Wingsuit Flying
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In a nutshell
Wingsuit flying is the crazy sport of flyng the human body through the air using a special jumpsuit, called a wingsuit. The wingsuit adds surface area to the body to enable a significant increase in lift. This is a very dangerous sport, and has a high number of casualties considering the number of people who participate.
wingsuit flying
Introduction
The suit has fabric panels between the arms and legs that allow the flyer to travel forward while descending slowly. The sport developed from early experiments in glide suits during the twentieth century but only became practical and safer with modern materials in the nineteen nineties. Today wingsuit flying is practiced by skilled skydivers and BASE jumpers who use the suit to experience controlled human flight.
Rules and Regulations
Wingsuit flying does not have a single governing body but activities are generally regulated through national skydiving organisations. Most require participants to complete a significant number of skydives before using a wingsuit. Training includes stable body position, emergency procedures and canopy control. Drop zones set rules for minimum exit altitude, flight paths and separation from other jumpers. BASE wingsuit flights usually follow local laws related to site access and landing areas. Flyers must also follow standard safety practices such as equipment checks and briefings.
Key Players
Some of the top proponents of this sport are Jokke Sommer, Alexander Polli, Jeb Corliss.
Equipment List
- Wingsuit
- Parachute system
- Altimeter
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Jumpsuit or base layer
- AAD automatic activation device if used
- Gloves
- Footwear suitable for landing
Glossary of Terms
- Wingsuit - A suit with fabric surfaces that allows a flyer to glide through the air
- Glide ratio - The amount of forward travel compared with vertical descent
- Exit point - The location where the flyer leaves the aircraft or cliff
- Line of flight - The planned direction of travel during the glide
- Deployment - The act of opening the parachute
- Canopy - The main parachute used for landing
- Track - A straight glide path used to gain distance and speed
- Flare - A manoeuvre to reduce speed and prepare for safe landing
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