my experience with the tunnel

[superstu 0]

I went to skyventure today and had some fun for about 15 minutes (that's all the time I could get). Arlo hooked me up, thanks again, and damn you're lucky to work there.
I thought the tunnel was a great tool to help improve my skill, but I also am now a little more confused and frustrated about center point turns which is one of the major things that i wanted to learn while i was there. I never really understood what the coach was saying about dropping the knee to initiate the turn so I'm going to have to work on that and try and watch the video over and over again to see what i was doing wrong. It was hard trying to understand hand signals only, I never really got what I was supposed to do in words which probibly would have helped.
I did learn to relax better in the mantis position, which i didn't know how to do before, and got a little more confident in some of my flying.
Basically this is a great place to learn something you're stuck on, just make sure you have enough time so that you'll be able to learn it. 15 minutes wasn't enough for me but it's better than no minutes. Just giving my 2cents about the thing

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[rjackson 0]

I agree its a great place to break bad habits. I wish I could get more time in there but its booked solid most of the time.

The first time I went there I jumped at z-hills the next day and couldn't do anything right since I kept thinking about what I learned the night before

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Randy

[skymama 37]

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but I also am now a little more confused and frustrated about center point turns which is one of the major things that i wanted to learn while i was there. I never really understood what the coach was saying about dropping the knee to initiate the turn

If you haven't already, try posting this in the RW forum. I bet some of the gang who hang out there will be able to help you with this.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[pilotdave 0]

I had the same problem. He kept signaling me, but I had no clue what he was trying to say. Finally he went around, grabbed my feet, and moved my legs for me. I think the tunnel is great but I was just there for fun with no real plan. If ya wanna learn something specific there, I'd definitely say it would be best to get coaching before going in and if possible split your time up so you can be debriefed between sessions.

You can see me and my flailing legs in the tunnel in /wind tunnel/dave_tunnel_3.wmv at skydivingmovies.com.

Dave

[marcandalysse 0]

Hi, Alysse and I were there tonite too! Ron Hill coached us and Igor, Andrea, and Steve (all of us jump together at zhills).
Tunnel is fun, with the walls you get perspective on how steady you maintain position around center point...I drift ALOT

Marc

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton

[CrazyIvan 0]

Turning is a not a problem, try the side-by-side move, that will REALLY confuse you, but with a little practice everything is possible.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[riddler 0]

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I wish I could get more time in there but its booked solid most of the time.

I am sure that pretty much every skydiver is glad that more tunnels are being built. Hopefully, the price will come down a bit after that, too. Although I've heard that operational costs are pretty high, and profit isn't all that great for tunnels to begin with. I wonder if the new tunnels have been designed to run with lower operational costs.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[arlo 0]

you're welcome.

blues,
arlo

[freakous 0]

Leg turns can be a bit difficult at first. Try to get some more tunnel time w/ a coach. 15 minutes isn't really that much time in there. It almost takes that much time just to get comfortable in there. Of my little over 3 hours of tunnel time, atleast 45 minutes have been focused only on leg turns. I don't know why I choose that time in my life to become anal :-)