Wingsuit Gear Checks

March 14, 2009

Justin Shorb

Flock University

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(Wingsuit) Gear Mistakes Kill

• You probably already check other skydivers’ gear out

• Wingsuiters are no different

• You can help even if you’re not a wingsuiter

3

Wingsuit Skydivers Are Skydivers First

• Perform same gear check

oRig (including AAD)

o Leg straps

oChest strap

oAltimeter

oGoggles

o Etc.

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Wingsuit-Specific Rig Issues

• Check reserve and cutaway handles

o Sometimes pulled into the suit

o Look to see if they are fully accessible

• Closing loop

oRigs often packed “grommet to grommet”, which stretches closing loop

o If then packed grommet up, closing loop may be very loose

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Arm Wings

• Arm wings’ attachment to torso

• Multiple designs – no “one size fits all”

• General categories of design:

oCable thread system

o Zipper system: two varietiesOver the ShoulderBottom of Wing

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Cable Thread System

• Cutaway style cable

• Alternating tabs

• Some tabs (sometimes) skipped

• Designs vary: ask!

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Example

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Zipper Systems

• Over the Shoulder

• Bottom of Wing

• ALWAYS ASK BEFORE TOUCHING ANOTHER JUMPERS GEAR

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Over the Shoulder

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Over the Shoulder• Usually only unzipped if

suit being removed

• Not unzipped under canopy (usually)

• Some leave it a little open in the back

• Ask before touching!!

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Bottom of Wing

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Bottom of Wing

• Velcro(some) mesh cutaway with an RSL-style latch at the bottom

• Check Velcro, latch, and zipper

• Some have a button

• Give the wing a tug

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Arm (Shoulder to Wrist) Releases

• Zippero Zipped oBuckled

• VelcrooNo bunching or “holes”

• Tonysuit “Safety Sleeve”

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Common Newbie Mistake!

• Many suits have thumb loops

• Most wingsuiters use wrist altimeters

• If you put on a wrist altimeter after the thumb loop, you will not be able to get your thumb out of the loop...

...without distracting yourself and maybe losing your altimeter

15

Leg Straps

• Visual inspection is not enough!

• “Shrug” method

• “Lift the rig” method

• Have them Unzip the suit to check the straps.

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Zipper Pull Up System (Open)

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Zipper Pull Up System (Closed)

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Booties

• Rental suits don’t always fit 100% correctly

• Even tailored suit booties can move

• Loose booties can cause problems in flight

• Booties that fall off can be a major problem

Thanks!

For More information you can download our pincheck guide at

www.flockuniversity.org

Also check out my article on Dropzone.com

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