Asia's first wingsuit flyer learns various skills while skydiving

　　Zhang Shupeng is the person who learned wingsuit flying in the shortest time. Even so, looking back at the decision to go to the United States to learn wingsuit flying, it was definitely not an easy one.

　　"You have to stay abroad for a long time, and everything—living, accommodation, meals, flight tickets, training fees, and equipment rentals—costs money." Initially unable to secure sponsorship, Zhang Shupeng had to figure things out on his own. Not counting daily expenses, just the cost of learning alone amounted to over 100,000 RMB. The complete set of wingsuit flying gear also costs more than 100,000 RMB.

　　Aside from financial reasons, there was also the language barrier. Although basic communication wasn’t a big issue, wingsuit flying involves a lot of specialized terminology, so Zhang Shupeng had to start tackling these language challenges in China well before the trip.

　　Among all the problems, the most serious one was related to his health.

　　"I’ve been involved in paragliding for ten years and have had many injuries, especially to my neck and cervical spine, which were quite severely affected. Before going to the United States, doctors told me that if my cervical spine received any strong impact again, paralysis was not out of the question," Zhang Shupeng said. This news affected him quite a bit. "So before I left, I gave some of my gear to my friends, mentally preparing myself for the possibility of not returning."

　　However, two days before departure, he received a diagnosis from Tongren Hospital. The doctor said that if he was only going to learn wingsuit flying, the impact wouldn’t be too severe, but he should still be cautious. "That was also a key reason why I could go and study with peace of mind."

　　Zhang Shupeng said that before learning wingsuit flying, you must first learn skydiving, obtain a skydiving certification, and then accumulate enough jumps. After completing 200 jumps, you take the proof to a skydiving center or instructor and get their approval before you can start learning wingsuit flying.

　　Obtaining a skydiving certificate plus completing 200 jumps is a long process, yet Zhang Shupeng went from zero experience in skydiving to completing 200 jumps, then learning wingsuit flying and returning to China—all in just three months.

　　His coach, a Dutchman with over ten years of wingsuit flying experience, told him after observing his actual wingsuit flights: "You've set a world record—you're the fastest person in the world to learn wingsuit flying."

　　Of course, the extraordinary speed of completing skydiving training came at the cost of extraordinary effort. The skydiving certification wasn’t difficult for Zhang Shupeng, who had years of paragliding experience, but to reach the required 200 jumps in the shortest possible time, he practically pushed himself to the limit.

　　"Most people do one or two jumps a day, but I did at least ten jumps a day, and at most, twelve."

　　On the day he completed his 200th jump, Zhang Shupeng experienced something quite touching. After his final jump, when he returned to the preparation area and walked in, pilots from around the world all put down what they were doing and started cheering and applauding for him. It was later that he found out that while he was training in the air, the skydiving center’s PA system had announced to everyone: There’s a young Chinese trainee with average English but a very clear goal and extremely hardworking attitude. To learn wingsuit flying, he completed 200 jumps in a very short time.

　　Thinking back to the moment when all the pilots stood up to applaud him, Zhang Shupeng was deeply moved. He felt that his efforts had earned the respect and admiration of fellow flying enthusiasts.

　　"In global extreme sports like this, race or skin color don’t matter at all. It’s all about your performance to gain recognition. At the moment I was welcomed with applause, I also felt very proud—I felt that through my own efforts, I had slightly changed Westerners’ biases about Asians in extreme sports."

　　On March 15, 2013, Zhang Shupeng achieved his first ever wingsuit flight. When asked about his feelings at the time, he excitedly said: thrilled, absolutely thrilled—"no way that feeling was fake."

　　His coach was a very responsible and serious person, usually adhering strictly to training requirements, so Zhang Shupeng wasn’t worried or scared about the flight itself. Moreover, on the night before his first flight, his coach kept explaining technical points to him from dinner all the way to the bar.

　　"He talked for three hours, and after I got back, I kept digesting everything."

　　Regarding his performance during the first wingsuit flight, Zhang Shupeng felt it went very well, and his coach praised him, saying he performed excellently. Many people struggle with body balance control during their first flight, but he did very well in that aspect.

　　Zhang Shupeng said he was particularly relaxed and happy during his first flight. His coach flew alongside him, and the camera footage showed him smiling foolishly at them. "At that moment, I felt like another one of my flying dreams had come true."

　　After the first flight, whenever he had time, he would train. During this period, his flying skills improved significantly, and he learned many stunts. So far, he has completed over a hundred wingsuit jumps, "which is considered quite a lot." During training each day, he basically had no time for lunch, usually bringing two breakfasts, quickly eating a bite during the short break after packing his parachute, then boarding the plane for another training session.

　　"During the last one or two jumps of the day, you’re extremely tired, almost feeling like you might pass out." The high-intensity daily training pushed him to his limits, but he persevered. To stay alert, he would drink a little Huoxiang Zhengqi Water to perk himself up, though not too much because it contains alcohol.

　　Going from zero experience to over a hundred wingsuit jumps usually takes two years, but he managed it in just three months. "I knew I only had such a short time there, and my goal was very clear. So I just had to jump more."

　　With only three months to prepare, he had to train harder than anyone else. As a result, he mastered all the essentials of wingsuit stunt flying, and his efforts paid off by making him the best wingsuit pilot in Asia. But he says his goal is to stand on the highest podium in the world of wingsuit flying.

　　During his training, Zhang Shupeng once attempted to fly in winds as strong as force five.

　　It was during a training session when the wind was extremely strong. When the plane carrying them reached 8,000 feet, the pilot announced over the intercom that the winds aloft were very dangerous and presented two options: return to base or jump right then and there, at their own discretion.

　　“There were 23 people in the cabin, and a third of them chose to jump—some of the world’s top pilots and instructors. I was among them. Because I knew how to lose altitude in that spot and how to get back to the landing area.”

　　Since the plane’s holding point was upwind of the landing zone, more than 4 kilometers away in a straight line, after jumping, Zhang Shupeng adopted a figure-eight flight path instead of the normal trajectory. “I was worried about being blown too far after turning around.” Later, the parachute deployment point was also good—1,000 meters upwind of the landing center. After opening the chute, he was continuously blown toward the landing site. Zhang Shupeng said, “It was a lot of fun. I also wanted to experience what wingsuit flying is like in extreme weather.”

　　In May, in Fuyang, Zhejiang, Zhang Shupeng made his first flight in China. He said that previously he had always flown abroad, but this time it was in his own country, “which felt quite different.”

　　Zhang Shupeng told reporters that the flight was a lot of fun. The altitude at the time was around 2,000 meters, “relatively lower, so the airtime was shorter.” As a result, he flew for a long time before deploying the parachute. When he reached the intended deployment height, he kept telling himself, “Fly a bit longer, just a bit longer!”

　　He eventually deployed the parachute at around 600 meters, though the planned deployment height was above 800 meters. The entire flight lasted just over a minute. “It was a long time,” Zhang Shupeng said, still clearly thrilled when recalling the flight. “It was so much fun.”

　　However, the low deployment altitude did pose some risks. Theoretically, the effective canopy flight distance is between 200 to 300 meters. For example, if you deploy at 1,000 meters, you won’t regain stable flight until around 700 meters. So deploying at 600 meters, minus the effective canopy distance, leaves less than 400 meters of altitude. “That means the safety margin below is much smaller.”

　　Zhang Shupeng is now preparing to compete in the next World Wingsuit Championships and hopes to secure a spot in the top five. In addition, he is planning a challenge for a Guinness World Record, though he smiles and says the details are still under wraps.

　　Regarding his current training in China, he admits that actual flying has been relatively limited. Mostly, he stays in touch with his coach and spends time reviewing theoretical materials and videos.

　　As one of the few domestic wingsuit pilots, Zhang Shupeng feels there is still a gap compared to the top international wingsuit flyers.

　　After all, wingsuit flying originated abroad, and China currently lacks specialized flight training schools. Abroad, it’s easy to learn at a skydiving center, with convenient access and a great flying atmosphere. “But if Chinese wingsuit pilots train long-term in the U.S. or Europe, there’s no difference between them and foreign pilots.”