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too high (meaning head-high), then the turbulence behind you will be increased. If your angle of
attack is too low (meaning head-low) then your airspeed may be too high, which could degrade
opening performance and increase the chances of an excessively hard opening. Deploying at
the correct angle of attack and airspeed is a skill that must be learned and practiced.
2. Airspeed – When wingsuit flying, airspeed is largely determined by angle of attack. Airspeed
can be reduced by “flaring” your wingsuit before opening, and this is the recommended
technique to moderate your airspeed before deployment. However, it is important that you
do not deploy in the middle of a too-powerful flare at a high angle of attack as this will mean
deploying into a large amount of wake turbulence. The favored technique is to flare to reduce
airspeed, and then return to a more level angle of attack at a reduced airspeed to allow a
more laminar flow over the top surface of your suit.
3. Wingsuit Surface Area – The larger your wingsuit is, the more potential it has to create wake
turbulence. Larger suits are also capable of slower airspeeds. Smaller wingsuits may create less
wake turbulence, but the wake can still be quite severe depending on the angle of attack and
forward speed. It is important to deploy with some laminar airflow over the top surface of your
suit (therefore an angle of attack that is not too high) but at an airspeed that is low enough for a
comfortable opening. Inexperienced wingsuit pilots flying small wingsuits may find it challenging
to achieve a balance between a flatter angle of attack, and a comfortably low airspeed.
Opening Inconsistencies
Line Twists
Wingsuits add a great deal of complexity to skydiving, particularly during the deployment and
canopy piloting phases. When wingsuiting, one of the most common issues during deployment is
“line twists,” which often occur between d-bag deployment and canopy inflation. There are many
factors involved, including symmetrical body position through the entire deployment sequence,
correct body positioning, and proper packing techniques. Reaching for risers asymmetrically,
twisting your body during deployment, flying your leg wing asymmetrically, or not flying your
heading until the canopy is fully inflated will all contribute to degraded opening performance.
One of the most common moments that line twists occur is at or immediately after line stretch, prior
to pack job expansion and inflation. The common packing method of “rolling the tail” around the
pack job and lines may also encourage line twists during a wingsuit deployment.
During wingsuit parachute deployment, the chain of equipment is spread more horizontally than
it is during a typical non-wingsuit skydive deployment. In addition to that, the wingsuit can create
a large “burble” or area of wake turbulence, which can severely degrade opening performance.
These two factors must be understood and accounted for when skydiving a wingsuit.
The more horizontal nature of a parachute deployment from wingsuit flight means that the pilot
chute, bridle, pack job, and canopy lines can all be stretched out to an almost 180 degree plane
during deployment, and at a lower airspeed than a typical skydive opening. At this stage, the
pack job may be more susceptible to rotation and off-heading openings. If the tail is rolled tightly
around the lines and the pack job, then the time during which the pack job is allowed to rotate at
the end of the line-stretch phase is increased.
By rolling the tail together less, or not at all (SEE PACKING PHOTOS), the pack job will begin
expansion sooner and have less time to rotate or turn at the end of the line-stretch phase. The less time
your pack job spends being buffeted around in your wingsuit wake turbulence, the less chance there
is of line twists or a more serious malfunction. We recommend not rolling the tail around the lines at
the trailing edge of the pack job. It is best to only lightly fold the tail together, starting approximately
8-10” below the lines, so that airflow can enter the pack job to allow expansion and inflation.
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