Results: Wingsuit Flying

Wingsuiting is the world's most extreme air sport, so it's not something that you can just 'have a go' at. 'New' pilots are hugely experienced skydivers who will have 200-500 jumps under their belts before they even think about putting on a wingsuit. Before today's survey, have you ever heard about wingsuiting or wingsuit flyers?

The first recorded attempt at wingsuit flying took place in Paris in 1912. This was when Franz Reichelt, an Austrian-born tailor, jumped from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower using a parachute-like suit of his own design. It failed, with tragic results, and Reichelt fell 187ft to his death. Are you familiar with this first recorded attempt of wingsuiting?

To practice wingsuit flying, two basic elements are essential: a wingsuit and a parachute. The wingsuit's purpose is to convert the vertical fall into a horizontal flight motion, while the parachute ensures a safe landing. Various designs exist, but all follow a set of principles. The suit is made of nylon (or another durable material) and has three wings: two between the arms and torso, and one between the legs. Have you or do you personally know someone who has wingsuited before?

Wingsuiting involves four steps- 1) planning, 2) the jump/drop, 3) the flight, and 4) the landing. There are two types of jumps: 1)Airborne jumps: airplanes, hot air balloons, helicopters or paragliders are used to jump from. 2) BASE jumps: BASE stands for Buildings, Antennae, Spans (bridges) and Earth (e.g. cliffs) that are used to jump from. I can appreciate the skill and training involved, but I still think that this extreme sport is too dangerous for the average person. Would you agree?