Wingsuits. This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

[Manedwolf]

 

http://bobandsylvia.com/WINGSUIT.htm

[Mabs2]

yea but do they make them in plus sizes???

[Manedwolf]

Mass, inertia vs. lift...I'm guessing "no".

[Sergeant Bob]

Those are pretty cool. However, I think the video is a bit misleading, as with the camera angles used it looks like they almost achieve level flight.

Those suits have a glide slope of about 2.5:1 (but way better than a rock )and slow your descent by a little more than half or to just under 60 mph.

Still, pretty darn wicked cool.

[Bogie]

splat.

Be interesting... I wonder what kind of glide ratio they've got... Be more interesting, get into a glide, and then mechanically expand the wing surface... The individual soldier wouldn't be able to carry a lot of weaponry tho... I wonder... Should we bring back the glider riders? Wood and fiberglass gilders - not meant to soar, but to just give a decent glide ratio... Either fly it in for a landing, or figure on "punch out" at 500 feet or so...
 

[Tecumseh]

There was a famous wingsuiter on the Colbert report a few nights ago.  He was trying to get funding to build a landing ramp.  He said they get about 5-6 feet forward for every 1 of dropped altitude.

[Sergeant Bob]

Those suits have a glide slope of about 2.5:1 (but way better than a rock )and slow your descent by a little more than half or to just under 60 mph.

[GigaBuist]

There was a famous wingsuiter on the Colbert report a few nights ago.  He was trying to get funding to build a landing ramp.  He said they get about 5-6 feet forward for every 1 of dropped altitude.

That was probably Jeb Corliss.  I heard about a year ago that they were getting their downward speed down to about 30-35mph with the suits that they were building.  Sounds like they've made massive improvements in wingsuit design since they started this adventure back in 2005.  I think it was 2005.

Somebody's going to land in one of them these days.

[seeker_two]

I just want to see Manedwolf wearing one of those....whether he jumps or not....

[Tecumseh]

There was a famous wingsuiter on the Colbert report a few nights ago.  He was trying to get funding to build a landing ramp.  He said they get about 5-6 feet forward for every 1 of dropped altitude.

That was probably Jeb Corliss.  I heard about a year ago that they were getting their downward speed down to about 30-35mph with the suits that they were building.  Sounds like they've made massive improvements in wingsuit design since they started this adventure back in 2005.  I think it was 2005.

Somebody's going to land in one of them these days.

  I believe it was.  And that was his goal, to land successfully.

[Bogie]

30-35mph is Gonna Hurt.
 
Plus the forward momentum is Gonna Leave A Mark.
 
I wonder how well skidding in a stubby glider would work... Get the thing going about 5' off the ground, and pop those big drogue chutes (give 'em an assist, like an airbag...) in the back... Build the thing with skis integral - since wheels could turn sorta problematic in less than non-fissured terrain. Hmm...
 
No, I am NOT going to be the first one to try it...
 

[AJ Dual]

yea but do they make them in plus sizes???

Plus-size people already have "wings". Duh...   

[mfree]

A little carbon fiber spar to extend the span, a little sprung chassis with lightweight CF wheels, I think it's landable if you had the strength in your arms to change the wing's angle of attack so as to flare...

[seeker_two]

Landing is easy.......surviving the landing is the trick....

[GigaBuist]

30-35mph is Gonna Hurt.
 
Plus the forward momentum is Gonna Leave A Mark.
 
I wonder how well skidding in a stubby glider would work... Get the thing going about 5' off the ground, and pop those big drogue chutes (give 'em an assist, like an airbag...) in the back... Build the thing with skis integral - since wheels could turn sorta problematic in less than non-fissured terrain. Hmm...
 
No, I am NOT going to be the first one to try it...

Best Jeb and Co. have come up with so far is to build a ski jump that's long enough for them to slide down on.  A custom job that'll match their rate of descent just perfectly.  Put a skid plate on the chest and some slick kneepads on and there ya go.

Remember the video of the guy that's jumping out of the chopper and skims over the head of a couple guys on skis on a mountain?  That was a test of the idea.  Jean scouted around until he found the perfect mountain that matched his rate of descent.  They're getting more and more daring with how close they come to objects now.

It's just a matter of time.

[Bigjake]

30-35mph is Gonna Hurt.
 
Plus the forward momentum is Gonna Leave A Mark.

pfff  30-35

 I've "landed" doing over 60 on a gravel road,  off of a suzuki that had a less than desirable glide ratio.  It does leave a mark.

that looks like a wild ride though.

[atomd]

I've "landed" doing over 60 on a gravel road,  off of a suzuki that had a less than desirable glide ratio.  It does leave a mark.

that looks like a wild ride though.

Me too. I was on a Suzuki as well at ~60mph. The road wasn't gravel though. Luckily I had on the right gear so I wasn't as bad off as I could have been.

I bet these guys could land with a special ramp or a modified suit. Maybe something that they could extend out further before landing that would slow them down just enough. Interesting stuff.

[lupinus]

they make it so I don't need a parachute and I'm in.

Till then something about my life releying on a chute makes me back away lol

[RocketMan]

It's just a matter of time.

Yup...splat!  Not enough margin for error in it for my taste.