Sometimes things just take time... Bad weather, bad timing, and the lot have kept me from progressing at the planned rate. But, the hard things in life eventually come around if you just keep chipping away at them. Enjoy my second wingsuit flight... first with a camera, from this Easter Sunday out at Skydive Chelan. Now the real progression can start. In two weekends we are back in Chelan for a full on Wingsuit Boogie complete with helicopters. I am looking forward to flying with some of the best of the best from the Northwest and continuing the progression.
That video went through the BASE/WINGSUIT community like wildfire, but right now that kind of flying is way way off my radar. Unfortunately, Ludovic Woerth (the guy skimming his hand) was lost very shortly after in a wingsuit accident. In the same accident, Dan Vicari (KIWI) and Brian Drake (YANK) were also lost. BSBD guys...
Slither,
I don't know Joby, but I know a few of the crew helping him to get ready. Bummer about Everest, but knowing those guys... It will get done...
Remember boys, this is flight two for me. I am officially the worst wingsuit flyer on the planet right now...
Jon
bwd
Since 04 Aug 2007
385 Posts
Obsessed
Tue Apr 22, 14 5:24 am
with all due respect,
that level of proximity is full retard.
RIP
Be careful up there!
registered
Since 12 Jul 2005
1319 Posts
tsunami
Sandbagger
Tue Apr 22, 14 7:00 am
Retirement from that extreme sport looks tuff.
After doing a lesson paragliding and meeting all the big boys of the launch....i decided i didn't need the para limp. Tempting but the writing on the wall was rough. This is obviously the next level.
I remember a friend saying they wanted to drop some clouds in sierras and ride the updraft of the cloud base for miles and miles.
Meeting wing suit retirees may be a bit more depressing i assume at a graveyard or at a peers. I don't think I would even want to skii near them and risk the torture of a accident.
I am getting old and weak maybe. Life is precious.
What level of excitement will achieve the itch???
rain..
JonMalmberg
Since 15 Aug 2011
340 Posts
Obsessed
Tue Apr 22, 14 7:30 am
Registered,
You bring up a very valid point. It is not the sport itself that is danerous... In fact paragliding and skydiving are extremely safe provided you use good judgement... Ah, the kicker... Anything can become dangerous if good judgement is not used. Kiteboarding is actually one of the best examples, and this site is chock full of people recommending lessons, safe gear, and not being just generally stupid.
Unfortunately when your judgment dips in the BASE world the results are usually fatal. Kiteboarding usually ends up with a trip to the doctors office. It is the BASE aspect that ultimately takes the benign act of flying a wingsuit and providing the ultimate opportunity for any lack of judgement or respect for the environment to end badly... and rather quickly.
So, where is the end for me? At my age I have a goals and a plan to be done with BASE related endeavours within the next four years. My goals do include Wingsuit BASE, and hopefully I will continue to keep my ego in check and use good judgement to stay within my abilities. There are unfortunatley only two ways out of BASE... Retirement or the BSBD route. I am going to do my best to choose the retirement option.
Jon
quenyaistar
Since 21 Oct 2011
416 Posts
Cougar, WA
Obsessed
Tue Apr 22, 14 9:55 am
I have seen a guy land on water and on a big pile of cardboard boxes without a chute, that was pretty cool. Probably wont be long before they land all the time without chutes. Then it wont be fun anymore, to easy, not dangerous enough
I think folks get hooked on the adrenaline rush like a drug attic and keep needing more and more till they OD, aka go splat.
Try not to go splat man. _________________ 1 OF 1
Windstoked
Since 21 May 2013
43 Posts
Norcal
Tue Apr 22, 14 10:20 am
This wingsuit discussion reminds me of my belief that kite technology will evolve towards a system that allows one to use the wind to catch a wave and then retract the system to ride the wave unencumbered.
I envision a foil kite/wingsuit modification that retracts against your body voluntarily or upon crashing.
It might even be refined to take advantage of the updraft off waves to allow gliding just above the waves the way that pelicans do.
bwd
Since 04 Aug 2007
385 Posts
Obsessed
Tue Apr 22, 14 7:39 pm
better yet a wingsuit friendly wing or chute that deploys automatically when you get into some preset proximity, making you lift up little higher?
Set it to 10m, 3m, whatever your "brain" says might help.
No need to take your buddy's head off or rub your foot off on a rock and go tumbling to an early death, too close and the lift would increase enough to give a little more distance, no I guess it wouldn't be compatible with grazing trees and rock spires, that's the point. Might not even be worth it, I don't know.
For the record I think wingsuits are pretty awesome but with respect and my own limits in mind I expect I will never come close to doing it.
I've never even jumped out of a plane!
registered
Since 12 Jul 2005
1319 Posts
tsunami
Sandbagger
Wed Apr 23, 14 2:16 pm
start flappin'
helmet need to be a wing to head is heavy and needs to pull its own .... probably shoes to missing some potential.
Valentin Delluc is by far the most progression speedflyer on the planet right now... His skills under canopy are very very impressive... Ahhh, I just strive to be average at all of these things...
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