Wingsuit: behind the scenes of Soul Flyers' latest performance

Since the beginning of their collaboration twenty years ago, Fred Fugen (41 years old) and Vince Reffet (36 years old) are no longer close to a feat.

Used to extraordinary challenges, mainly in wingsuit (winged suit), the Soul Flyers, legends in their community, presented their latest discovery on video this Wednesday.

This time, no "Door in the Sky" (jump from one plane to another), but a flight at 270 km / h (75 m / second) in free fall from a helicopter above a lighthouse. near Royan, followed by a resource (in aeronautics, righting maneuver following a nose-down dive, a change of trajectory in the vertical plane) which brought them up to 120 m after having descended to 40 m from the ground.

“We had the idea a year ago,” says Fred, “while the Top Gun soundtrack is playing on his laptop in the background.

But with the Covid-19 and other constraints, we have only been able to realize it and then release it now.

In all, it took us six weeks of work.

"The figure, which exists in an airplane, has already been done by others in Wingsuit:" We wanted to push the idea to the max, by rising to sea level, adds Vince.

The Coubre lighthouse (which culminates at 60 m) was the perfect place.

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"A mental battle"

As usual, the duo trained at home in the Balme massif, near La Clusaz.

“To make a good resource, you need the right angle, the right speed, and the right landmarks.

Pylons 15 m high, spaced 50 m apart, were therefore inflated on a golf course.

For the parachutes that we use to land on the beach, we had to modify their folding.

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Headquarters of the Parisian, September 23, 2020. Free fall specialists, Fred Fugen (left) and Vince Reffet have been accumulating exploits for twenty years./LP/Philippe Lavieille  

To achieve such a figure, it is not enough only to calculate the correct trajectory.

"It's a mental battle between what you want to do and what your brain doesn't want you to do," Vince explains.

When we leave the helicopter, we have one minute to do what we have planned.

If we decide to go there, it's because we are able to do it.

There is fear, but it can be turned into good energy.

"The fear of the accident brings you back to reality and keeps you alive," Fred adds.

Many have died for their passion, but they do not question ours.

Losing friends is sad.

On the other hand, we are learning from it.

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Their success, the Soul Flyers owe it to the quality of their duo, which has lasted for twenty years and more than 10,000 jumps: “We are complementary, breathes Fred.

I am the scientist, the organizer.

Vince is the dreamer ... who takes care of the material.

In flight, it is like in rowing, there is one which makes the trace.

When one is in doubt, the other is there to help.

It's hard to synchronize because the brain doesn't react quickly enough.

The goal is to reach the highest level together, without overdoing it.

"They admit working on several projects, but nothing will filter as to the next one:" All we can say is that it's going to be cold.

And hot too!

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