> We’re talking about real, human-powered flight—or, at least as close as humanity has ever come to it.
Apparently the author hasn't heard about all the human powered flight initiatives, including crossing the English Channel:
Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
41–50 of 275 posts
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think it's all for the clicks, if it's like any other dangerous sport/hobby. It's for the rush you get doing it. The feel of being right on the edge. It's an addictive feeling, and it can trick you, because you know it's dangerous but you're always come out of it fine, great even, until you don't.
This is a very good point. Unlike other sports - when you push you can be hurt badly, but ultimately learn from your mistake, proximity wingsuit is one-mistake-one-kill.
That's how motorcycle accidents were explained to me. It is perfectly fine until it isn't, because there is so little room for error that it can only be fine or a crash.
That was for motorcycles where accidents are survivable and things are much more in your control.
For low wingsuit flying those last two points are both questionable.
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#43I had a close call this summer whitewater rafting on the Upper Animas River in Colorado and it has caused me to re-think every serious risk I take and has changed me in a big way. I was participating in a multi-day trip run by one of the local guiding outfits through the Upper section of the river, a much more difficult and serious undertaking than the Lower Animas, which is frequently run by average day-tripping tou…
Eight or nine years ago, I lept off a tower from about 800 ft. After opening the parachute and scanning for my landing area I turned towards it to the left, which was slow and felt off. "Maybe I'll turn to the right and come around from the back", at which point the parachute collapses and spins violently from behind. I reach up and grab the left riser, the strap that connects you to the harness, and stopped the spin. When I let go the spin started again violently I again grabbed the riser and got the parachute over my head. I was descending fast below tree top level and I saw my shadow in my peripheral vision. Knees together and crash.
I immediately pat myself down to check for compound fractures. Safe.
On the ride home it was all really brought into perspective: if I didn't want to deal with such life threatening situations I'd of stayed at home. I made another couple of jumps that weekend.
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#44A friend of mine died on the Stanislaus before New Melones Dam was built (and not even in a rapid).
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
Had an experience like this while surfing, years ago. I trusted a friend and went out surfing when it was double overhead. Had no business doing that, being a fumbling idiot on a board but trusted him. Made it out and caught a wave and wiped out -- can remember fighting the white water for what felt like 20 minutes, tumbling end over end and trying to time my gasps and keep cool. Just hoping I'd be washed inland if I…
"double overhead"?
If you stand 6' tall then double overhead is a 12' wave (generally). Kinda depends on Hawaiian vs mainland scale, but pretty good size to be sure.
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#46Wingsuit pilot & programmer here. The reason Wingsuit BASE Jumpers keep dying is that you shouldn't jump your wingsuit off a @#$%ing mountain. Please stick to the planes and the helicopters that you're used to.
Here is a trailer for a great short film on the topic:
What struck me about the profiled jumpers was their calm, sane demeanor -- not the showboat thrillseekers I expected.
BUT, most seemed unsatisfied by the experience when minimizing risk. To me, being 100 or more feet from terrain would be the experience of a lifetime. But many leaders in the sport keep pushing the envelope to a fatal degree (and in each example it was terrain, not equipment failure or weather).
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#47Extreme sports like this just feel so dumb. Why are you risking your life for a momentary thrill? You'd get a better rush and be safer taking heroin.
It's a challenge mentally? Overcome fear see different places, have different experiences? I've been skydiving and base jumping longer than I've not been and it's led me to some of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
But those experiences are just self induced near death experiences. It's an illusion of meaning
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#48I had a close call this summer whitewater rafting on the Upper Animas River in Colorado and it has caused me to re-think every serious risk I take and has changed me in a big way. I was participating in a multi-day trip run by one of the local guiding outfits through the Upper section of the river, a much more difficult and serious undertaking than the Lower Animas, which is frequently run by average day-tripping tou…
Nowhere near that close for me and a lot more soft, but still one of these “oh shit” moments was when I decided to go swimming when waves were bigger than usual due to a coming storm. It was all fun until I realized I wasn’t able to swim back to the shore to where I can stand. Every time I tried, a wave knocked me further into the ocean and my leftover stamina kept dropping. I was freaking out and had no idea how to…
It is better to swim parallel to the coast until you find an easier place to approach. Fighting the currents is exhausting.
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#49- because they're going too fast when they hit the ground? - because their sink rate is too high, and gets worse when they stall? - because 3:1 is a lousy glide angle? - because their wings are too small?
Regular BASE jumpers perform worse on all these metrics but don't die as much. All these metrics apply the same to skydiving wingsuit jumpers but they don't die as much.
The real problem is that flying closer to things leads to more likes.
Re: Increasing numbers of wingsuit jumpers are dying (2016)
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bet its even closer than you think. Nobody I know who does BASE is still alive. Some quit, others died. Everyone just kind of expects to die doing it. Blue skies, black death.
Why is it not banned?
Why should it be?
It's not like poeple don't understand the risk - especially by the time they get to the point where they can actually do it. What about all the other 'extreme' sports where death and/or serious injury is a possible outcome?