Bodyflight.Net

I wouldn't have a clue, but a single day car rental can't be much more than the ride both ways plus tip. You could google: LAX cab companies then call a couple and ask, "how much for a ride from LAX to Universal Studios City Walk"

I prefer not to use public transportation in LA, I used to use it all the time, but I would hate not having my own car now. Noon on a monday, isn't such a bad time to fight traffic. There are two ways to get there.. .sepulveda from lax or take the freeway, either should be easy enough at that time of day.

Wow, I didn't know what a big event it was turning into! Sorry that Lexi and I won't be able to make it, Lexi has an audition that saturday for a concert band and she has a real shot of getting in (she's doing brilliantly right now). NOT to mention, ski season is the worst time of year for me to take tunnel trips! We're trying to head to Snowshoe, WV that weekend if possible after the audition for the rest of the holiday. So... lots of pink love, lexi & I will think of you girls as we're swooshing down the slopes.

Once edited, I do agree with the above statement. My experience on this topic is that almost all tunnel flyers I know fly larger canopies. However, the few that do not, have been busy hanging around with skydivers full time, and have even become competitive jumpers. I think that canopy choice has more to do with who your hanging out with than anything. If you make friends with hot shot canopy pilots who are always pushing the limits, the pressure will likely be on. If your making friend with top notch canopy pilots or even instructors, it's likely they will pressure you to stay under a canopy that is most appropriate for you, regardless of size. Scott tried to get me to downsize to a 170 on my last 15 jumps or so.. but I still wasn't ready IMO. I'm not looking for a faster canopy flight, I'm looking for safe & easy so I can fly again tomorrow; in the tunnel or the sky. Not to mention I personally subscribe to the idea that "I've paid for said jump, and therefore I will make the time I have with my feet off the ground last as long as possible" My daughter has been flying in tunnels since age 3. Obviously our objectives are very different from most on the skydiving track, but still she plans to make a jump or two for the novelty of it later in life. Will she become a skydiver, I doubt it, but you never know. Regardless... her personality is conservative, and I believe her canopy piloting wouldn't be any different.

If you hadn't noticed on my site, I have asked for help, but I don't often get it. I of course don't expect you to know the fine details of owning such a site or the love hate relationship one can have with 400 pages of madness, but generally, most tunnel owners prefer to have some say so over what is published about their businesses and what is not. Much like today's newspaper models, there are always angry people who want to challenge or correct any information I publish. Unlike most of today's newspapers, I am not a newspaper and don't have the capital or manpower to stand up to them. In the end, I stand by my compromise of free & optional inclusion, it couldn't be easier. Now days, the site is a complete list of cooperative tunnels interested in the current tunnelflyer community world wide. If they don't want to even say HI to the several hundred members of our site, who am I to say they should have to? Bodyflight is a life changing sport to me, not some kind of corporate name. I own nothing VWT related but a website, and over a decade of experience. My husband owns nothing but his experiences. I built the website years ago so my tunnel flying friends and I could stay in touch and keep up with eachother because we're scattered globally. I used to use the site to work out programming issues for my webdesign business, and then slowly it turned into what it is now. I'm fairly certain that all but a couple of recent tunnels ARE on the site, so I figure if there are any gaps, it's only in the tunnels advertising program. But, here you go.. here's the link for the DZ.com Tunnel Locater, as you can see, DZ.com gets even LESS assistance than I get. And the links are free here too, plus HH actually has a team of people to help and an editior assigned to the category. http://www.dropzone.com/links/Training_and_Coaching/Wind_Tunnels/index.html or you can go to http://www.dropzone.com/links/ and click WIND TUNNELS. Anyway, I hope that helps you understand perhaps a bit more about what might go into the process, and that not everything is as it might appear.

Disclaimer: This is NOT an advertisement I'll just pop in on this one, I don't know about "other" directory sites, I only know about mine. Unfortunately, and perhaps to someone's disbelief, I dont' have the authority (even though it's my site) to list businesses and information without their consent. I used to list everyone, even against their will. As far as "gaps" go... since the big OUTCRY in 2002 we changed our submission policy and invite all and any tunnels to list their facilities, photos & more at no cost to them. All we need is an owner or employee to let us know they want to participate and give us some info. Within the last week we've gotten submissions for www.Aironex.com and for www.paracletexp.com to be added, and they are schedule for my next round of updates. And while we are sometimes a couple of weeks behind in our updates, I should hope that for a completely free site, that I update personally, that should be ok. After 9 years of running the site, I can safely say, this way is a better method of inclusion... voluntary.

That portable was called Adren-L-N, and unfortunately it's no longer operating on a circuit because it was sold to a private party out west for recreational use. There is, at this time, only 1 tunnel making the rounds here in the U.S. and that is VR Skydive, however with your dates so far in the future there maybe a couple of different tunnels circulating by then. Contact john@bodyflightconcepts.com if you like, he should be able to help you make arrangements for your event. Good luck!

Perhaps I can help you find something? Which portable are you looking for... do you know the name? or dates when you visited or saw it?

I don't think its necessarily "better" but I've always thought of them as comparable Group & Private Ski Instructors who have also completed the National Ski Patrollers training.

Hay bales are often used in this type of scenario, so its not a bad idea. However, I'm not talkin about a few bales of hay here, I'm thinking double thick and taller than you. It can help to focus a portion of the noise away from the main crowd by leaving the open end pointed away from the general crowd, while the rest billows up and above standing head height. PLUS it needs to be far enough away from the machine to not obstruct airflow to the prop. It's still going to be loud. Semi trucks have also been used because, well, because it's a heck of alot easier to pull in a couple of trailers than to stack & protect all that hay. Have fun, that tunnel is by far the most "challenging" for experienced flyers, but is always going to be a blast of fun for spectators and first timers.

At 5 ft 2 inches, and 95lbs our daughter flew at around 97 mph maximum. For her, an experienced flyer of many years, her COMFORT speed was more like 90 mph, but for a few minutes at a time, she could work really hard and streamline her body to fly at 97mph for us grown ups, but it was alot of work for her so we moved to a weight VEST with about 4 lbs evenly distributed. It allowed her to fly around 100mph with more comfort & ease, but still was NOT truly in her comfort zone, the added weight added more work obviously, so she could still only fly a few minutes at a time.. about 5 min at the most in a row. I would never put the weights around her belly because it would cause her to over-arch and likely result in a hernia. It is better for her to learn to fly small AND arched, the vest allowed her to maintain her balance better.

I remember when you were on the "other" side in these forum discussions... and now look at ya.. backflips off the wall? crazy man...

Don't worry Brad, don't let some comments by a tunnel whuffo get to ya! He's wrong, your right, you JT, me and all the rest of us who know full well that both Flyaways are just fine and have trained and produced a good variety of tunnelrats & world class freeflyin skydivers INCLUDING military for the last 25+ years now! There is NO denying those "facts" and only someone who is new to the sport would think any differently. This conversation will always repeat itself, it's only about the 5th time here since these boards were created... and there will always be a "variety of opinions" however none of those change the "facts". Skydivers and tunnelrats have been freeflying in Flyaway since the early 80's.. and some think that the invention of another completely unrealistic and irrelevant "freefall simulator" technology cancels out history, but it doesn't. Rest assured though this is a popular sentiment among america,... it was "hard" to do it at this one place, so let's invent another place where anyone could do it and it makes it EASY to do. Viola! Problem solved. However... it's just the same as anything else in a modern society.. just cuz it is easier to do doesn't make it better, and in MOST cases, by taking the easy way, you've missed valuable lessons that you can't even comprehend and your elders will always know you just don't know what your talking about cuz you don't even understand. IMO.. if you want to skydive.. GET OUT of the tunnel. There is NO shortage of conversations here on how DIFFERENT they are (skydiving vs. tunnel), so why keep comparing them??!!! but seriously.. on topic.... what happened that tommy(thevegan) paid $5 more for each flight than you said? Inquiry minds want to know! Tommy there is a local... you all need to track him back down and HOOK HIM UP!

Oooh wish I could be there... I added an Ouragon Suits discount today to the website (SVNH).. pretty major stuff. Good luck raising funds for David

All I can say is that they were looking for something 'more' than was already in operation. But for sure the rumor isn't a rumor and it's legit. For sure I'll be going to fly it

Lots to consider there for me... for instance.. I've been to NH 3 times since they opened long after Eloy and yet still haven't made it to Eloy....Although eloy is in my list, I usually consider the location... It's likely that I'll get to Colorado before Eloy for the same reason (next ski season, me and the rockies! ) location, location, location... and for me.. there is more of interest around Nashua/Boston than Eloy, or in Colorado than Arizona. now.. 16 foot.. heck yes.. BIG difference and yes I would certainly go the extra miles at least a few times even if it was in the middle of nowhere... cuz these will are and will be very rare and worth the extra trek.

Since you are talking about a portable, I think this information here would apply. Although I reference a particular model for some of it, most of it is general operating information http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1654193#1654193 here is another applicable post http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2010773#2010773 I think this is another great discussion on the "state of the industry" http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1975608#1975608 It's definitely a love for the sport and teaching people to fly that keep you in and motivated.

eee gads, god no.. not me..I'm still basically a newbie! but thanks for thinkin' of me. Phil Henderson sure did have alot of time, about the same as John a decade ago... but has been in hiatus for years now. The recent "tunnel coaching" craze has surely racked helped a great many rack up the flight minutes.

Your right, I know your right, and Paul, I do know you are a nice guy. But these tunnel politics are just getting out of control. John didn't even start this thread and yet somehow he's "inflating" things, which is a nice term for a lie.

Hey Paul, I ran the numbers with him when we did that.. several hundred hours ago.. and it actually falls far short of what we estimated it would be... Actually try 8+ hours per day for about 18 years solid over the course of 25 or so... 6-7 days per week Instructing and flying of course, which is why we UNDERCUT the total by so much.. to allow for some of that net time. 3 hour days! Do YOUR instructors get 3 hour days?? that is nothing to speak of the 12-16 hour days he worked with Dynasoar. I can imagine how difficult and time consuming it can be to operate a portable tunnel almost alone for a few years on the road as he did... ................................... edited to remove unecessary comments

Gosh.. where did you find that so I can have him edit out those typos!!

I don't know... what do you mean by that? Doesn't seem like your missing anything to me

Awesome Bill! LOVE to see those kids flying!!!

Again.. just MY OPINION coach - an individual hired & paid independantly from your tunnel time for their time educating & working with you in and out of the air. Also applies I believe to tunnel camps. instructor - tunnel provided staff member paid by the tunnel. They are their to teach you & work with you in and out of the air. Instructors don't usually have as much time to spend with you OUT of the air because they are on the clock and working with many groups. In the last few years, there have been alot of "coaches".. some who were never instructors, some who were or are instructors currently. I'm going to hazard a GUESS as to the "attendant" .... which perhaps might apply to the tunnel instructor who takes in a group of experienced flyers and doesn't have to spot, coach or instruct with the same intensity as they would with a group of inexperienced flyers.?????? I think gratuity traditions apply to ALL of the above. They are after all providing the same type of services, based on your skill levels & requests for attention.

Hi Jewels, Over the last couple of decades I believe it has become traditional to tip your instructor. As a general rule of thumb, here in the US, where gratuity is not automatically included always, service oriented employees have come to rely on tips to supplement their income. I know someone will inevitably compare this to waitressing and such however while both are in the service industry, instructors are responsible for preventing death & injury daily to the best of their ability. Beyond that, they are responsible for educating you and hopefully assuring you have a good time. Not all instructors make the LARGE hourly wage as stated as an example in this thread, nor should it matter. The fact is their job is high stress, physically demanding and highly dangerous. Ski Instructors, Scuba Instructors, Skydiving Instructors, Flying Instructors (aviation) and ALL sorts of instructors are accustomed to being tipped, I don't think Tunnel Instructors are any different. The standard 10-20% range I think applies... for a $600 hour of solid attention from one instructor certainly warrants a $60 tip, but at the core of the matter, I think that ANY amount, even a $5 or $10 bill will be just as welcomed. Because tipping is not mandatory (as is stated at every place I have visited) ANY amount or gesture will be welcomed sincerely and bring a smile to their face. And making another human being feel truly appreciated is always a great idea! Now.. I think what I've seen is that once you become a regular, and make friends, it's usually inappropriate to hand your new "friend" a tip, but I would hope by that time when you come visit you have found OTHER ways to give back and show your appreciation. Helping out around the tunnel, bringing baked goods or pizza when you visit, being a generaly fun & enjoyable person to hang out, hosting the occassional after-party or even buying a block of time and asking your new friends to have fun ON YOUR DIME.... and often time a SINCERE THANK YOU and a hug is also very desireable. I hope that helps... of course, as with any post I make... these are just MY OPINIONS