Wingsuit flying

Wingsuit flying is a specialized discipline of skydiving that uses a webbing-sleeved jumpsuit to transform a free fall into a period of gliding flight.

This sport relies on a wingsuit, which is a garment featuring fabric membranes stretched between the arms and the flanks or thighs. Many designs also include a membrane between the legs to function as a tail for aerial steering. By increasing the surface area of the human body, the suit generates lift, which is the upward force that opposes gravity. This allows the pilot to achieve extended air time by moving horizontally through the sky rather than simply dropping vertically.

The mechanism of flight begins with a launch from either an aircraft or a fixed object, such as a cliff or mountain top. In skydiving, the pilot exits an airplane and must manage their orientation relative to the aircraft's forward speed and airflow. In BASE jumping, the pilot jumps from a fixed object and relies on gravity to create the necessary airspeed.

As the pilot falls, air enters the suit through specific inlets, inflating the fabric into a semi-rigid airfoil shape. To control this shape, the pilot manipulates their body configuration. They might de-arch their back, roll their shoulders, or move their hips and knees to change the angle of attack. This angle determines how the wingsuit interacts with the relative wind.

Wingsuit designs vary significantly based on their intended use and the pilot's skill level. One common type is the tri-wing design, which features three individual ram-air wings attached under the arms and between the legs. Another approach is the mono-wing design, where the entire suit functions as one large, continuous wing. Beginner wingsuits are designed with less surface area and lower internal pressure to ensure they are easier to control. As pilots gain experience, they often transition to advanced suits with larger surface areas to achieve higher glide performance.

The history of human attempts to fly like birds is filled with both early failures and modern breakthroughs. In 1912, a tailor named Franz Reichelt attempted to test a combination of a wing and a parachute by jumping from the Eiffel Tower. Later, in 1930, Rex G. Finney used an early wingsuit in the United States to increase maneuverability during parachute jumps. These early versions were made of materials like canvas, silk, wood, and even whalebone. The modern era of the sport began in the mid-1990s when Patrick de Gayardon developed a suit adapted from models by John Carta.

Innovation continued through the late 1990s with various specialized designs. In 1997, Sammy Popov built a prototype with a larger leg wing and tested it in a vertical wind tunnel in Las Vegas. In 1998, Chuck Raggs developed a version featuring hard ribs inside the wing airfoils to maintain shape, though the added weight made it harder to fly. By 1999, Jari Kuosma and Pečnik created the "Classic" suit for Birdman International, the first wingsuit offered to the general public. Kuosma also established an instructor program to provide standardized training for skydivers with at least 200 jumps.

Performance in wingsuit flying is often measured by the glide ratio. This ratio compares the horizontal distance traveled to the vertical distance dropped. While older suits from the 1990s often had a ratio of 2:1, modern advancements allow pilots to achieve a ratio of 3:1 or more.

This means for every one meter of descent, the pilot moves three meters forward. Pilots also use a maneuver called a flare, where they dive to build speed and then exchange that airspeed for a brief increase in altitude. To track these metrics, many pilots use portable GPS receivers to analyze their speed, fall rate, and flight paths.

Every wingsuit flight must conclude with a safe deployment of a parachute. Before deployment, the pilot performs a flare to reduce their airspeed. The pilot then reaches back to throw a pilot chute, which initiates the parachute sequence. It is important to note that the pilot must unzip the arm wings after the parachute is out to reach the steering toggles.

This ensures the pilot can control their descent path and land at a chosen location. This combination of aerodynamic skill and specialized equipment allows humans to experience a unique form of controlled flight.