My nine year old daughter soloed today

C

ClimbnSink

Ejection Handle Pulled
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Greg
Real flying too. You know what they say, If riding in a plane is flying then riding in a boat must be swimming. :D
 

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That looks like it would be really tough on your spine.

Or else I'd try it! :yes:
 
way over the top of cool.
 
txflyer said:
That looks like it would be really tough on your spine.

Or else I'd try it! :yes:
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Just don't arch so hard. Adults, especially adult males, don't have the flexibility of young girls.
StephBackBendsmall-1.jpg
 
A skydiver in the making. For those that don't know, that body arch is what keeps a jumper facing toward the ground.

-John
 
SoloEqs said:
So, now she can tell you what it's like to be a frog in a blender . . .
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I flew in there as well, pretty much the same as organic free range free fall. Just no parachute fun when times up.
 
I did that in 1981 or so in St. Simon, Quebec at the Aerodium… the first facility of its type. I was 9 and got my photo taken standing next to the inventor of it. I can still remember how exciting it was. :)
 
txflyer said:
That looks like it would be really tough on your spine.

Or else I'd try it! :yes:
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Honestly its not... The arch is a more natural position in freefall/tunnel. You gotta remember that the wind is keeping you in that position. When I am teaching students we have them practice the arch on the ground but keep telling them it will be much easier in the sky.

My 11y/o has about 45 min of tunnel time. He loves it.
 
Well since the instructor has his hands down at his side, I suspect she's doing a pretty good job. It's not quite as easy as just arching to hover there. Usually they've got a grip on beginners jump suit during the operation.
 
John Baker said:
A skydiver in the making. For those that don't know, that body arch is what keeps a jumper facing toward the ground.

-John
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Yeah. The instructors didn't think much of my ability to arch for my first AFF jump two years ago but it worked out OK.
 
I've never seen one those gizmos before... What is it? How do you stay in the middle?
 
N801BH said:
How much to play in the thing???
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First go is 50 bucks for 2 minutes, they are generous, it is closer to 4 minutes. Rates vary for different deals but I saw 800 an hour. 25 bucks a minute is the same as real freefall. They have a kids deal one day a week that is $70 for ten minutes. Couple of minutes will wear most people out.
 
Can't imagine they could afford insurance and electricity. Which reminds me of a business I absolutely loved. Gravel parking lot on cape cod, garden shed for an office and shallow pits with old school trampolines over them, exposed springs. Six bucks for ten minutes bouncing, some kid reading a book and taking money. Sign saying we don't have insurance. Place was brilliant.
 
Most all of the good ones are either skyventure or ifly. There is A LOT of difference in tunnel generations. Essentially there are 3 generations so far. If you find an old 1st gen (Pigeon Forge, TN comes to mind) don't waste your time or money. That generation was woefully underpowered and required really big "balloon suits" to lift you and the column of air does not extend to the walls of the chamber. 2nd gen (iFly Orlando) is much better but still has a limit for advanced bodyflight such as sit flying and head down because they can not generate the wind speeds needed for those disciplines well. 3rd generation tunnels have the air recirculated (NH is one of those) and can handle the speeds for all orientations for bodyflight.

Most people (read non skydivers or inexperienced tunnel flyers) just do the normal tourist type flights where they pay say $60-$80 depending on location, etc. for 2-4 min total flight time. Have a tunnel instructor hold on to them and help them kinda fly in the tunnel. Like someone said they usually hold on to you the whole time. For experienced people we rent the tunnel in block increments from as little as 5 min to hours. I usually rent for a hour with friends and share the time working on different things. Once you are used to it you can fly for long periods of time but as someone said, early on flying in a tunnel you will be sore for flying more than a few min. The rates are dependent on the generation and diameter of the tunnel. Raeford, NC is the biggest in the US at 16.5' and if I remember correctly an hour is a little over 1100/hr for rental in block time. orlando is around $750/hr.

Btw if ya'll have not figured it out yet, I am a pilot and also a skydiving instructor (Accelerated Free Fall Inst and Tandem Instructor). I have about 10 hours of tunnel time mainly at Raeford, Orlando, and Denver.

Hope this helps fill in some info.
Andy
 
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