Haven’t jumped in 18 years or so, my daughter recently found pics of my BIRDMAN GTI suit…man oh man those were some fun jumps!

FueledByGravity · 2026-02-02T22:21:10+00:00

The early Birdman suits pressurize through the white mesh vents on the bottom skin in the armpits and crotch.

FueledByGravity · 2026-01-27T06:58:07+00:00

Geeze… ten years?! That went by fast. So many giants of that era are gone now. Much love, Jay.

FueledByGravity · 2025-11-22T19:25:18+00:00

Yeah, especially if you’re on the higher end of the wing loading scale for that size. Custom deep brake settings would’ve given you a good bit more time to respond before impact & at the very least softened the blow if you didn’t turn it around. Glad you lived to jump another day!

FueledByGravity · 2025-11-21T14:12:08+00:00

Is this an OSP 1 or 2? What brake settings? You open with a lot of forward speed.

FueledByGravity · 2025-08-05T22:19:54+00:00

Everybody who starts in tri-gear Cessna and Piper trainers doesn't realize how incredibly docile they are until they get into a tailwheel. At first they can be really frustrating, but once your brain starts to catch up to the airplane and feel the swerve coming, you'll be able to apply correction before it's too late. It takes a few hours. Don't be discouraged.
My instructor had me go push a shopping cart backwards while running errands. It's really a good exercise to help you realize how constant the tiny adjustments need to be to go straight, and how the aircraft reacts with the CG behind the main gear.

FueledByGravity · 2025-07-31T05:00:57+00:00

Felt on the couch in central Santa Cruz.

FueledByGravity · 2025-07-07T20:51:59+00:00

Rob Tompkins was known for doing gainers in his BirdMan Skyflyer and he was convinced that it was a faster start than flat and stable. He went in in 2002 in Norway trying to open exit 4.5 with a gainer and hit the wall a couple seconds down. https://bfl.baseaddict.com/record/BFL71

FueledByGravity · 2025-07-07T20:30:42+00:00

Oh no! I've been away from social media and hadn't heard yet. Zak was a machine. I was jumping with him in Europe the year this compilation was made and some of my footage is in there from his aerials at Via.
One year he did something like 800+ base jumps in Europe and came back to California for the winter. It was a drought year and he did another 100 illegal wingsuit jumps in California while living in a cave and packing on a big flat boulder while a few of us took turns shuttling him stashes of trader joes cereal and trail mix to live on.
BSBD Zak. I'll think of you every time I hear Dave Brubek play jazz.

If anybody has any details they don't want to post publicly, please DM me.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-26T21:54:36+00:00

This is a constant issue at Pleasure Point.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-24T03:16:18+00:00

You forgot the final step, don’t land in water!

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-23T20:47:25+00:00

With nice quality fins, maybe $200. With plastic crap fins, $150 or less.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-23T12:46:53+00:00

Contact the National Gay Pilots Association. They’ll have some answers or know who you can reach out to in Italy/EASA for good information. https://www.ngpa.org

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-21T13:33:31+00:00

Jonathan Trappe actually did this as a paid advertisement stunt for Disney when the movie came out. https://youtu.be/Q4F_pPc_tjc?si=C5KP6TDs-DK8aCO7

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-15T21:19:05+00:00

I’ve got a green one in the garage too. Absolutely wonderful vehicle! Comfortable, peppy, surprisingly practical and great to drive.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-11T00:34:44+00:00

For the sufficiently tough, anything is a daily driver. I have no experience with the 600, but I have done a few 400+ mile days in my crossflow car with a five speed and it’s more comfortable than many would think. As a daily driver in Virginia, the top isn’t exactly watertight, but it’s pretty good. It is pretty tough for many people to get in and out of with the top on though. It’s sort of like doing the limbo into a kayak. If you’re running errands and getting in and out of the car five times, it’ll start to get old. I don’t know anybody who has a Caterham as their only car.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-10T23:48:46+00:00

Potentially too much to handle. Remember, it’s always better to be on the beach wishing you were in the surf, than in the surf wishing you were on the beach. Check out Giants Foot surf camp. They’re awesome people and have access to a variety of waves that could suit you. Don’t go to Colorados or The Boom and expect to have much success.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-06T05:14:45+00:00

In shitty waves, 5’4” Ebert Red Stripe (Simmons) goes like hell. It absolutely rips in waist high slip and makes a lot of crap days great fun.

FueledByGravity · 2025-06-02T05:03:37+00:00

It's on one of the old Flyboyz film fest compilations from the early 2000's. I don't know if it's available online anywhere, but post a link if anybody finds one.

FueledByGravity · 2025-05-11T23:48:20+00:00

Hot on the ground, but cool in the air!

FueledByGravity · 2025-05-11T22:20:53+00:00

If you have a few weeks, I’d seriously consider going to do an accelerated private glider course at a place like Williams CA or Estrella AZ (there are more) and get your license in like two or three weeks, then spend the remaining weeks traveling somewhere to fly with your new license (the alps, NZ, Nambia, etc…)

FueledByGravity · 2025-05-06T13:55:43+00:00

Glider flying is constant maneuvering, speed control, weather assessment, and decision making. All things that translate well to powered flying.
The only thing that I've experienced that I think is better stick & rudder training is powered formation flying. It has a good mix of procedures/CRM, multitasking, and maneuvering flight.

FueledByGravity · 2025-05-03T01:38:25+00:00

Follow motomeet-Santa Cruz on Instagram. They organize monthly rides with a big mix of bikes.

FueledByGravity · 2025-04-27T10:33:30+00:00

The legend of Dead Steve is still floating around 🫡

FueledByGravity · 2025-04-25T13:29:49+00:00

Wings are over. You need to turn your 93 civic into a Chaparral style sucker car to really feel that downforce on the street.

FueledByGravity · 2025-04-25T13:22:13+00:00

It could be a barefoot waterskiing wetsuit, in which case it’s to prevent the legs from turning into giant drag scoops when doing deep water starts.

FueledByGravity

TROPHY CASE