Mountain Wingsuit BASE Jumping

The wingsuit practically gives the jumper the ability to fly as they glide through the air. The special suit (sometimes referred to as a squirrel or birdman suit) is similar in design to a flying squirrel which can glide from tree to tree. The flying squirrel uses their tail to slow down in flight whereas the wingsuit needs a parachute.

The suit increases the surface area of the jumper by adding fabric under the arms and between the legs. This increases freefall times and provides better maneuverability. The jumper manipulates their body position in flight to create the desired amount of lift and drag. Depending upon their body position, the jumper can glide through the air at speeds of 100mph. Most wingsuits have a 2 to 1 ratio which means that for every foot they drop, they fly two feet forward.

The base jumper can jump from any location that provides sufficient altitude to glide through the air. When jumping from a helicopter, hot air balloon, blimp, or mountain cliff the jumper will only begin lift once gravity has provided sufficient airspeed for the suit.

The wingsuit jumper deploys their parachute at an altitude similar to that of a normal base jump. There is typically a planned landing zone which follows basic base jumping techniques. If necessary, the jumper will unzip the arm wings to reach the control toggle.