<P> As suit technology and pilot skill have improved, wingsuit BASE jumpers have learned to control their flight so well that they can fly just meters away from terrain . The practice of flying a wingsuit close to the faces and ridges of mountains is called proximity flying . By flying near terrain, wingsuit pilots feel a greater sense of speed due to having a close visual reference . Loic Jean - Albert of France is one of the first proximity flyers, and his pioneering flying brought many BASE jumpers into the sport . In November 2012, Alexander Polli became the first wingsuit BASE jumper to successfully strike a wingsuit target . </P> <P> Wingsuit BASE jumping carries additional risk beyond a wingsuit skydive . Jumping from a fixed object means starting with low airspeed which requires different flying positions and skills . During the flight, hazards exists such as trees, rocks and the ground which must be avoided . While skydivers typically carry two parachutes, a main and a reserve, wingsuit BASE jumpers typically only carry one BASE - specific parachute . </P> <P> Another variation on which studies are being focused is the wingpack, which consists of a strap - on rigid wing made of carbon fibre . It is a mix between a hang - glider and a wingsuit . The wingpack can reach a glide ratio of 6 and permits transportation of oxygen bottles and other material . </P> <P> On 31 July 2003 the Austrian Felix Baumgartner, jumping from 9 kilometres (30,000 ft), successfully crossed the English Channel in 14 minutes using a wingpack, having covered over 35 kilometres (22 mi). </P>

Is there a weight limit for wingsuit flying