What does tunnel time cost?

[narcimund 0]

All the tunnel websites make finding out the prices complicated or impossible. What's the cost to play in one?

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

It works out about 1/2 the price of freefall time roughly. The one in the UK will charge £15 for 2 minutes.

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Say no to subliminal messages

[quade 4]

If you're coming to the SkyVenture Tunnel in Orlando, Florida, there is a NEW SERVICE for booking block tunnel time.

It's called tunneltime.com.

They can also hook you up with coaches.

There's not much info on the web site right now, but if you send them an email (you might also want to mention my name) they'll hook you up!

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[DTOXX 0]

Ironically I just spend some time in the tunnel (Las Vegas) last Saturday. The prices are:
$50 (USD) gets you "about" 3 minutes. I say about because you enter the tunnel with 4 other people and the instructor. The instructor alternates between each participant in round robin fashion with the "session" lasting 15 minutes. The are discounts for multiple sessions however.
$50 for one session
$75 for two sessions
$150 for five sessions
(each session is again, roughly 3 minutes)
I went with a friend (fellow skydiver) and our first session was shared with three other. We then sat out for 30 minutes while other sessions took place. Our second session was shared with 2 of the 3 in our first group. After another 15 minute break we went in with just the two of us. This session lasted 12 minutes and constituted a "double" as we both recieved roughly 6 minutes of air time. Thirty minutes out on break and back in for our last session. By the time it was all over I thought I would about the fall over. It was wickedly hot in the tunnel (Las Vegas, IN AUGUST) and it was a workout.
One of the funniest parts was that I stood on the scales when I paid and then again at the end of the sessions. I had lost 2 1/2 pounds in sweat.

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D.T. Holder
SIMstudy

[narcimund 0]

This is what I'm talking about. It's so ridiculously complex. I get spam emails about pyramid schemes less convoluted than this. This isn't a consumer pricing model, it's an S.A.T. logic problem.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[PhreeZone 20]

Look here for the only Tunnel I'd jump in...

http://www.skyventure.cc/block_&_team_rates.htm

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Stacy 0]

skyventure runs about $10/minute

hour blocks are 600, half hours 300, you get the idea. coachign is usually additional, the tunnel itself can refer you to some. there are camps as well, that are usually a prretty good deal, including flying time, coach, soemtimes meals and hotel.

[narcimund 0]

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skyventure runs about $10/minute

Now THIS is what I was hoping for. Simple "dollars per minute." Thank you!

I don't understand WHY these things need to be so complicated. The only thing I can think of is when companies make things unnecessarily obscure, they're trying to hide something.

Skyventure will get my business just for being straightforward.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[weid14 0]

bear in mind that is for "block time" not when you would jump in there with a class (no pun intended)... that is priced differently, but it's easy to get people to split a half an hour with....

[Muenkel 0]

For me, too much.

Only a few around here will get this joke.

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Chris

[Scoby 0]

Are you jumpng out of planes yet? Not trying to be insensitive, just wondering.

[Muenkel 0]

Not yet unfortunately. I have not been given the green light from my doc yet. So instead I am being patient and driving you all nuts.

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Chris

[Scoby 0]

What if you make your first jump and you find it's just not for you?

[Muenkel 0]

I can only go by the way I felt when I did my two tandems and how I felt when I started AFF. At no time did I think it was not for me. Now once I really get going with AFF and if I suck, then I will know it is not for me. But I have to try. I just have to be patient right now as I have a couple of things going on.

_________________________________________
Chris

[narcimund 0]

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bear in mind that is for "block time" not when you would jump in there with a class (no pun intended)... that is priced differently, but it's easy to get people to split a half an hour with....

Oh lord, here we go. Now it's getting complicated again. What is block time? Is that somehow "shared" with strangers? Do I pay $600/hour then stand around idle for 12 minutes out of every 15 watching other people fly? What kind of ridiculous, complex hidden pricing structure is this? Why can't someone give me a clear answer that doesn't have crazy conditions and tangled jargon?

Is this like hotels that advertise "$50/night" in great big letters then in tiny print say "per person based on double occupancy"? I.e, the room costs $100 but they try to trick you into believing it's less.

Screw this shared time/per minute/block time nonsense. I give up on wind tunnels. Skydiving is easy to understand: $16 for a ticket to 13,000 feet. Buy your ticket, ride the plane, get out, have fun. That's the kind of thing my simple mind can understand.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[Scoby 0]

Oh, I didn't realize you'd already jumped. My bad. I wouldn't worry too much about sucking. As long as you aren't dangerous, you'll get the skills with practice. But get back up in the air as soon as you can!

[Scoby 0]

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Screw this shared time/per minute/block time nonsense. I give up on wind tunnels. Skydiving is easy to understand: $16 for a ticket to 13,000 feet. Buy your ticket, ride the plane, get out, have fun. That's the kind of thing my simple mind can understand.

Yeah, it all seems kind of cheesy. If it was, say, 1/10 the cost of jumping, I'd be all over it. Or even 1/4... But if it costs 1/2 as much as actual freefall, then forget it. I mean, when you add in the plane ride and canopy flight, jumping is like $19 for a $20 minute experience. Whereas the tunnel seems like it would be $20 for a 2 minute experience. Without the actual thrills part. I might try it once for giggles, but I can't see myself doing it much.

[Muenkel 0]

Thanks. Trust me, as soon as I pass my physical, the first phone call I make will be to the DZ to restart AFF!

_________________________________________
Chris

[PhreeZone 20]

Actually... what it means is you are buying 60 minutes that can be used when ever they have the tunnel open. There are scheduled groups that use it so you can plan your time around them. And for the 60 minutes... you can use it how ever you want. IE 2 ways... 3 ways etc and it only costs 1 minute per minute no matter how many people are in the tunnel. 60 minutes is a long time and it will take probally 3 hours min to use up all of that time.

You won't be able to fly for more then 5-10 minutes straight at any one point with out being completely worn out so its really cool that you get to take quick breathers, debrief, plan the next jump then hop right back in as the next group is ready to exit. If you want the tunnel for 15, 30 or even 60 minutes straight, then SkyVenture will schedule that block of time for you. But most people it seems do 2 minutes debrief, or 5 minutes then debrief. How you spend your rest time is up to you... but it seems that teams go over the jumps with a coach most of the time.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jessica 0]

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Do I pay $600/hour then stand around idle for 12 minutes out of every 15 watching other people fly?

Yes...I don't think they run the tunnel for less than around half an hour at a time. It's too expensive to keep shutting it down and turning it back on for someone who wants 5 minutes.

If you pay for 60 minutes of tunnel time, you'll be flying for 60 minutes. But you'll be watching other people in between your minutes. Which is good, because if you were in there for a straight hour you'd be screaming to get out and trying to bang your now-useless arms on the control booth glass.

It'll take a while to use up an hour.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[weid14 0]

its really not complex, you book the tunnel in the evening from 6-7 pm, it will cost you $600, you can bring in other people to share that hour (i've done 40 minutes out of 60 and it is very tiring), and of course the expense. its very easy.

[happythoughts 0]

ok. The way it works, depends on how you want to do it. Generally, SkyVenture puts you in the tunnel in 2 minute units.
The very first time, you pay $30, you get a 20-minute briefing/training and 2 minutes in the tunnel.
If you buy 10 minutes, then you are probably going to share the tunnel with 3 others. In for 2, out for 6. So it takes 40 minutes to do all 5 10-minute. For a 1st timer, 10 minutes on the first day is enough.
When I had 4-way coaching, we bought an hour exclusive for our group. During the first 30 minutes, we all did 2-minute solo rotations. During the 2nd 30 minutes, we worked as pairs. So, we got 8 minutes solo and 15 as a pair. An hour is $600, we each paid $150 a piece. Well worth it.
When the tunnel is open, it runs almost continuously. Groups follow groups. It is very busy.

[arlo 0]

tunnel time (since I do work there, I think I've got this straight now):

John Q. Public off the street for the amusement park ride consisting of (2) 1 minute rotations in the tunnel: 38.50 adults, 33.50 12 and under
$5 off for FL residents, $5 off w/coupon, $10 off for working at a local theme park w/ID, $10 off w/USPA membership.
Return flyer: $28.50 2 min add-on: 24.95

skydivers rates:
10 minute block: $125
15 minute block: $175
10 min block w/skyventure employees coaching (first time coaching includes t-shirt and video): $175
10 minute return coaching: $150
30 minutes: $300
60 minutes before 5pm: $525
60 minutes in general: $600
If you buy 10 hours, you get 2 free.
Videos: $16 (has the leader on it)
regular vids: $5 (for skydivers)


With that said, you buy a 30 or 60 minute block, that's YOUR block. Most split it with other people so you can take a break. 2 minutes at a time is gracious plenty for novices OF THE TUNNEL. Swapping out/taking turns is a GOOD THING. If you think you'll go fly 30 minutes straight, I wish you luck. You arms will be jelly and you will wonder if there really is a god.
Our team trains for an hour. we fly for 2-4 straight, then rotate out w/our camera guy flying for a minute while we debrief/dirt-dive the next session (I don't call it a 'jump').

The only blocks you purchase where you have other people (i.e. public) in there is with 10 minute or 15 minute blocks. If it's just you, that's not a bad thing. Again, that helps you rotate thru and get breaks between flights.
Red bulls are $2, t-shirts are $12.50 and I think I hit the highlights. Oh yeah, we've got a new manifest building with a separate team section. It's pretty nice, actually. There are kitchen facilities, a fridge, 2 rooms w/video stations (VCRs and TVs). Fresh sod going in today (For those that feel the need to roll around in the grass). It's pretty jam up now. You're best bang for your buck is block time. Call ahead and ask to share time with other skydivers if you don't want to fork out the jack. Pay for all your time when you get there....makes life much easier. Don't bitch about having to sit thru a class. It's great that people have thousands of skydives, but that doesn't mean squat getting into or out of the tunnel. You sign a waiver and just because you can skydive doesn't mean you know how to get into or out of the tunnel. It's not like exiting a plane. Other than that, i just got back from an hour and a half and I fell like jell-o...but very productive session. Also, if you plan on doing 4-way in there or even 2 or 3 ways, get the knee pads. Countless times I went in thinking knee pads weren't cool to fly in there, and countless times doing larger 4-way formations, I've slammed my knees into those damn immovable concrete walls. I now wear knee pads. Please trust me on that one.

I hope this answers your question and then some. If you have more, feel free to email me at groovicool@aol.com or call me at the tunnel Sunday night (I'm training this weekend).

blues,
arlo
p.s. I would STRONGLY recommend getting coaching from some of the local coaches here (if they have availability). Joey Jones, Solly Williams, Gary Smith, Doug Park (all from Majik), David van Greuningen and Shannon Pilcher (from PD Blue), Robert Chromy, Bob Healy, Pete Allum and Thomas Hughes (from Sebastian XL), Lise Aune (Norgies)....all these folks are outstanding tunnel flyers and are awesome instructors. If you want freefly coaching, Dave Brown or Mike Swanson from the Freefly Training Center work great in there.

good luck with the tunnel stuff and I really hope this helps,
arlo

[weid14 0]

good grief arlo!!!

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[arlo 0]

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good grief arlo!!!

well Dave, at least it's clear now.

great competing with you guys again..

xoxo,
arlo