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Speedflying after Park career is over?

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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Who sees themselves progressing into Speedflying after their days of riding park? I like to ski and I like to skydive so this seems like the next logical step. I've probably got around 10 skydives to my name now and would like to up that to 50-100 by the end of this coming Summer.

I'd imagine your canopy control skills need to be on par with BASE jumpers and most people that do this probably also BASE jump so I don't see myself getting involved until I have at least 200+ skydives and a few dozen BASE jumps under my belt. But anyway, few things in life appear more badass than this.


Jan 14 2013 12:59AM
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EvanMeyer
Posts: 3822 - Karma: 3,447

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I'm right there with you honestly. Shit looks sooo fun!

Jan 14 2013 10:32AM
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FroesenSkeeze
Posts: 638 - Karma: 673
That looks like a very high risk sport, and those guys were cutting it so close. Looks awesome.
Jan 14 2013 11:30AM
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Tacocat
Posts: 658 - Karma: 356
holy moly
Jan 14 2013 12:01PM
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I.B
Posts: 8137 - Karma: 24,351
I'm going to speedfly my snowmobile
Jan 14 2013 12:07PM
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Static
Posts: 8553 - Karma: 4,089
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strap on one of these
Jan 14 2013 4:05PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
It's high risk but it is safer than BASE jumping. Although I guess that is not saying much since BASE/proximity flying is just about the most dangerous thing in the world.

If you are just getting started and not going off the side of mountain faces it doesn't appear terribly dangerous.
Jan 14 2013 5:07PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Nobody else? That's surprising.

Does anyone else on NS have skydiving or paragliding experience?
Jan 15 2013 11:44PM
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djikstra
Posts: 2471 - Karma: 6,014
super into it, i always thought it'd be tight to get into base jumping too though, some of the dudes that do that are way older and skydiving is so damn fun, base jumping/ speed flying must be the tits
Jan 15 2013 11:50PM
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,175

I want to do this so bad. Along with speedflying lol

Jan 16 2013 12:34AM
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___ASP___
Posts: 3861 - Karma: 490
just insane, its crazy how close they come to hanging up the chute!
Jan 16 2013 12:57AM
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manutdsaol
Posts: 906 - Karma: 56
Holy shit at 1:37. This looks way more dangerous than park skiing
!
Jan 16 2013 12:58AM
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250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
yea ive seen people doing it in the blackcomb sidecountry. Seemed like it would be somewhat mellow to get into. I saw some older guy doing it just taking it easy coming down an open bowl
Jan 16 2013 12:59AM
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Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
I have gone skydiving a couple times and those corkscrews they are doing put a lot more G's on your body that you would think, so much fun.

I feel like skydiving is better than a shot of heroin, seriously. It's like the feeling that you get when you are airing it out over a fat jump on skis, but concentrated and it lasts for 5-10 minutes.
Jan 16 2013 1:57AM
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TheHERDSkiing
Posts: 75 - Karma: 259
Oh my gosh I'm not alone! Hahah, man I've ALWAYS wanted to try this, I feel it's safer than parachuting/base jumping (to an extent) since you're starting with your shoot open and you fly around where ever to your desire.
Honestly, I'm deff going to start doing this once I'm old enough too.
Anyone know what the requirements are to do this? If you need a license and how many skydives/base jumps that takes?
Jan 16 2013 4:04AM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
I do, great sport man.
Jan 16 2013 9:23AM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Yah man in my opinion nothing really compares to skydiving. I'm only on my way towards progressing towards the A license but it is such an adrenaline rush. I've heard BASE is even moreso because you approach terminal velocity from a complete standstill rather than from a loud and moving plane which dulls the senses and makes it harder to notice your descent towards terminal.

It's coo it looks like they do the corkscrews to kill altitude since it appears the wings give you too much lift off of the mountain sometimes. These guys are probably more interested in the flying aspect than the skiing aspect but I'm sure you could do more "skiing" if you tried.
Jan 16 2013 7:17PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5070 - Karma: 43,007
I went skydivivng once, its pretty expensive....like more expensive than skiing
Jan 16 2013 7:57PM
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skiingpimp
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 31
I got 450+ skydives over the past 5 years. I have seen guys with 10,000+ skydives fuck them self up really good speedflying. It is NOTHING like skydiving. When you skydive you land on flat fields and hopefully no mountains around. Speedfly the winds can change really fast. If you wanna speed fly take some paragliding lessons and get a P1 and P2 license. Those would be like and A and B license in skydiving. Take your time in these sports and find a GOOD mentor. A good mentor will talk down from a cliff/bridge/mountain knowing it isn't safe to fly that day. The speedflying scene is pretty big in colorado compared to the rest of the country and I know guys that will climb up peaks and wait for an hour for good winds and ski down 6 or 7 times before they actually fly it. PM me if you got questions and get that A license. Also if you have skydive or speedflying questions directly you can look on dropzone.com That is like NS but for skyjumpers
Jan 16 2013 9:04PM
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Sun_Ra
Posts: 983 - Karma: 279
That's exactly what one of my friends did. He used to film with the GPSY Feelin crew but now he's more or so retired of the freeski scene and he's really into speedriding these days. He started like two years ago but this year is the first year he'll get more time to speedride. Here's a little warmup run he did in Val d'Isere :

Jan 16 2013 9:58PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
One of my favorite SFTV episodes:


Jan 16 2013 10:02PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Awesome. Thanks for posting that. It's nice to see the difference between a beginner and an expert. Kind of what I was expecting, more "skiing" from a beginner and a lot less flying off the sides of mountains. Definitely looks like a great way to get your feet wet at that mountain.

Where is that mountain by the way?
Jan 16 2013 11:34PM
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High5
Posts: 47 - Karma: 8
Amazing sport, although too bad it is illigal in all places in the US and they are starting to bann it in Europe too. People need a lot of experience with Paragliding to do this safe.
Jan 17 2013 7:38AM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,747
that's shitty they're banning it. but yea, experience is needed. the guys in that video easily have 1000+ skydive jumps.
Jan 17 2013 9:33AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Define 'all places' and do you have a source? Pretty sure that most or all ski resorts and privately owned land doesn't allow the activity for liability reasons, but I'm pretty sure there are a few people who still speed fly and speed ride in the U.S.
Jan 17 2013 11:19AM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Yah I am confused as well as I thought there was a school out in California offering the S1 paragliding/speedflying license/class. And as someone else mentioned, seems to be picking up steam in Colorado and Cali. Link for the school is below.

Jan 17 2013 12:27PM
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MikeWeinerONE
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,215
Check out theflystyle.com. They are the only US importer of speed wings. They also have a ranch up in Lyle, Wa across the Columbia from Hood River, Or. They teach speed flying there, and its an amazing time!
Jan 17 2013 1:30PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Do you live in CO? I'm looking to relocate to Denver after I graduate this spring. I'm gonna pm you with some questions. Unfortunately can't get the A till I start working full time -- expensive as fuck.
Jan 17 2013 10:06PM
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skiingpimp
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 31
yup in Colorado. PM me. I can get you your A license for under 2K if you have a couple jumps already. But will be out of the country from june-july.
Feb 11 2013 7:44PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
Yep, I got my AFF out of the way over the Summer and have 9 jumps total. This pic is at deployment on my graduating E2 jump.

For the A license I need 25 jumps total, so another 16? I think of those 25, four of them have to be coach jumps correct? So that should be $80-100 per coach jump plus $40-50 for the other 12 jumps?

I venture I should be able to get the A for under a grand. 50 x 12 + 100 x 4 = $1000. I know it depends on the drop zone, the DZ in Philly is really cool about letting me use gear for free and just paying for the pack job, gas and a coach if needed.

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Feb 17 2013 8:23PM
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qeefmasterflex
Posts: 662 - Karma: 1,522
How do you win?
Feb 17 2013 8:34PM
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
The best place to start with speed flying is definitely paragliding. They do a lot of paragliding and speedflying in the edges of SLC here. I skydive and would like to try speedflying with one of those small wings, but I just don't want to spend the money on gear. I will have to get out to try it one day though.

On that note, here is a sweet video if Marshall Miller flying a cool area down in Moab.

Feb 17 2013 9:18PM
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shocker611
Posts: 2599 - Karma: 423
the way that that guy just falls off the edge of the cliff so fast in the beginning makes me not want to even consider doing that. 
Feb 18 2013 12:56AM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
I never really considered this when thinking of speed flying -- I thought there had to be skiis/snow involved.

That said, I think it would be cool if you could fasten some type of off-road skateboard with those big rubber wheels on each leg and you could effectively "ski" these rocky surfaces.
Feb 18 2013 1:32AM
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TheBigApple
Posts: 1169 - Karma: 488
shocker611the way that that guy just falls off the edge of the cliff so fast in the beginning makes me not want to even consider doing that. 


Yeah that was nuts. I'm still on the fence about moving over to speedflying.
Oct 20 2014 4:47PM
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AlexMartini
Posts: 2989 - Karma: 1,905
I'm into it too, got 25 skydives now and definitely learning to speed fly this winter, i don't know if i'll ever get into BASE but we'll see, speed flying looks pretty safe as long as you don't get obsessed with high speed mid flight touch downs, i'm going to stay away from the ground for as long as i can
Oct 20 2014 6:06PM
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PoLaRpEaK
Posts: 439 - Karma: 555
AlexMartiniI'm into it too, got 25 skydives now and definitely learning to speed fly this winter, i don't know if i'll ever get into BASE but we'll see, speed flying looks pretty safe as long as you don't get obsessed with high speed mid flight touch downs, i'm going to stay away from the ground for as long as i can


I'm in the middle of planning a road trip from Canada down to a speed flying school in Cali, with stops in Jackson, Big Ski, Park City to ski and Vegas and Palm springs to golf. It's going to be epic.
Oct 20 2014 6:30PM
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PoLaRpEaK
Posts: 439 - Karma: 555
PoLaRpEaKI'm in the middle of planning a road trip from Canada down to a speed flying school in Cali, with stops in Jackson, Big Ski, Park City to ski and Vegas and Palm springs to golf. It's going to be epic.


It was EPIC!!!! Still speed-flying every month, went to the Alps in March, best trip of my life. Learn to paraglide first, skydiving doesn't help much. Speedflying is way more fun than skydiving. Oh also you might die.
Nov 7 2018 5:27PM
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