A wingsuit modifies the body area exposed to wind to increase the desired amount of lift and drag generated by the body.
With training, wingsuit pilots can achieve sustained glide ratio of 3:1 or more.[7] This means that for every meter dropped, three meters are gained moving forward.
By adjusting body configuration, fliers can alter both their forward speed and fall rate.
The pilot manipulates these flight characteristics by changing the shape of the torso, de-arching and rolling the shoulders and moving hips and knees, and by changing the angle of attack in which the wingsuit flies in the relative wind, and by the amount of tension applied to the fabric wings of the suit.
The absence of a vertical stabilizing surface results in little damping around the yaw axis, so poor flying technique can result in a spin that requires active effort on the part of the skydiver to stop.