How to Get Into Wingsuiting: Your Step-by-Step Path From First Jump to First Flight
Table of Contents
What Is Wingsuit Flying?
What Are the Requirements to Fly a Wingsuit?
The Step-by-Step Path: How to Wingsuit
How Long Does It Take & How Much Does It Cost?
Wingsuit Gear Basics
Is Wingsuit Flying Dangerous?
Start Your Wingsuit Journey at Skydive Cross Keys
Key Takeaways
Wingsuit flying is an advanced skydiving discipline that allows pilots to glide through the air using a specialized suit, but it requires a strong foundation in skydiving first. Before taking a Wingsuit First Flight Course, pilots must earn their skydiving license and build at least 200 jumps of experience to develop the skills and awareness needed for success. The journey from a first tandem skydive to a first wingsuit flight takes time, training, and commitment, but it is an achievable goal for dedicated jumpers.
There comes a time for many people when a wingsuit video pops up on their screen and suddenly regular freefall (or regular life) doesn’t seem quite enough anymore. Watching someone carve through the sky, covering miles of distance, and appearing to fly like a bird, is mesmerizing to say the least.
Can a normal person do wingsuit flying? Yes! Well, an experienced skydiver can. Wingsuit flying isn’t reserved for superheroes or elite athletes. But it also isn’t something you do on your first skydive.
If you’re wondering how to get into wingsuiting, there is a clear, achievable path. It starts with becoming a skydiver, building experience, and learning the skills that set up your first wingsuit flight to be both enjoyable and successful.
What Is Wingsuit Flying?
A gliding suit, or wingsuit, is a specialized jumpsuit that creates a wing surface between the arms and legs of a skydiver. Flying with a wingsuit significantly slows the rate of descent while also allowing for impressive forward movement. Instead of falling down, as you do with skydiving, you fall across.
How fast do you fall in a wingsuit? You can control your fall rate to be as low as 30 mph!
That’s still fast, but it’s a whole lot slower than the typical skydiver freefall rate of 120 mph.
That may sound easier or more simple than traditional freefall – after all, our brains can process the idea of forward momentum better than falling straight down for thousands of feet – but that’s far from the truth. Wingsuit flying is also an advanced skydiving discipline that requires solid foundational skills, additional training, and experience.
What Are the Requirements to Fly a Wingsuit?
According to the United States Parachute Association (USPA) Basic Safety Requirements (BSRs) as listed in the Skydiver’s Information Manual Chapter 5 Section 8, anyone performing a wingsuit jump must:
- Have completed at least 200 skydives
- Hold a current skydiving license
USPA also recommends that aspiring wingsuit pilots:
- Become well-rounded, multi-discipline skydivers
- Develop strong canopy piloting skills
- Maintain situational awareness regarding:
- Aircraft loading
- Aircraft climb pattern and location
- Jump-run direction
- Exit order and separation
- Parachute opening
- Canopy flight
- Landing patterns
- Complete a First Flight Course (FFC) with an experienced wingsuit coach
These requirements and strong recommendations aren’t arbitrary. By the time you reach 200 jumps, you’ve had the opportunity to develop:
- Strong body awareness in freefall
- Consistent and stable exits
- Good tracking and separation skills
- Solid canopy control and landing skills
- Experience handling unexpected situations and potential emergency procedures
A wingsuit changes the way you fly, deploy your parachute, and interact with other jumpers in the sky. Building a strong foundation before beginning wingsuit flight makes all the difference in your safety, and the safety of others.
The Step-by-Step Path: How to Wingsuit
Step 1: Make Your First Tandem Skydive
Every wingsuit pilot starts in the same place: a first skydive.
A tandem jump lets you experience freefall and parachute flight while attached to an experienced instructor. It’s the perfect way to see whether skydiving (and potentially wingsuiting) is something you want to pursue.
Step 2: Get Your USPA A-License
The next step is learning to skydive on your own through the Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program and achieving your A-license.
To earn your USPA A-license, you must complete a minimum of 25 jumps and demonstrate mastery of certain skills, including:
- Stable exit and freefall
- Altitude awareness
- Canopy control
- Emergency procedures
- Safety-first decision-making
- The ability to fly with others
AFF is like learning to crawl before learning to walk. Once you’ve completed your instructional AFF jumps, you’ll move onto “coach jumps” where you skydive with a coach and learn to responsibly jump with other people. Once you reach 25 jumps and pass the requirements for the coveted “A”, you’re well on your way to the wingsuit!
Step 3: Build Experience to At Least 200 Jumps
The period between your A-license and your 200th jump is where you become a well-rounded skydiver. You’ll gain experience jumping with different people, learning different disciplines, and improving your skills under canopy, which is critical.
Many aspiring wingsuit pilots spend this time working on:
- Belly flying
- Tracking
- Exit techniques
- Group awareness
- Canopy piloting skills
How long does it take to get to 200 jumps? It depends entirely on how often you jump. For some people, it may take six months of consistent jumping. For others, it may take a year or more. Weather, budget, and personal schedules all play a role.
The important thing to remember is that these jumps aren’t simply a requirement to check off, they’re the training that prepares you to become a successful wingsuit pilot. So don’t rush it! The majority of wingsuit pilots choose to go past the 200 jump minimum to a jump number they feel confident in.
Although the number matters, currency is arguably just as important. For example, if someone gains 200 jumps over five years, taking a wingsuit course may not be the smartest choice. Someone who reached 200 jumps in a year, or year and a half, is much more current!
Step 4: Take a Wingsuit First Flight Course
Once you’ve met the requirements and are confident in your decision, it’s time for your Wingsuit First Flight Course.
This course teaches the fundamentals of wingsuit flying, including:
- Equipment selection
- Suit fitting
- Aircraft exits
- Flight patterns
- Navigation and separation
- Emergency procedures
- Deployment techniques
Your first wingsuit jump won’t be in one of the giant suits you’ve seen online. Most new wingsuit pilots begin with smaller, beginner-friendly suits designed to help build skills progressively.
Step 5: Keep Flying & Keep Learning
Your first wingsuit flight is only the beginning! As your experience grows, so do the opportunities. Many wingsuit pilots eventually move into:
- Flocking with groups
- Carving formations
- Performance flying
- Acrobatic maneuvers
- Competitions
Like every other discipline in skydiving, progression comes through coaching, consistency, and continued learning. Remember, it’s important to never become complacent!
How Long Does It Take & How Much Does It Cost?
There’s no single answer when it comes to skydiving progression (it’s very personalized), but a realistic path often looks something like this:
- First tandem skydive
- AFF training and A-license
- Building experience to 200 jumps
- Wingsuit First Flight Course
How much does wingsuit flying cost? At Skydive Cross Keys, earning an A-license typically costs around $4,000. Once licensed, many jumpers can expect to pay roughly $30 per jump while building experience. Wingsuit flights are the same cost as regular skydives! Note: Gear rental is an extra charge.
When it comes to paying for coaching and First Flight Courses, the costs can vary. Some people reach their first wingsuit flight within a year, while others spread the journey out over a few seasons. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t have the time or funds to truck through your progression. Ultimately, the destination is the same.
Wingsuit Gear Basics
When you’re ready to start wingsuiting, resist the urge to buy everything immediately. A beginner setup often includes:
- A small, beginner-friendly wingsuit
- A wingsuit-compatible container
- A larger pilot chute and longer bridle
- A conservative, docile canopy – generally a 7-cell
- An Automatic Activation Device (AAD) – required for all jumpers at Skydive Cross Keys
It’s strongly recommended to rent or borrow equipment first and seek guidance before making any purchases.
Is Wingsuit Flying Dangerous?
Like all forms of skydiving, wingsuit flying carries risk. The reason for the training requirements and progression system is to help mitigate that risk through experience, proper equipment, and good decision-making.
Is wingsuit flying legal in the US? Yes! It’s important to separate skydiving wingsuit flying from BASE jumping. The two are very different activities, and BASE wingsuiting carries significantly higher risks. BASE jumping is an unregulated sport and not everywhere in the US permits it.
Note: Most wingsuit pilots spend years enjoying the sport from airplanes without ever pursuing BASE jumping.
Start Your Wingsuit Journey at Skydive Cross Keys
If flying in a wingsuit has been on your bucket-list, the first step is simple: become a skydiver!
Located in southern New Jersey and serving jumpers from Philadelphia, Delaware, New York City, and Atlantic City, Skydive Cross Keys has helped thousands of people take their first leap into the sky. And every wingsuit pilot started with a first jump. Book your jump today!