« BUNGEE JUMP » from a wingsuit
Vincent Descols proposed to Babylon us to do a Wingsuit Bungee during the Burning Spring.
I’d like to mention that the « bungee jump » comes from Cathy Bouette’s idea! (She’s always creative when kidding around!) She was so happy to experience her idea in action – the reality was even better than the imagination!
For that matter, the rope is replaced by a real bungee fitted with cut away systems. It works perfectly!
At the exit, both skydivers jump out attached to a 2 meters fixed point. The skydiver under the wingsuit keeps the bungee stowed under his arm.
Once the couple is out and the wingsuit flies stable, the skydiver cuts away the fixed point. He then falls letting the bungee stretch to its full length. At this moment, the wingsuiter makes high and low angle movements to stretch and loosen the bungee.
Vincent, with his wingsuit keeps control of the movement. His partner can only control the first cutaway when it’s time to separate…
The wingsuiter is also fitted with a cutaway system on the bungee, that he uses before landing.
When you jump face to face with Vincent, your slot is quite neutral under the bungee. Sometimes you strongly go up, getting back to the level of the wingsuiter, who is charging at you, it’s just haunting!
It’s like a roundabout going up and down.
The Wingsuiter needs huge technical skills during the whole jump. Exit and break off are the touchy moments!!! Actually it’s much more than a jump, it’s a 100% stunt!
The right procedure, at the end of the jump asks the skydiver to cutaway the bungee. This moment is quite delicate as it has to be done at the right time, when the wingsuiter speed up and goes ahead of the skydiver. Indeed, the bungee must stay behind the wingsuiter, avoiding any impact with him. Then Vincent has to open his parachute, keeping the bungee attached.
He finally cuts away the bungee about 20 meters from the ground before landing. That’s such a crazy thing! »
The lucky passengers during the Burning Spring Festival were Stéphane Fardel, Domi Kiger, Aldo Comas and Cathy Bouette.
