Wingsuit Education · Safety · Coaching
Sharing 10 years of wingsuit skydiving experience with you.
Disclaimer
The content on this site covers wingsuit skydiving only.
It is explicitly not an instruction, recommendation or preparation for Wingsuit BASE. References to Topgunbase or Squirrel are made solely because of the aerodynamic principles explained there.
Everything you read here is based on my personal experience and opinion. Wingsuit coaches, instructors, riggers, manufacturers, associations and dropzones may take different positions on individual topics. Ask as many qualified people as you can, compare their answers and then form an informed opinion of your own.
This site does not replace a First Flight Course, personal coaching, emergency-procedure training or an introduction to your specific equipment. Local rules, the requirements of your dropzone and association, and manufacturers’ manuals always take precedence.
If anything on this site conflicts with your training or your dropzone’s requirements: do not jump. Talk to a qualified instructor or rigger first.
Every jump is at your own risk and your own responsibility.
Wingsuit skydiving only works if we look out for each other. That means asking questions, being honest about our limits and speaking openly about problems.
Feedback is not a personal attack. If someone cannot hold their slot, crosses the centerline or flies unpredictably, we need to talk about it. Nobody has to be an asshole about it. Good feedback is specific, respectful and focused on a solution:
Most dangerous situations do not come from one spectacular mistake. Often, several small deviations add up: a superficial briefing, an unsuitable slot, an improvised transition, unclear separation and a decision made too late.
Each point may seem harmless on its own. Together, they can be fatal.
Do not wait for mistakes or near misses to pile up. Talk about them after the jump and report relevant near misses according to your dropzone’s procedures.
Principle: Fly predictably. Stick to the plan. If you can no longer execute it safely, do not try to force it.
Before you can fly a wingsuit from an aircraft, you need a skydiving license and enough experience to jump independently.
Under USPA rules, you need at least 200 skydives and a current license. A First Flight Course with an experienced wingsuit coach is recommended before your first wingsuit jump. Other associations and dropzones may have additional or different requirements. Always check with the dropzone where you actually plan to jump. USPA Skydiver’s Information Manual, Section 5
If you want to become a wingsuit pilot, you need 200 skydives before you can take a First Flight Course.
A good FFC covers at least:
The first goals are not spectacular flights, and an FFC will not teach you to jump in groups with several wingsuit pilots. You should learn to exit safely, fly with control, navigate, deploy cleanly and land back at the dropzone.
Inclined wingsuit tunnels, such as those in Stockholm or Slovenia, let you train wingsuit flight without prior wingsuit experience. A tunnel can do a lot to develop your feel for angle of attack, speed, suit pressure and control inputs. Inclined Wingsuit Tunnel
It does not replace an FFC. In a tunnel, you do not train things such as:
Tunnel training and skydiving experience complement each other. Neither replaces the other.
After your FFC, you will start with a beginner-friendly suit. At busy wingsuit dropzones, social pressure can build quickly: more experienced jumpers fly bigger suits, and you want to join them.
Do not let that push you.
Manufacturers’ minimum jump numbers are a lower limit, and they can differ considerably. More important is whether you can consistently control your current suit:
A pilot with substantial, relevant tunnel training may learn certain flying skills faster. Someone else may need hundreds of jumps in the same suit. Both are normal.
Train new skills first in a 2-way or a very small group with a coach. USPA also recommends learning new wingsuit skills in groups of no more than three people.
In a wingsuit, you no longer fall mainly downward. You move three-dimensionally through the airspace at high horizontal speed and can even gain altitude temporarily with a flare. You are a pilot now! You have wings, and you can build deadly relative speeds with other jumpers extremely quickly.
At the same time, you have many new skills to master:
This list is not exhaustive. It simply illustrates the complexity a wingsuit adds.
These tasks can overwhelm beginners in particular. In wingsuiting, that overload can have fatal consequences. Approach the sport with humility and take small, deliberate steps.
If wingsuiting is your long-term goal, you can build important foundations during your regular skydiving progression:
Tracking groups can help you get to know horizontal movement and navigation. This should also be done in controlled groups with a competent coach or load organizer.
A wingsuit must be connected to a harness exactly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, with the procedure demonstrated in practice by a qualified coach or rigger.
Check, among other things:
The rig is a life-critical parachute system first and part of a wingsuit setup second.
Before every jump, agree on at least:
Everyone should be able to explain the plan in their own words. Everyone should carry a phone in case of an off-field landing.
Wind at different altitudes changes how far you travel over the ground. The flight path therefore needs to fit the planned opening area and reachable landing areas—not just the exit point. Clouds can hide ground references, other groups and the separation area. A GPS track helps with analysis but does not replace a visible route back agreed with the dropzone. USPA: Wingsuit Flying
When you are learning to fly base, keep the plan deliberately simple:
Visualize the whole sequence before boarding. If you can no longer explain the plan clearly in the aircraft, it is probably too complicated.
Nothing fundamental should be invented in the aircraft. This is where you check the plan you already discussed.
If conditions no longer fit the plan, simplify it or call off the jump.
Before exit, check with the group whether the spot, jump run and wind still fit the briefed flight path. If anything has changed, everyone needs the same new plan—not just the base.
Know your exit position, slot, flight lane and the plan if you cannot reach the base or lose sight of them. A final check of the spot and altitude is not the base’s job alone.
The normal wingsuit exit plan does not automatically apply in an aircraft emergency. Before boarding, clarify the dropzone’s emergency-exit procedures and how the suit affects access to handles and mobility. In an emergency, licensed jumpers follow the pilot’s instructions. USPA: Skydiving Emergencies
After a controlled exit, establish the agreed heading. A predictable line helps the group more than an aggressive attempt to fly at maximum performance immediately.
Follow the briefed exit sequence and keep the jumpers ahead of you in sight. If your exit is unstable or the base seems far away, do not fly blindly toward the formation.
After exit, the base flies the briefed line. Following pilots approach their slots from the planned side.
Keep your course and pace easy for the following pilots to read. Unexpected turns or speed changes turn an already fast approach into guesswork.
Watch the whole formation and the open space for a missed approach, not just your target slot. Reduce relative speed in time; if you cannot reach the slot cleanly, stay outside the group.
In a formation, small, precise references are more useful than looking at the whole person. Every pilot must be able to control heading, altitude, speed and side.
If you lose your slot, avoid abrupt inputs. A failed jump plan is less dangerous than an aggressive attempt to salvage it.
Lead the group along the briefed flight path and keep turns and speed changes predictable. Keep checking your position relative to the dropzone, altitude and traffic; a successful formation is no reason to forget the navigation plan.
Fly your slot and agreed side. Hold altitude and speed relative to the base without losing sight of other pilots, the flight line or separation. If the formation breaks apart, do not try to save it with abrupt manoeuvres.
A dock is not a handle to pull yourself into position. First, altitude, speed and distance need to match. Roles are clear beforehand: one pilot flies steadily, the other closes the last gap. If the dock starts to pull or someone loses control of their slot, release rather than hold on. The Flight Manual: Formation Flying
Begin the briefed separation at the agreed altitude. Change heading and speed in a controlled way. Only make further changes to speed or angle after checking the new airspace.
Separation is not the time for spontaneous flares, dives, transitions or races.
A flare can change relative altitude and speed within seconds. During separation, a sudden aggressive flare is especially problematic: other pilots may be directly above or behind you and unable to anticipate your new flight path.
Wingsuit pilots generally plan for an additional altitude margin. Agree on your specific deployment altitude with your coach and dropzone.
Before deployment:
The best technique depends on suit, speed and equipment. A complete one-size-fits-all deployment guide therefore does not belong on the internet.
During deployment, level shoulders and a calm, controlled body position are crucial. A point on the horizon can help as a reference. How to use your legs, arms and harness during line stretch must be trained in person with a coach.
Assess the canopy first:
Do not open or release the wings until you know your canopy is flying safely and you do not face an immediate cutaway or reserve decision.
Do not keep experimenting at the hard deck. If the canopy is not safely controllable and landable there, perform your trained emergency procedures without further delay. ‘Not perfect,’ on the other hand, is not enough reason to cut away.
After a wingsuit deployment, line twists and restricted mobility can add to the workload.
The immediate priorities are altitude, the direction of any turn, and whether the canopy can become controllable and landable. Arm wings can make the risers harder to reach. Practise the assessment and your response with your specific suit and harness; do not try to clear twists beyond your hard deck.
You must be able to reach the cutaway and reserve handles with your arm wings closed. Test this on the ground in your complete gear and practise the sequence for your system. With a malfunction, decide based on canopy condition and remaining altitude—not on an attempt to tidy up your suit first. USPA: Wingsuit Flying
This section starts only once you know the canopy is controllable and can be landed safely.
Priorities:
If you cannot safely reach the dropzone, choose a suitable off-field landing area rather than forcing the flight back. Identify those options during jump planning. For flight paths near large bodies of water, also remember that wings and harness restrict movement in the water. USPA recommends planning a flight path with a suitable landing area within reach and, if a water landing is unavoidable, fully opening arm and leg wings before contact with the water. Water-landing procedures and any flotation equipment belong in the practical briefing at the relevant dropzone.
A wingsuit jump is not quite over when you land.
The following short version is explicitly a summary of material from Topgunbase, not my own aerodynamic theory.
Topgunbase primarily covers Wingsuit BASE. It is linked here solely for its exceptionally clear explanations of aerodynamics, angle of attack and energy reserves. This is not a recommendation or instruction for Wingsuit BASE.
The central points:
Topgunbase sums up the basic idea as “Fly fast, pull high.” This is not about blindly chasing a high GPS number, but consciously managing angle of attack, speed, altitude and the available aerodynamic reserve.
This site is a must-read: Topgunbase
A good place to start is Speed: Part 1 – Why Fly Fast? .
GPS shows speed over the ground. What matters for control, however, is speed relative to the air: a headwind or tailwind can make the same GPS numbers mean very different things. Body angle and actual flight path are not the same either. If you look only at a number or the horizon, you can easily miss how much aerodynamic margin the suit has left.
A flare uses existing speed to briefly flatten the flight path or even gain altitude. Heavy braking can look similar, but it burns energy. If the suit becomes too slow, it loses lift and control authority and may stall. In a formation, the important question is how this changes your position relative to other pilots—not how spectacular the move looks from outside.
Equipment has to be considered as a complete system: container, main canopy, reserve, pilot chute, bridle, deployment bag, AAD, RSL/MARD, wingsuit and personal experience all need to fit together.
For wingsuit skydiving, USPA recommends, among other things, non-elliptical canopies with reliable openings. For beginners, it specifies a maximum wing loading of 1.3:1. Those figures are not personalized buying advice and do not replace a rigger or instructor. USPA SIM – Wingsuit Equipment
A forgiving seven-cell canopy in an appropriate size offers an additional safety margin. Horizontal speed, the large burble and restricted movement make wingsuit deployments more demanding than ordinary deployments.
Before buying, have someone check:
Remember: in a wingsuit, your speed may fall below the threshold needed to activate your AAD!!!
Packing technique, harness adjustment and modifications to the container belong with a qualified rigger and must follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
A larger suit may offer more flight performance, but it is not automatically the better choice. More surface area changes how the suit responds, exits and deploys; it can make handles harder to reach and enlarge the burble. For precise slotflying or Acro, a smaller, more agile suit may be more useful than the one with the best glide. What matters is that the suit fits the jump goal and the pilot’s skills.
Fit matters too: a very loose suit may respond slowly to inputs, while a tighter one may respond more directly. When changing models, check exit, handling and handle access again—even if the nominal size is similar.
A speaking altimeter can greatly support altitude awareness in a wingsuit. The VOG announces heights configured before the jump.
My personal recommendation for wingsuiting is a VOG or a comparable suitable audible. Better yet, two! It remains only an additional source of information:
FlySight provides GPS-based flight data and, depending on its configuration, can give real-time audio feedback. After a jump, you can analyze the flight path, horizontal and vertical speeds, and changes in glide, among other things.
It is excellent for focused training goals and debriefs. It is not a substitute for visual navigation or a safe flight plan, though. Do not chase the audio while tuning out the group, your altitude or the airspace. It is primarily a way to observe and analyze your technical performance if you plan to enter Performance competitions. Incidentally, it is never too early to enter a competition. There are usually Beginner and Intermediate categories too. It is a lot of fun, you meet interesting people and you can learn a great deal about the limits and possibilities of your own performance skills.
Communication systems such as Cardo can help in coaching and well-practised teams. They can be used, for example, to make brief corrections or call off a planned manoeuvre.
They must not create a new dependency:
Cardo was not originally certified specifically for skydiving. Its use in wingsuiting is an adaptation, not a separate layer of safety.
Video can be immensely valuable. A 360° camera often shows deployment asymmetry or dangerous behaviour in a blind spot that went unnoticed during the jump.
Still, not every beginner should jump with a camera straight away. USPA recommends waiting until exits, flight and deployments are stable, consistent and routine. Mounting, line-snag risks, operation and distraction all need to be considered. USPA SIM, Section 5
If you jump with a camera safely and in accordance with the rules:
That way everyone can learn, and dangerous patterns do not go unnoticed.
A tail strike is one of the first particular hazards of a wingsuit jump. The right technique depends on the aircraft, door, suit and actual exit conditions.
General principles are:
The often-used cue “outside shoulder down” can help with certain exits, but should not be published as a universal rule. It belongs in an aircraft-specific briefing.
For beginners and experienced pilots alike: a larger suit does not forgive poor exit habits. It can amplify their consequences. Squirrel’s discussion of exits and tail strikes is a useful supplement.
After exit, the base should establish a line agreed beforehand, typically angled slightly away from jump run. Depending on the local plan, Squirrel describes an angle of around 30 to 45 degrees. This also reduces collision risk after unstable following exits. Squirrel: A Wingsuit Skydive from Start to Finish
That angle is part of the group and navigation plan. It should not be confused with avoiding a tail strike while leaving the aircraft.
Everyone must be able to approach their assigned slot with control. If you cannot reach yours, do not fly through the formation out of control in an attempt to salvage the jump plan.
A stall can explain why a suit flown very slowly and strongly head-high suddenly feels “strange”: lift and control authority decrease, and the pilot sinks out of the formation. An asymmetrical position can then lead to instability. Stalls can be very dangerous and quickly cause loss of control or a collision. Learn about them.
Clear warning signs include:
If you cannot reliably hold your slot or side in turns, train in smaller groups first. Ignoring these rules can kill people. Extreme relative speeds can build between jumpers before anyone realizes it.
I nearly died in a situation like this. An inexperienced base was leading, an experienced jumper distracted the base a little with playful manoeuvres, and—still inexperienced myself—I popped over the formation on my back. I then failed to see the base make a turn toward me far too quickly. Two jumpers who could not see each other missed one another by just one metre at well over 100 km/h relative speed. Three people made three small mistakes at the same time; on their own, under other circumstances, none of them might even have been noticed. It all happened within five seconds and came out of nowhere for everyone involved! That is precisely why these basic skills matter and must be mastered before you consider jumping in larger groups or moving to a bigger suit.
Transitions do not belong in a formation unless you can control them almost by reflex.
Do not transition if someone is:
A failed transition can cause a large vertical deviation. Popping above a formation on your back is particularly dangerous: the base often cannot see you, and you may lose sight of the base too.
Practise new transitions first in the tunnel, on solo jumps or in carefully planned 2-ways with a coach.
Separation needs a clear plan before boarding. It should be controlled, predictable and related clearly to the formation’s original flight direction.
Avoid:
Nobody should turn more than 90 degrees away from the formation’s original flight direction. The exact separation still depends on the group jump, dropzone and local pattern.
If you find yourself boxed in between other pilots during separation, there is no universal solution. “Just deploy earlier” or “just deploy lower” can create new hazards in a different situation. Discuss such escape scenarios with a coach in the briefing. Do not deploy into another pilot’s opening canopy, and never lose sight of your hard deck.
Flatspin recovery must be part of an FFC and practical coaching. A purely written sequence is unsuitable because the suit, starting position, speed and experience affect the response needed.
A good training module should cover:
No recovery attempt should use up your hard deck.
The modern wingsuit was developed in the mid-1990s by Patrick de Gayardon, building on earlier flight-suit experiments. Individual prototypes grew into a sport with different suits and flying styles. Since 2015, Performance Flying and Acro have been recognized by the FAI as competition formats. USPA: Patrick de Gayardon , FAI: Wingsuit Flying
Wingsuit flying is more than one way to jump. This section looks at what sets the different disciplines apart—when flying together, in training and, where a format exists, in competition.
In Formation Flying, several wingsuit pilots fly in agreed positions relative to one another. A base provides a reliable reference for direction and speed; the others fly their slots. The goal is not just to hit a picture for a moment, but to hold it with control.
What interests me most is precise 2-way slotflying: holding speed and altitude together, and flying a slot steadily rather than only touching it briefly. Once the position changes become more dynamic, it starts to feel like Acro to me. Bigways are exciting too—they demand the same precision with many more pilots.
At the 2026 FAI World Championships in Wingsuit Flying , Performance and Acro are the competition events; Formation Flying is not a separate event there. Large wingsuit formations have separate FAI record rules . Other events may set their own formation tasks.
Acro combines different flight orientations and rotations. Backflying, transitions, barrel rolls, front and backflips, carving and angle flying are examples—not a complete list of moves.
In a 2-way, you can fly individual moves or link them into short sequences. Timing and a shared pace determine whether they work together.
In FAI Acro, two performers fly with a camera flyer. There are compulsory sequences and free rounds in which the team presents its own routine. FAI: Wingsuit Flying
Performance Flying is not about holding a slot in a formation. It is about measurable flight performance: Time, Distance and Speed. You can shape a flight around any one of those goals.
You can compare your own flights using GPS data even without competing: What changed? What stayed consistent? The point is less about one personal best and more about understanding your flight.
In FAI Performance competition, Time, Distance and Speed are flown as separate tasks and combined for the overall result. Results are recorded by GPS. FAI: Wingsuit Flying
Do not wait to enter your first competition until you think you are “good enough.” Some events have Rookie or Intermediate classes. More importantly, you meet other wingsuit pilots, learn from them and have a good time together. Example: British Skydiving Nationals 2025
I almost did not enter my first competition because I felt too inexperienced with only a few wingsuit jumps. I ended up coming home with bronze. The result was great—but the people I met and everything I learned there mattered even more.
Camera Flying is more than mounting a camera on your helmet. You fly to show the jump from a chosen perspective. Sometimes you need a clear view for the debrief; sometimes you want a shot that captures the movement and proximity of the formation.
A debrief video needs to show the group clearly. For a creative shot, the camera flyer may change perspective and fly with the formation. The camera plan belongs in the jump plan, not just in post-production.
I love flying camera. The challenge is to keep the other pilot in frame while capturing a strong background. For the best shot, I choose my own camera line, carve around the other pilot and stay out of their burble. I still enjoy watching shots like that years later.
In FAI Wingsuit Acro, Camera Flying is a team role, not a separate competition event. The camera flyer records the two performers’ moves, and camera work contributes to the score. FAI: Wingsuit Flying
In XRW (*eXtreme Relative Work*), wingsuit pilots fly alongside pilots under open canopies. They match their flight so they can fly side by side or make docks. USPA: XRW
In a Wingsuit Rodeo, a skydiver without a wingsuit rides on the back of a wingsuit pilot. They exit the aircraft together, fly as a pair for a while and separate before deployment so each can open their own canopy. A rodeo can also be part of a group or tracking jump. USPA: Wingsuit Skydiving
The wingsuit pilot needs to be able to fly the suit safely with the extra weight and altered balance; the passenger needs stable body control and altitude awareness. Before the jump, they need a shared plan for the exit, position on the pilot’s back, communication, an abort signal, flight path and separation. Other jumpers need to know when and where the pair will separate. Both keep track of altitude and their position relative to the dropzone throughout the jump—neither relies on the other to do it for them.
A poor joint exit or a passenger shifting position can send the pair tumbling or spinning. While holding on to the rig or dismounting, hands can catch on equipment or cause a premature deployment. The passenger’s deployment can be delayed in the wingsuit pilot’s burble; that is why they separate before their respective deployments. Fall rate and flight time may also differ from an ordinary wingsuit jump. USPA: Wingsuit Burble
If the passenger comes off unexpectedly early, they may be far from the dropzone. The briefing therefore needs a plan for that situation too: With clear airspace and adequate separation, an earlier deployment can provide more time under canopy; if the dropzone is out of reach, the priority is a safe off-field landing. The fun of the rodeo must not distract either pilot or passenger from the agreed plan. USPA: Breakoff and deployment , USPA: Off-field landings
In a Canopy Flyby, a wingsuit pilot passes a canopy that has already opened. Unlike XRW, the aim is not to fly together or make a dock, but to make a brief pass. The difference in speed makes it striking for both pilots.
A flyby is not a spontaneous photo opportunity: Both pilots must agree on the flight beforehand, and the dropzone’s rules must allow it. Clear airspace, a predictable flight path, distance from the canopy, and enough altitude and room for the subsequent deployment are essential. If any of these is missing, the flyby is called off. USPA: Wingsuit Progression
A canopy can turn unexpectedly; focusing on it makes it easy to lose sight of other canopies and your own altitude. A late pass eats into the margin for separation and deployment. USPA prohibits freefall within 500 ft of a student or tandem canopy; flying that close to a licensed canopy pilot requires prior planning and consent. Other associations and dropzones may have additional rules. USPA: Basic Safety Requirements
Wingsuit formation flights with an aircraft also exist. After the exit, a wingsuit pilot flies relative to the aircraft for a time. This is not an ordinary dropzone jump, but a specially organized stunt with substantial risks for the jumper and crew.
I am based around Cologne/Düsseldorf. My home dropzone is PCV Schaffen in Belgium .
If you want to train together, just send me a personal message. We can discuss your experience, your goals and which dropzone would make sense for us to meet at.
I offer First Flight Courses within the scope of my current qualifications and the rules of the relevant dropzone or association.
An FFC covers, among other things:
Individual coaching can focus on:
We set a few clear goals for each jump and then discuss what actually happened.
Load Organizing is about manageable groups, sensible slots and a clear plan.
I put groups together so that experience, suit size and training goals fit. If a combination does not make sense, we split the group or plan a different jump.
A bigger load is not progress if the people on it cannot safely control their slots.
I’m Leon Rollersbruch, a wingsuit pilot and coach from the Cologne/Düsseldorf area.
Since I started wingsuit skydiving more than ten years ago, I have gained experience in different disciplines. Today I bring it to my coaching, demo jumps and media productions.
What interests me about wingsuiting is not just performance. Above all, I want to know how we can make complex jumps more plannable, easier to understand and safer.
My approach to coaching is shaped by:
Coaching · Demo · Collaboration
Topgunbase covers Wingsuit BASE. It is linked here solely to explain aerodynamic principles, not as a BASE guide.
This 198-page English-language book covers wingsuit flight independently of brands and sponsors.