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December 15, 2011 7:55 PM   Subscribe

 
Came expecting F-14s. Got no F-14s. Me all like :/
posted by smoothvirus at 8:05 PM on December 15, 2011 [7 favorites]


Great link...weird FPP text.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 8:10 PM on December 15, 2011


That was neat. Like the title, Grinding the Crack. He came awful close. I could not help wondering what the helmet is for other than to hold the camera. If there was some sort of mishap or accident, that helmet will not help one bit. It may make it so that he can be identified easier, but at those speeds, that helmet is decoration.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:11 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


I think you mean F-16XL.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:13 PM on December 15, 2011


I suspect the helmet is to allow easier breathing at high speed.
posted by Doug Stewart at 8:13 PM on December 15, 2011 [2 favorites]


I love that I live in a world where this is a thing.

Even if I don't trust myself to do anything but go "splat" were I to try it out.
posted by selenized at 8:15 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


It may make it so that he can be identified easier, but at those speeds, that helmet is decoration.

Hey, as long as it preserves the teeth to compare to dental records, it's all good.
posted by Hylas at 8:17 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


I can only assume that this was a closer shave than intended. Wow.
posted by -harlequin- at 8:33 PM on December 15, 2011


Love this guy. Also, for the romantics out there, here's more of Jeb and Roberta (includes the posted flight I believe, plus several others, and some sweet dual flying/interviewing.)
posted by TreeRooster at 8:35 PM on December 15, 2011


I believe extra bleach was required in the laundry of the spectator and the wing glider.
posted by dibblda at 8:40 PM on December 15, 2011


That is one hell of a steady cam.
posted by maryr at 8:49 PM on December 15, 2011


The original video is here. The one linked to in the FPP is a reupload by someone else for account views.
posted by JauntyFedora at 8:52 PM on December 15, 2011


Great video, awesome music.
Thanks.
posted by c13 at 8:59 PM on December 15, 2011


I predict a closed casket for this one.
posted by 4ster at 9:00 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


But still an awesome video.
posted by 4ster at 9:01 PM on December 15, 2011


According to wikipedia there are jet powered wing suits. Why does this guy not have jets? Seems like a no brainer you would want a couple jets on your suit.
posted by midmarch snowman at 9:06 PM on December 15, 2011




I predict a closed casket for this one.

Yeah, but is sure is a hell of a way to go.
Reminds me of my high school librarian. Died when her parachute failed to open. She was 56.
posted by c13 at 9:23 PM on December 15, 2011


infintite intimation, I believe you mean a Rocket Man.
posted by maryr at 9:27 PM on December 15, 2011


Double.
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:34 PM on December 15, 2011 [2 favorites]


Reminds me of my high school librarian. Died when her parachute failed to open.

Those two things don't seem like they should go together. On the other hand if you have to be quiet at work all day.....
posted by dibblda at 10:58 PM on December 15, 2011


Not quite a double... this is actually a different video: same guy, same place, different episode, apparently. And I see from mod mail that the link has been changed to the original uploader (Corliss himself) by request of OP.

I'm not getting the balloon camera bit; was that a mistake, or on purpose? Because it looked pretty dangerous to me. Did he fly right through the strings, and, if so, couldn't that camera have smacked the hell out of him and sent him veering off or something?
posted by taz at 11:07 PM on December 15, 2011


The Baffin Island chicken dance
posted by hortense at 11:53 PM on December 15, 2011


taz, I believe the balloons were there so he could pick out where the camera guy was, they di not release a camera on balloons. You can see the guy holding the camera as he dives out of the way.
posted by crashlanding at 11:56 PM on December 15, 2011


did*
posted by crashlanding at 11:56 PM on December 15, 2011


Ah! Thanks, crashlanding; makes more sense.
posted by taz at 12:01 AM on December 16, 2011


I wish I had been young when these were around, looks like a huge rish to me. I gather these suits do not allow you to gain any altitude, however temporarily? I suppose that would be at the cost of speed and stall must be pretty close anyway. Hm.
posted by maxwelton at 12:37 AM on December 16, 2011


rish, rash, rush...whatever works.
posted by maxwelton at 12:37 AM on December 16, 2011


He covers an incredible amount of ground and I wonder if this is in the works as some sort of troop deployment system.

Anyhow, it's spectacular stuff and I'm pretty sure he knew he could easily clear those cliffs but played it up for excitement. I wonder what his max. airspeed got up too.
posted by Skygazer at 12:47 AM on December 16, 2011


Just thinking of all the tiny little ways this could go horribly wrong makes my toes curl.
posted by vanar sena at 1:55 AM on December 16, 2011


An acquaintance of mine is doing a doc on the subject. Trailer available here:Fear of flying. Less power-music.
posted by monocultured at 4:26 AM on December 16, 2011


What I wonder is who tried that for the first time, he was incredibly close, and it didn't look like he had a ton of altitude when he was heading for the crack. (ie his glide profile needed to be x, or he would imitate earthmoving machinery). Is that what the gps goggles are for? Incredibly crazy stuff!

:( on no f14s
posted by defcom1 at 7:25 AM on December 16, 2011


I believe he flies below the optimal flight path but would like to hear from someone who knows.
Here you are.
posted by hat_eater at 9:11 AM on December 16, 2011


Looked like he was getting ready to dive-bomb Julie Andrews at 1:15 there...
posted by ShutterBun at 9:28 AM on December 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


PEOPLE CAN FLY
posted by swift at 1:37 PM on December 16, 2011


I am just waiting for the first SLYT of a wing suit failure cam. It will happen eventually. Until then, color me impressed.
posted by jetsetsc at 2:50 PM on December 16, 2011


-harlequin-: "I can only assume that this was a closer shave than intended . Wow"

He's got a wing and he's going fast, so he can pretty much immediately trade speed for altitude. Conversely, he could immediately (and unintentionally) trade some altitude for speed, in which case he goes splat.

Where you don't want to be is low and slow. Or without a wing, like Icarus.

That video totally makes me want to become more aerodynamic. It might be worth the effort if it involved that awesomeness.
posted by wierdo at 4:21 PM on December 16, 2011


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