Wingsuit flying can cost $18,000 or more in the United States. It includes training and licenses, equipment, and a wingsuit.
For the cost breakdown, here is the complete price guide for wingsuit flying:
| Items | Amount |
| Training and Licenses | |
| A-License | $3,199 |
| B-License | $1,550 |
| C-License | $4000-$9000 |
| First Flight Course | $350-$500 |
| First Jump BASE Course | $1000-$1500 |
| Equipment | |
| Skydiving Equipment (New) | $9,000 |
| Skydiving Equipment (Used) | $4,000 |
| B.A.S.E. Equipment (New) | $3,500 |
| B.A.S.E. Equipment (Used) | $2,000 |
| Wingsuit | |
| Wingsuit Rentals | $200-$250/month |
| Custom Wingsuit | $1000-$2000 |
| High-end cost | $30,500 |
| Low-end cost | $17,300 |
Training and Licenses
- Solo Skydive Certification
- Finished a minimum of 25 jumps
- Conducted five skydivers with one or more people
- Obtained a skydiving license verified by the USPA
- Passed the USPA written exam and oral exams
- USPA B-License
- Complete 50 jumps
- 30 minutes of freefall
- Ten jump landing within 10 meters
- Ten successful group freefall jumps
- Finished water training course
- Finished canopy course
- Passed the B-License Exam
- USPA C-License
- Wingsuit Training – First Flight Course
- Wingsuit Training – First Jump BASE Course
The initial step to wingsuit flying is getting your first skydiving jump. You must be at least 18 years old and above to qualify for skydiving. There are several accredited skydiving centers in the US to get your first jump.
Once you complete the first 25 jumps, you can now obtain the Solo Skydive Certification. The certification corresponds to the United States Parachute Association A-License or USPA A-License. This license is the very first license a new skydiver achieves.
It is proof that an individual has completed the necessary training to skydive. Also, it indicates that you are allowed to jump without supervision. The license is also a confirmation that you have completed the following:
Cost:
First Solo Skydiving Course – $199
Completing the first 25 jumps – $3,000
The next level is getting the USPA B-License. With this license, you have the basic skills and experience in skydiving without supervision. You can get this license once you finish a total of 50 skydives.
Here are the things you need to complete to obtain a USPA B-License:
Cost:
Water Training Course – $100
Canopy Course – $200
B-License Submission to USPA – $36
As you progress in skydiving, you must obtain the USPA C-License. You have to complete 200 jumps and execute a freefall for at least 60 minutes. The license also requires you to land within 7 feet of a target on 25 jumps.
The C-License also means that you finished air turning and barreled rolling maneuvers. You also scored two points on an eight-person formation skydive and passed the written exam.
Cost:
Jump Ticket – $3,000
C-License Submission to USPA – $36
Now that you have achieved the USPA C-License, you are ready to undergo wingsuit training. You are eligible to enroll in the First Flight Course (FFC) with your license.
The training lasts for a day with a comprehensive classroom briefing and coaching. Then, you can have four one-on-one coached jumps. The training prepares you for solo supervision.
After FFC, you have broadened your knowledge of aerodynamics, wingsuit design, and techniques. The FFC can range from $150 to $300, depending on the training center.
Once you advance on wingsuit flying, you must sign up for a First Jump BASE Course. It is an in-depth approach to wingsuit flying.
It is a program where you can learn more about packing techniques, rigging, canopy, and more. Further, you can know to start arc maximization, body positions, and reading exit point conditions. The cost is $1200 for a 4-day training.
Equipment
- Skydiving helmet
- Goggles
- Cameras
- Altimeters
- Rig
One of the most essential gears for wingsuit flying is the helmet. The gear can keep your hair away from your face. It also protects your face by making sure your cheeks do not end up flappy after each flight.
A full-size helmet is advisable as it eliminates the need for using goggles. There are also open face helmets to mount a camera when you fly.
For a list of skydiving helmets, take a look at these various skydiving helmets on sale here.
Wingsuiters wear ski goggles when flying. This kind of goggles reduces the potential of fogging up. When your eyewear fogs, it will lessen your visibility of the space around you. It can be dangerous in the process.
You can find the tons of ski goggles here.
It is not an essential gear, but many flyers prefer to use the camera when they skydive. Cameras for wingsuiting are typically Go Pros where they can stick to their suit.
If you want to document all your wingsuit activities, you can check out the best cameras to use for wingsuiting.
Another critical piece of equipment for wingsuit flying is the altimeter. The device is capable of detecting and displaying the altitude of a wingsuiter. You can use digital altimeters to instantly log jump data, including flight time, deployment, and exit altitude.
For reliable altimeters to record your flights, here are the top skydiving altimeters we found.
A wingsuit gear system holds both the main parachute and reserve parachute. The rig usually is a backpack capable of carrying your parachutes when you fly.
The rig comes with an Automatic Activation Device (AAD). The device is a small item placed inside your rig. It is capable of detecting the speed of your descent plus the altitude. The AAD automatically deploys your reserve parachute once it detects a rapid fall at a specific altitude.
Wingsuit
A wingsuit is categorized according to an individual’s skill level.
There are suits for beginner, intermediate, and advanced wingsuit flyers.
The cost varies depending on the brand, material, and skill category.
- Wingsuits for beginner
- Wingsuits for intermediate flyers
- Wingsuits for advanced flyers
A beginner wingsuit requires 200 skydives and a well-rounded skill set. It is essential to have rudimentary tracking skills and free-flying skills. Plus, it would help if you had a solid grasp of flying etiquette and safety exit and landing techniques.
Wingsuits suitable for this skill set are Sumo 3, Sausage III, Mutation 2, ETMD, and Sprint. They are great for freestyling and tracking.
Most wingsuits for beginners are basically under the category of a tracking suit. The models mentioned above are tracking suits specifically designed for balance and stability. They are ideal to use when making your first terminal BASE jumps.
These tracksuits are typically form-fitting and suitable to use for the BASE environment. With these suits, you can enjoy a wide range of motion like back flying, freestyling, and transitions.
Price:
Sumo 3 with accessories – $709
Sausage 3 with accessories – $930
Mutation 3 with accessories – $1,230
ETMD with accessories – $1,290
Sprint – $750
As you reach the intermediate level, you must complete 350 dives and know all the flying skill sets. You are comfortable free-flying and have gained entry, staying, and exiting techniques. Your canopy skills are also at par with an approved intermediate rating.
The best wingsuit for this skill level is the Freak Series, Colugo, and Corvid-2. Before you purchase this suit, you must also complete 100 jumps using a beginner wingsuit.
The Freak Series is outstanding for advanced acro and freestyle flying. You can gain more speed, better glide, easy transitions, and a faster roll rate with this suit. For intermediate users, Freak 4 is the way to go.
The wingsuit provides an impressive balance of performance and comfort. However, it is not appropriate for freestyle flying, passive safety, and speed race performance. Comparatively, Colugo falls under the upper-intermediate level launched in 2017.
Lastly, the Corvid design is excellent for increased glide and faster speed. You will also experience an increased level of ease using Corvid. The Corvid 2, for instance, are suitable for short jump starts, flying steep tech lines, and gliding far. The efficiency of flying also levels up with this design.
Price:
Freak 4 with accessories – $1,735
Colugo with accessories – $1,690
Corvid 2 with accessories – $1,815
At this point, you have the mastery of flying and diving.
You have reached the expert level of all the skill sets and have completed 450 skydives.
You also finished some basic and advanced courses for wingsuit flying.
You already have a good level of body awareness, control, and confidence. Your tracking and free-flying skills are also excellent when you reach this point.
Thus, you are now ready to use C-Race and Aura 4. You also completed 100 dives using an intermediate-level wingsuit.
On the one hand, the C-Race designs are great for wingsuit competitions. It has a reputation for winning wingsuit speed races due to its excellent performance. With the Aura Series, you can enjoy maximum glide, speed, and strength for distant landing zones.
Price:
C-Race – $1,790
Aura 4 – $1,840
CR+ – $1,830
List of Contents:
How long does it take to learn wingsuit flying?
Wingsuit flying takes a long time to learn. You need to commit more than 18 months of your time to start wingsuit flying. You have to obtain USPA A-License (50 jumps), USPA B-license (50 jumps), and USPA C-license (200 jumps) to officially begin wingsuiting.
If you want to elevate your skills, aside from the introductory flying courses, you can take advanced classes, too. Here are some of the supplementary courses we recommend after you get your C-License:
For advance flyers, you can choose to undergo the Base Wingsuit Course. With this course, you are more ready to fly on big mountains and higher terrains. It is a new approach to wingsuit scrambling to prepare you for a more challenging environment.
With this course, you can learn to start arc maximization, body positions, reading exit point conditions, and a lot more. The system is typically around $1400 for a six-day training.
The course will teach you more about sub-terminal and terminal jumps. You will also learn more about push technique, angle of attack, and running exits. You will make two jumps a day with the tracking course.
If you completed the BASE First Jumper Course and want to advance, the terminal tracking program is right for you. The cost is $2600 for 14 days.
Can you rent a wingsuit suit?
Buying a brand-new wingsuit can be very expensive. It will cost you more than a thousand dollar for a suit alone. If you want to cut the expenses, you can rent a wingsuit, too. The price can start from $200 to $250 monthly rental fee.
There are available wingsuit rental shops in the United States.
You can rent a Squirrel brand wingsuit from $200 to $250 a month.
The rent already includes the shipping fee.
You can choose from beginner wingsuits to intermediate wingsuits. You need to pay $50 per day or $20 per jump. Short-term rentals are also available.
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