| To be able to fly like a bird has always been one of | | | | not true of most extreme sports? So how does |
| mankind's archetypal dreams. In 1903, the Wright | | | | wingsuit flying compare to other sports which have a |
| brothers achieved human flight by inventing the | | | | certain element of danger. Here are some statistics |
| airplane. But human flight without the aid of some form | | | | from a recent edition of Men's Journal. |
| of flying vehicle has never been achieved, up until | | | | Total deaths over the past five years, per 1,000 |
| recently. Today, because of the wingsuit, human flight | | | | participants: |
| can be achieved without the aid of an aircraft. While | | | | Skydiving: 3.3 |
| this is not for the faint of heart, it is probably the | | | | Base Jumping: 44 |
| closest to flying like a bird that exists today. Here we | | | | Hang Gliding/Paragliding: 3.8 |
| provide the steps you need to take in order to fly like | | | | Summiting K2: 104 |
| a bird, or at least a flying squirrel. Following theses | | | | ATV Riding: 0.5 |
| steps, you will find a discussion about this unusual form | | | | Scuba Diving: .06 |
| of flight. | | | | Snowboarding: .05 |
| The first step is to understand what a wingsuit is and | | | | In terms of wingsuit flying, we could not find an actual |
| how it produces flight. A wingsuit is a jump suit, which | | | | fatality rate, most likely because there is not enough |
| creates the airfoil shape because of fabric sewn | | | | data to work with. Lets face it, not that many people |
| between the legs and under the arms. It is also called a | | | | have done wingsuit flying. Fatality rates were very high |
| birdman suit or squirrel suit. When wearing this suit | | | | during the developmental period for this extreme sport. |
| during freefall, with arms and legs spread out, you | | | | Between 1930 and 1961 71 out of 75 people died trying |
| become a human wing and therefore you are able to | | | | to perfect a wingsuit. I suspect that the fatality rate |
| glide. Your sink rate is relatively low, and you are able | | | | today is somewhere between that which you see for |
| to glide at high speed horizontally. Most wingsuit flights | | | | skydiving and base jumping. |
| last from 1 to 2 minutes, sometimes longer, depending | | | | Now that we have tweaked your interest by |
| on how high your jump off point is. | | | | examining the steps needed to perform wingsuit flying, |
| A prerequisite to wingsuit flying is skydiving. You need | | | | lets look at wingsuit flying a little more closely. As we |
| to be proficient in skydiving prior to wingsuit flying. As a | | | | have eluded to, wingsuit flying is simply forming your |
| matter of fact, the United States Parachute | | | | body into the shape of an airfoil, achieving lift, and flying |
| Association (USPA) recommends that you have at | | | | like a bird, or more like a flying squirrel. Because of the |
| least 200 freefall skydives before even thinking about | | | | jump suit you are wearing, you become a wing. |
| using a wingsuit. Of course, the more the better. But | | | | You achieve a glide ratio of about 2 to 1. This means |
| 200 is the bare minimum. Also, the USPA recommends | | | | for every 2 feet of horizontal movement, you drop |
| that the 200 freefalls be within the last 18 months prior | | | | about 1 foot. But it also should be noted that with body |
| to a jump using a wingsuit. | | | | manipulation, and selection of wingsuit design, you can |
| The USPA also recommends after at least 200 | | | | alter your forward speed and sink rate. To a fix wing |
| freefall jumps, you then receive wingsuit flight | | | | pilot like myself, a 2 to 1 glide ratio means you are |
| instruction from a certified instructor. Finding a certified | | | | essentially dropping like a brick. But to a skydiver, you |
| instructor for wingsuit flying is not an easy task, | | | | truly are flying. It all depends on your perspective. You |
| considering there is not to many people who have | | | | are by definition, a pilot, when wingsuit flying. But in this |
| done wingsuit flying. Your instructor should absolutely | | | | case, your body in combination with your wingsuit, |
| be certified. The USPA states that you can also | | | | becomes your aircraft. |
| perform wingsuit flying without instruction from a | | | | Lets examine how wingsuit flying works. After you |
| certified instructor, as long as you have at least 500 | | | | depart from your jump off point, either a cliff, airplane, |
| previous freefall skydives. I would highly recommend | | | | or man-made object, you will sink but you will also start |
| instruction. Wingsuit manufacturers offer training | | | | to fly horizontally. Actually, the technique for departure |
| courses and certify instructors. | | | | from an airplane is completely different from that |
| Next, you need to develop an understanding of | | | | which is used when departing from a fixed object. |
| aerodynamics. Since your own body becomes an | | | | One requires entry into a slip stream and relative wind, |
| airfoil or wing when wingsuit flying, it is imperative that | | | | one does not. You will learn this type of information if |
| you completely understand aerodynamics and the | | | | you receive formal instruction. |
| concept of lift. Being a certified pilot for a fix wing | | | | After you depart and sink, you will develop a horizontal |
| aircraft is not required, but most certainly it does not | | | | velocity component. Your average horizontal velocity, |
| hurt. The point is, you need to understand how you are | | | | relative to the ground, will be around 100mph. But if you |
| able to fly wearing a wingsuit. You should have an | | | | have a tailwind, your horizontal speed can reach up to |
| understanding of what is taking place aerodynamically | | | | 140mph to 160mph. Your sink rate is much less |
| when you change the shape and orientation of your | | | | compared to typical skydiving. Your vertical terminal |
| body, in order to create the desired amount of lift and | | | | velocity when skydiving is anywhere between 110 to |
| drag. | | | | 140 mph, depending on body orientation. With wingsuit |
| If you desire to have jump off points other then an | | | | flying, on average you obtain a vertical velocity of |
| airplane, this means you most likely will be exiting from | | | | around 40mph. |
| some high cliff or man made object. Most wingsuit | | | | After you have flown horizontally anywhere from 1 to |
| fliers prefer to exit from a very high cliff. But in order | | | | 2 minutes, depending on your starting altitude, you |
| to do this, you will need some mountaineering skills in | | | | release your parachute, and then land a short time |
| order to reach the top of the mountain or cliff. Unless | | | | later. Stamina is also important, as it takes quite a bit of |
| of course you are able to afford a helicopter ride, and | | | | muscle strength to fly a wingsuit to its full capacity. The |
| helicopter rides are offered to your jump off point. | | | | most important part of this type of flying is to know |
| In any case, many wingsuit fliers who jump off a cliff, | | | | when to release your parachute. |
| prefer to climb to their jump off point. So in this case, | | | | There are groups around the world that are working |
| mountaineering skills are also required. It is not unusual | | | | on wingsuit flying where you do not land with a |
| to spend a large part of the day climbing, in order to | | | | parachute. In my mind this is a little to dicey. But if flying |
| achieve 1 to 2 minutes of wingsuit flying. | | | | suit technology and piloting skill improves to the point |
| At some point you will also need to purchase a | | | | where you can slow down your flying so that you can |
| wingsuit. Companies such as Phoenix-Fly and Birdman | | | | land without a chute, then they may have something |
| Inc. offer wingsuits for purchase. Phoenix-Fly is | | | | there. But currently, to perform wingsuit flying, you need |
| headquartered in Zephyrhills, FL, with authorized | | | | to be a proficient skydiver and you need a parachute. |
| dealers throughout the United States and around the | | | | I believe to do this type of flying, you need to be an |
| world. Birdman Inc. is located in Helsinki, Finland, and | | | | adrenaline rush junky. In my mind, it is more risky then |
| they to have authorized dealers around the world. | | | | typical skydiving, and not as risky as base jumping. But |
| You need to have good physical and mental health. Of | | | | most would agree it is an extreme sport, and of |
| course there are different variations of what one | | | | course imparts certain obvious risks. |
| might consider mental healthiness, and some may feel | | | | To conclude, if you want to achieve a flying |
| that you need to be a little crazy to do this type of | | | | experience which is as close as possible to what a |
| flying. The point here is that you most certainly do not | | | | bird feels, or at least a flying squirrel, then wingsuit flying |
| want to black-out, even for a short time, while in flight. | | | | is an extreme sport to consider. It is not for the faint of |
| In a nutshell, if you black-out, you will not survive. This is | | | | heart, and the risks are obvious, but for some these |
| the same reason the FAA requires pilots do be in | | | | risks are worth taking. It is one of the most dangerous |
| good physical condition. It is important to remember | | | | sports in the world. But the reward of achieving human |
| that when you are wingsuit flying, you are more a pilot | | | | flight without the aid of an aircraft can be tremendous. |
| then a skydiver. So keeping your senses during your | | | | Human flight has always been one of mankind's |
| short flight is critically important. | | | | archetypal dreams. With wingsuit flying, you can |
| Finally, you need a lot of fortitude to confront the | | | | experience what only Leonardo da Vinci could only |
| danger associated with this type of flying. But is this | | | | dream of, the dream of flight. |