsuit jumps (the more the better), but after that they should upgrade to the next level of suit for the next duration of jumps. Also, they should understand that 200 jumps is a minimum requirement (if jumping with an instructor) but 400 jumps is recommended if jumping without instruction.

The Skyflier 1, Skyflier 3, Skyflier 3S, Skyflier 6, Skyflier 8, Blade, Tengu, Ghost, Ghost 2, Vampire, Vampire 2, Vampire 3, Stealth, Rapture, Mach 1, Super Mach 1, Thunderbird(may or may not be not sure at this point), S-fly Pro, Jii-wings Glide system 1( and I am sure I missed some), all of these suits are not for someones first wingsuit jump. These suits are for the advanced wingsuit pilot

Kirk
He's dead Jim

[Bill_K 0]

Quote

Also, they should understand that 200 jumps is a minimum requirement (if jumping with an instructor) but 400 jumps is recommended if jumping without instruction.

In the US the USPA recommends 200 with in the 18 months prior to the first WS jump. Not just 200 with an instructor, OR 500 jumps total if doing it without an instructor.

a. have a minimum of 500 freefall skydives; or a minimum of 200 freefall skydives, made within the past 18 months, and receive one-on-one instruction from an experienced wing suit jumper

[TheCaptain 2]

You are right, I am just refering to the stat's as they were when I started wingsuit flying in 2003, but the main point being (with an instructor) unless you have 400 plus jumps by yourself and an instructor is highly recommended regardless.

Kirk
He's dead Jim