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By wilburleft
#388127
Wingsuit flying looks like one helluva thrilling experience. Not having looked into the technology behind it, but wondering from a HG pilot's perspective, I ask myself...couldn't the suit be modified to increase glide performance?

For example: arm extensions that increase span and wing area. A "cross bar" across the chest with some type of hinge system for the arm extensions so they lock in place when in flight so the positive G force does not overcome the arms' strength. Does that explanation make sense? But still be able to make control inputs.

Any others interested in this topic? Why can't the basic design be expanded upon and maxed out to get the best balance of minimalism and performance? Foot landing on paved runway with roller blades? Just thinking....
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By SeeMarkFly
#388131
wilburleft wrote:Any others interested in this topic? Why can't the basic design be expanded upon and maxed out to get the best balance of minimalism and performance? Foot landing on paved runway with roller blades?
A long term solution would be to start a "head binding" into an aerodynamic shape (like the Japanese foot binding) . It would take years but you could beat ANY record you wanted to.
By Fletcher
#388132
I read an article a short time ago stating that Embrey Riddle Aeronautical University was putting together a team to look into enhancing the performance characteristics of wing suits.
Given their stellar reputation I'd bet that team will come up with some pretty good ideas for enhancement.
I'll post again if I do see any further articles by ERAU on this subject.
Fletcher
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By dayhead
#388152
It's difficult for me to imagine the wingsuit getting anything better than about 3 or possibly 4 to 1 glide, but the videos give the impression that it's better than that.

I built a simple catapult launched glider with swinging wings, like an F-14 or F-111.

The horizontal tail was spring loaded to a position that would provide a flying AoA, and it had a trim tab that would oppose the spring. At the high speed of catapult launching the trim tab would alter the stabilizer's position to one that provided a 'zero lift' AoA.

At zero lift AoA the wings swung back along the fuselage. When airspeed slowed enough the spring would overcome the trim tab and bring the glider to a flying AoA, at which time the wings automatically swung out to a straight position.

I mention this toy glider because I believe that the same aero-mechanics could be used to make a glider that a skydiver could strap on. The wings would fold back along his body for launching, and then swing out straight once he cleared the airplane or other launching platform.

The skydiver could bend his legs in such a manner as to effect the function of a tail, retracting and deploying the wings at will. The wings would be built in a way that doesn't require the pilot to provide structural strength, this would allow more span than the wingsuit has, giving a better glide.

I have never skydived (well, there was that one time flying an experimental glider) so I really have no concept of what might or might not work.

I just have imagination, which is often quite entertaining.
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By red
#388158
dayhead wrote:It's difficult for me to imagine the wingsuit getting anything better than about 3 or possibly 4 to 1 glide, but the videos give the impression that it's better than that. I built a simple catapult launched glider with swinging wings, like an F-14 or F-111. I mention this toy glider because I believe that the same aero-mechanics could be used to make a glider that a skydiver could strap on. The wings would fold back along his body for launching, and then swing out straight once he cleared the airplane or other launching platform. The skydiver could bend his legs in such a manner as to effect the function of a tail, retracting and deploying the wings at will. I just have imagination, which is often quite entertaining.
Dayhead,

A while back, Yves Rossy started skydiving with wings that folded like a carrier plane, only the wingtips folded down and inward,
covering his ribs at launch. That was done so he could launch and glide from a light plane or helicopter.
A few years later, he added four RC jet turbines, the size of two-liter pop bottles, and now he plays tag with jet planes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WAGx46KkkU[/youtube]

I do believe that there is a lot of room to improve on such wings, and the more popular wingsuits.
Maybe an RC model "body-wing" built around a GI-Joe action figure would make a good testing platform.
Have fun!

:mrgreen:
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By wilburleft
#388162
Love that Jetman Glider! He is living the dream, gotta admire his accomplishment. 4.5 to 1 is about on par with the first standard hg's, no? End of video said "Coming Soon...Glider School." Would love to try that at least once. .
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By miraclepieco
#388210
I have often speculated that wingsuits could be significantly improved in glide ratio - more like actual flying instead of a plummeting. But that's just the inveterate hang glider pilot in me talking...
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By waveview
#388213
miraclepieco wrote:I have often speculated that wingsuits could be significantly improved in glide ratio - more like actual flying instead of a plummeting. But that's just the inveterate hang glider pilot in me talking...
A very quick calculation of a 4 1/2 too 1 glide at 140 miles per hour puts the sink (plummeting) rate at about 2700 ft per minute. Need some really strong lift to keep any wing suit in the air for more than a few minutes unless they start jumping with oxygen :)
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By maximilionalpha
#388302
wilburleft wrote:Wingsuit flying looks like one helluva thrilling experience. Not having looked into the technology behind it, but wondering from a HG pilot's perspective, I ask myself...couldn't the suit be modified to increase glide performance?

For example: arm extensions that increase span and wing area. A "cross bar" across the chest with some type of hinge system for the arm extensions so they lock in place when in flight so the positive G force does not overcome the arms' strength. Does that explanation make sense? But still be able to make control inputs.

Any others interested in this topic? Why can't the basic design be expanded upon and maxed out to get the best balance of minimalism and performance? Foot landing on paved runway with roller blades? Just thinking....
I did a new wing-suit design a couple of years ago and attempted to get crowdfunding for it, but backed away from that route and instead contacted the guy who used to fly with his dog, that ended up crashing into the mountain in Yellowstone(not from my design), but he never got back to me. Well, anywho...my design would enable to wearer to soar sooner, farther and much longer, then the original wing-suit designs. I'll be turning back to crowd-funding about it, pretty soon, just been so busy with everything else. :mosh: