Thanks to iFly SF Bay for allowing me to join the science class that was taking a tour to [...]]]> The following video shows what’s underneath the flight chamber of a Skyventure wind tunnel. The plenum chamber is the “constriction point” where the winds increase in speed to create the lift for those flying in the tunnel.

Thanks to iFly SF Bay for allowing me to join the science class that was taking a tour to learn about the physics of wind tunnels!

I have always been an athlete, dancer and a little bit of an adrenaline junkie. Over the past two years, I have had to scale back because of arthritis.  Looking for a [...]]]> Here’s an inspiring interview of a woman in San Francisco who stays active through indoor skydiving. She uses the iFly SFBay vertical wind tunnel:

I have always been an athlete, dancer and a little bit of an adrenaline junkie. Over the past two years, I have had to scale back because of arthritis.  Looking for a way to get a fun and challenging workout that was kind to my joints, I checked out indoor skydiving.

Greatest accomplishment?:  Becoming a Level 2 tunnel flier. I have learned how to fly on my belly, back and in a sitting position as well as a number of transitions like barrel rolls and flips.
My goal is to become a Level 3 flier by the end of this year, which means I have to learn how to fly upside down.

The explanation of the various levels of certification for tunnelflyers can be found at http://www.bodyflight.net/

Everyone, on their first flight, starts belly-down, below the top of the windowed flight chamber: no matter how bold or eager you may be to free-fly around in the chamber, you’ve got to master the basics. The plus side is that it’s very simple to progress and once you do, it’s a whole new adventure.

One firm that offers this to the general public [...]]]> I’ve always been fascinated by videos of the freefall experience of a parabolic arc flight (usually in a Boeing 727), which is done for astronaut training, and was used to make the Jim Lovell movie Apollo 13. It’s something I absolutely intend to do one day!

One firm that offers this to the general public is ZERO-G. I’ve heard only good things about them and their services. A flight costs $4,950; for most people it would be a once in a lifetime experience. “During the flight 12-15 parabolas are performed each providing about 30 seconds of reduced gravity or weightlessness… [The] 12-15 parabolas are flown for an approximate weightless time of eight minutes.”

Another reason why we’re so excited about establishing a new indoor skydiving vertical windtunnel here in the Seattle area: an 8-minute wind tunnel ride could be had at about 4% of the cost of the parabolic jet ride, bringing the adventure, the thrill, of human flight into many more people’s lives… and they can come again and again.

More than a free flight, one lucky winner from among our Twitter followers will win a GRAND OPENING flight– one of the first five people on opening day!

Details to follow!