Words by Sandra Konta

Most of us fly only in our dreams. But what is old news to the skydiving community, the mainstream public is just beginning to digest: safe human flight is now a reality.

A little over a decade ago, pioneers invented the wingsuit. Also known as a squirrel suit, batsuit, birdman suit, and nylon crack, its “wings” increase body surface area by 100 percent and give skydivers the ability to control freefall and fly, by moving their bodies to create an airfoil, effectively achieving lift. At a pre-determined altitude, flyers then deploy their parachutes and land safely.

“Human flying is the manifestation of freedom. For those moments when you are between the exit and the earth, there is only you and the beauty of life. There are no laws and regulations up there except those of nature, so it is a very natural state of being,” said Jari Kuosma, one of the pioneers of human flight.

Most sources credit Patrick de Gayardon as responsible for reinvigorating the wingsuit movement in the mid-1990s. He designed, built and flew a gamma that, coupled with his flying skills, consistently produced high performance and safe flight. With 11,000 jumps under his wing, de Gayardon died tragically in 1998 due to a rigging error.

Inspired by de Gayardon, avid skydivers Kuosma and Pecnik teamed up to design and produce the first commercial wingsuit for the public in 1999. The company was named BIRDMAN Inc. and the first suit was called the BirdMan, a tribute to Leo Valentin, the original “Birdman” who lost his life in 1956 trying to take flight. Also in 1999, Kuosma started the first flight program for skydivers. Now based in Helsinki, Finland, BIRDMAN Inc. boasts nearly 150 certified BIRDMAN instructors and 14 chief instructors who can be found all over the world. In 2005, a BIRDMAN rocket team flyer successfully flew with small jet engines attached to his feet, a feat that has been identified as the next frontier in human flight. The company blazed a path for human flight continues to be the leading manufacturer of wingsuits today.

In 2004, Pecnik left BIRDMAN and started his own wingsuit flying venture, Phoenix-Fly. Based in Zagreb, Croatia, Phoenix-Fly also manufactures wingsuits and provides wingsuit-flying instruction.

Nick Rugai (Nitro Rigging) and Edgardo Guerrero (EG Suits), who joined forces in 2006 to form US-based EG Wing Suits, are responsible for the newest wingsuits on the market, which boast materials never used before that provide optimal performance and innovative safety options.

“Flying airplanes is fun but you are not actually flying…you are controlling a flying machine. Same with parachutes, para-gliders, and hang gliders: you control something that does the flying for you. However, with wingsuit flying, you are the flying object, and feels like you are flying,” said Rugai. Read More...