Guide to Mastering Wingsuit Flying: A Step-by-Step Approach
Title: Mastering the Art of Wingsuit Skydiving: A Step-by-Step Progression
Publication date: October 13, 2018
Category: Adventure Sports
A thrilling amalgamation of human ingenuity and the breathtaking allure of free fall, wingsuit skydiving demands a soaring level of finesse and skill from its practitioners. For those lusting after the experience, a disciplined approach is essential, with patience, practice, and perseverance making the difference between soaring through the heavens and a rushed plummet back to Earth.
Whether you are a novice or an experienced skydiver drawn to the captivating allure of a squirrel suit, the sport stirs anticipation and excitement from both viewpoints. Often hailed as the closest feel to true flight, wingsuit skydiving captivates with its magnificent fabric wings spanning from wrist to waist, or even ankle, and an additional panel forming a triangle along the legs. This augmented surface area creates higher wind resistance, resulting in extended horizontal flight and exhilarating free fall experiences.
However, beneath this mesmerizing spectacle lies a treacherous journey requiring technical expertise and physical prowess. Though it may look seamless, wingsuit skydiving demands a gradual learning curve. Here is a comprehensive breakdown:
Fill Your Logbook
Nearly every dropzone, including Skydive Orange, mandates a prerequisite of 200+ jumps before attempting a wingsuit dive. Prodigious expertise in freefall is vital to ensure a safe leap into wingsuit flight, and mastering emergency procedures with one's eyes closed is paramount, as the wingsuit's sheer bulk can restrict movement, limit vision, and potentially lead to disorientation or blackout.
Practice Makes Perfect
Wingsuit skydiving humbles even the most seasoned skydivers, as they are confronted with challenges not experienced since their fledgling days. Incompetent openings, spins, line twists, less-than-impressive glide ratios, off-dropsite landings, awkward aircraft exits, and sheer terror are common for the uninitiated.
To maintain your cool demeanor when the pressure builds, formal education, coaching, and a dose of self-compassion are essential. The journey towards mastering wingsuit flight bears many similarities to the beginning of your skydiving career-time, effort, and determination will lead the way.
Honor the Process
Learning to navigate the sky with grace and precision is no small feat, regardless of experience or nature's endowments. Estimated timeframes may vary, but the more jumps under your belt before attempting wingsuit flight, the more expedited the process is likely to be.
Embrace every training opportunity, including further experimentation with different suits and configurations. The road to becoming a wingsuit master will be challenging, yet rewarding, and your ambition will be handsomely repaid with the next evolution of human flight.
Take the plunge and embark on this epic journey! Explore more about wingsuit training at Skydive Orange!
[1] United States Parachute Association. (n.d.). Minimum Freefall Experience for Wingsuit Jumpers. https://www.uspa.org/requirements/freefall-experience-requirements/[2] Wingsuit Training Pro. (n.d.). Wingsuit Training Tips. https://wingsuittrainingpro.com/training/[3] Squirrel Suit coaching. (n.d.). Coaching & Training. https://squirrelsuitcoaching.com/[4] National Sport Parachuting Association. (n.d.). Wingsuit Jumping and PFF Training Requirements. http://skydive.org/wingsuit-jumping-pff-training-requirements/[5] Skydive Indoor. (n.d.). Wingsuit Training. https://skydiveindoor.com/wingsuit-training/
- To safely attempt a wingsuit dive, many dropzones, such as Skydive Orange, require a minimum of 200+ jumps, ensuring proficiency in freefall and emergency procedures, as the massive wingsuit may limit vision and movement.
- For novices and experienced skydivers alike, wingsuit skydiving is a complex sport with challenges that even seasoned skydivers may find daunting, including incompetent openings, spins, line twists, and terror.
- A patient, disciplined approach that combines formal education, coaching, and a healthy dose of self-compassion is crucial for mastering wingsuit flight, with the journey bearing many similarities to the initial phases of one's skydiving career.
- With ample training under one's belt, including explorations with different wingsuit configurations, the road to becoming a wingsuit master will be difficult but rewarding, ultimately leading to the next level of human flight.
