Basejumper.com - archive

I just updated the website with info on suit testing news/features by Robert Pecnik

Link

The fins are an interesting new feature

I wonder if there is any advantage on large suits in adding winglets as part of the grippers like airliners have. Videos of wingsuit going through waterfalls show big vortices which might be minimised by these. This might have some drag reduction or increased lift advantages. Just me thinking aloud.

I tought about that too. I'm wondering if the vortexes are adding lift (like on delta wings or bumblebees) or not on wingsuits.

The vortexes I saw on videos seem to stay on top of the wing instead of behind and to the sides. It creates a lot of drag but lot of lift too, wich overall might be better than less drag and less lift. On planes those vortexes help achieving high angles of attack wich otherwise would stall the wing.

Just observations, I have no proof and I might be completelu wrong on this...

If you look at aircraft, their wing is so much more effective due to a bigger span (wider wing) and full airflow over the wing. Something we lack.

On an actual airplane wing, the winglets give a 5 to max 10% increase in performance. On wingsuits, and the lesser efficiency of our wings, it would be something that gives a low to barely noticable improvement (if any at all) and at the same time complicate pull by a much larger margin.

The experiments that have been done with winglets didnt add anything valluable performance.

The fins on the bottom are awesome though. The test-jumps Ive got to do (skydiving and base) so far where like flying a small suit in terms of agility. It flies like its on rails, and turns on a dime

Have you increased the pressurization in the suits at all? That seems to be a major contributor to performance in the new large-class Tony/Squirrel suits.

Even with a leaf blower on the ground they are crazy pressurized.

There is a big difference between perceived and actual performance. Pressurization is of no real influence on the actual performance, aside from providing rigidity for the actual airfoil that generates surface/lift.
Once a solid airfoil is achieved by pressurization, anything beyond that ('harder') mostly influences fatigue/muscle strength needed. And as an averse effect, makes the suit a bit less easy to maneuver/move in turns. So there the easier move-able wings on the big suits has always been a deliberate choice.

Thickness of the actual wing profile is of much more affect to 'rigidity' than the pressure inside. Compare a thin 10cm thick inflatable matras/bed to a 40cm thick one, and you will see the thicker one being a lot more solid/less bend, at the same pressure/inflation.

But on the newer suits (Vampire Race and Venom Power) the larger surface area have had a changes in inlet design, and though harder cell-pressure is part of it, these changes are mostly related to create an even better symmetrical inflation, and creating a suit that inflates at the lowest airspeed possible.

Its one of the most agile big suits Ive jumped so far, and the skydives and basejumps Ive done on it (Venom Power) already convinced me its my suit for the 2014 season

I want a suit that dives and turns like my vampire 4 but glides and starts and has margin in glide like a matress. will you guys be making anything like this, which suit is most like this the race or the power?

Both suits are suitable for what you describe, and in my view/experience the most agile big suits yet.

The Vampire Race will be the slightly more agility oriented of the two, and the V-Power a bit more aimed at glide/float.

The V-Race seems to suit your wishes more (Havent done test jumps on that one myself yet), but the V-Power surprised me so much in terms of how easy it was, Im making that my suit of choice. The 3 cargo/stash pockets are an added perk ;)

 thanks for the info, Sounds good look forward to them.

One thing that really stood out for me with the V4 was that i never felt the suit slide in turns like others describe of other suits, which of the two is most like this?

You'll find both are sharper than previous suits actually...especially when getting them with the fins. Its like its on rails...

fuck the fins

I sent an email to Tony a few years ago asking if he's ever experimented with vertical stabilizers like on the F14 fighter jet and he gave no reply lol

Happy someone is doing it now and realizing it's benefits!

There are a lot of things we can do to improve our suits if we study these high end aircraft :]

+1!!!!

Sorry pf. Im not gonna be able to control my laughter when i see someone on exit point with the fins. Performanxw or not. And fuck the Finns!

If you think the fins are hilarious, wait until you see the matching helmet.

In all seriousness though. I'm interested to see how the fins perform. Seems like they could sharpen up handling a bit as long as they aren't pulling your legs in different directions or creating tons of drag.

I can assure that the Finns will performance

The new bootie design elliminated the whole foot hanging underneath the wing, giving it one complete/smooth surface. The fins themselves add only a thin/smooth carbon surface, so in terms of drag its a huge difference with the 'older' suits.

And the flying itself is a lot sharper with the fins. Especially sharp banking turns are amazing, and lead to almost no side-slide at all (something a lot of big suits do experience when throwing them around the sky).

As to the fins looking weird. We've seen weirder stuff in the past. Its just strange for some people to have Fins contribute to performance, instead of just causing hang-over...

The fins help reduce drifting and give a much sharper turn. Just about every aircraft you see in the sky has a vertical stabilizer. Heck, even surfboards have them! It's such rudimentary technology that I didn't understand why wingsuits didn't have them already.

I feel like only half the people in this thread are getting one of BASE's oldest inside jokes...

I get it, I was just adding to the "serious" part of his post ;p

for us newbies I would like to be filled in on this inside joke.

'Fuck the Fins' comment is not about the suit fins.

Oh yes I have heard that and seen the tee shirts.

If fucking the fins, they will be the ones being filled in.!lol.. In Canada we call babes Fintails.!! And Yes "we fuck em" !!

And how do I get this T-shirt..