How to Start Wingsuit Flying in Canada

Key Takeaways
Before you can start wingsuiting, you’ll need at least 200 self-guided skydives and successful completion of a Wingsuit First Flight Course. Wingsuit training typically includes ground school, coached jumps, and a strong emphasis on navigation, gear familiarity, and emergency procedures. Specialized equipment, such as beginner-friendly wingsuits, seven-cell canopies, and accurate altimeters, is essential. To become confident in wingsuit flying, consistency, mentorship, and a safety-first mindset are key.

Wingsuit flying, or wingsuiting, is one of the most captivating and breathtaking disciplines in skydiving. It’s the closest thing to human flight, soaring forward across the sky in a suit with “wings” stretched between your arms and legs. Videos of wingsuit flyers carving through the sky or gliding along mountain ridges have captured imaginations around the world, but before you can put on a suit and fly, there are some serious steps to take.

Wingsuiting adds extra risk to an already extreme sport, which means additional rules, prerequisites, and specialized training. If you’re dreaming about spreading your wings one day, here’s what you need to know.

Become a Certified Skydiver

Before you can even think about strapping on a wingsuit, you need experience, a lot of it. The first step is to become a certified skydiver, and then jump, jump, and jump some more.

The 200-Jump Requirement

CSPA (Canadian Sport Parachuting Association) requires a minimum of 200 skydives before beginning wingsuit training. That number might feel intimidating at first, but it’s really not as far off as it seems. With consistent jumping, you could reach 200 skydives sooner than you think. 

More importantly, those jumps give you a foundation of skills: stable freefall body positions, canopy control, situational awareness, and experience handling the unexpected. These are the building blocks that allow you to manage the added complexity of a wingsuit.

How Long Does It Take?

The time it takes to start wingsuiting depends on how quickly you build jump numbers. Some skydivers who jump regularly can reach 200 jumps in a year or two, while others may take several seasons. The key is consistency, staying current keeps your skills sharp and gets you to wingsuiting faster.

Do You Need a Wingsuit License?

Do you need a license to wingsuit? Yes, but there isn’t a separate “license” for wingsuiting, but you must complete a Wingsuit First Flight Course (FFC) with a certified instructor. This course combines ground school and coached jumps to ensure you understand how to gear up properly, control the suit, and handle emergency procedures unique to wingsuit flight.

Wingsuit Training

Because a wingsuit extends freefall time, navigation and altitude awareness take on greater importance. With dedicated wingsuit training, you’ll learn how to fly a safe pattern back to the landing area, avoid traffic with other jumpers, and maintain awareness of your altitude with tools designed for wingsuit pilots. Let’s take a closer look.

What Training Includes

Wingsuit training covers much more than just putting on the suit. In ground school, you’ll cover topics such as:

• How the suit generates lift and drag
• Body positions for stability, navigation, and forward flight
• Exit techniques from different types of aircraft
• Deployment procedures specific to wingsuit flight
• How to incorporate the suit into your gear checks and emergency procedures

Once you’ve completed your first flight training, your instructor can record it in your logbook with a description of what you achieved and whether or not you’re cleared for solo supervision. 

For USPA (United States Parachute Association) jumpers, your instructor may also add a First Flight Course (FFC) merit to your credentials, which serves as official recognition that you’ve been trained to fly a wingsuit under supervision.

CSPA Requirements

These are the bare minimums. Many instructors encourage jumpers to exceed them before wingsuiting: 

• At least 200 jumps
• Current CSPA B Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) or USPA B license
• Completion of a Wingsuit First Jump Course

Get the Right Gear

Flying a wingsuit requires specialized gear designed to reduce risk and support the unique demands of forward flight.

• Wingsuit
  Suits come in beginner, intermediate, and advanced designs. Starting with a suit appropriate for your skill level is critical, as advanced suits are faster and less forgiving.

• Container
  Wingsuit containers often feature modifications to reduce the risk of deployment issues, since wingsuiters are still flying forward at a high speed when they deploy.

• Canopy
  A seven-cell canopy is the standard recommendation for wingsuit flight. Compared to nine-cell ellipticals, seven-cell canopies are more docile, and less prone to hard or off-heading openings.

• Altimeters
  Wrist-mounted altimeters can be hard to check in the wingsuit body position. Many wingsuit pilots use chest-mounted altimeters or other wingsuit friendly mounts, combined with audible devices for redundancy.

Renting vs. Buying

When you’re just starting out, some wingsuit instructors may have beginner suits available to rent. This gives you the chance to experiment before investing in your own. Once you know wingsuiting is part of your long-term journey, purchasing your own properly fitted suit and compatible gear is the safer and more economical path.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost to start wingsuiting varies depending on what gear you already own. Renting a wingsuit for your first jumps is often included in coaching fees or available for a modest cost. Buying your own beginner-friendly suit typically starts in the few-hundred-dollar range, while full gear setups with a suitable container, canopy, and altimeters can cost thousands. Most jumpers invest gradually over time, adding gear as they progress.

Important Considerations

• Safety
  Wingsuiting magnifies both the thrill and the risk. Conservative decision-making, gradual progression, and adherence to best practices are essential.
  
  
• Seasons and Currency
  If you’re jumping at a seasonal dropzone, you may go months without flying during the winter. At Parachute Ottawa, we offer free wingsuit recurrency training so you can return smart, fresh, and prepared at the start of each new season.

• Mindset
  Progression in wingsuiting is not about rushing into bigger suits or riskier maneuvers. A patient, steady mindset helps you build skills safely over time.

• Mentorship
  Seek out experienced wingsuit coaches. They’ll help you with not only flight technique, but also subtle skills like navigation, spotting, and group flying.

• Regulations
  Always confirm requirements with your governing body and dropzone, as rules can differ.

How to Get Started

Your first step to get started into wingsuiting begins long before you zip up a suit. In Canada, that means earning your Certificates of Proficiency (CoPs) through the CSPA. The first milestone is your Solo Certificate, which marks you as a licensed skydiver.

At Parachute Ottawa, many jumpers begin with the Progressive Freefall Program (PFF), an intensive week-long course designed to get students safely to their first license. From there, you build jump numbers, explore different disciplines, and eventually meet the 200-jump requirement for wingsuiting.

By the time you step into your first wingsuit, you’ll have a strong foundation in skydiving skills and a network of mentors to guide you. Wingsuiting isn’t just about flying farther, it’s about flying smarter, with the experience and preparation to enjoy the thrill safely.

Ready to start your wingsuiting journey? Check out our events calendar for wingsuit training opportunities. Or, if you’re at square one and have big dreams of flying through the wide open sky, book your tandem or PFF course through our secure online system today!