Bodyflight.Net

gotcha well, your right, although in a perfect scenario there is alot of money to be made, that won't happen until the first multi-level tunnel is built which allows for double the profit with virtually the same overhead as a single flight area.. Houston will be the first in the world to have one of those. So that means that those tunnels should be able to beat the price on any single flight area tunnel. That should help make it affordable for everyone!

***If a business doesn't make a profit, it may as well just pass up the opportunity. We'd all love to think any business is there just for us...a philanthropic investment toward our happiness. Wish it were so, here...but that would be just nuts (from a business/investment point of view). ltdiver Whew! I am so glad not everyone feels that way about opening a wind tunnel business. It's really not a great source of profit as I have learned these last few years, however, the joy that people receive when they learn to fly, that is worth more than just money. Some people, and yes even a wind tunnel owner or two, simply and barely break even, but they are happily working a lifestyle they love, seeing people expand their minds and sharing their dream and love of flight. That is also worth more than money can provide.

Well said... and so true.. I've always wondered, why so many people track nearly straight down at the ground, increasing their speed & fall rate.. I've always thought tracking was supposed to be on more of a horizontal plane and should slow me down, just like forward in a wind tunnel. As to tethering.. We sometimes us a climbing type harness attached to the net with students that allows forward and backward movement without leaving the air column (of course we don't use this in wall to wall air tunnels).. it helps greatly to get the forward track and back slide movements down to instinct. I think its good to practice the position in the tunnel, but you truly need some altitude to make it really work.

Right now the average cost for a minute of flight time in the US is right about $10 per minute, how much more would it need to drop before it's not considered too expensive anymore?

Hey there! Congrats to your grandson, that's such a great thing to do for kids... if you don't mind, I wanted to share one as well.. our daughter had her first experience at 2 years old and has been in 5 wind tunnel since! Pictures are of her at 2 y/o then at 9 y/o! Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels

whenever I can!

Oh, ok I see (I think ) Anyhow, just have some fun while your in there if you make it, I hear the enviromnet over at Perris is absolutely wonderful! It's a little different for everyone, I'm sure with a little flight time back to back, you'll have it in no time, what with 4500 jumps! Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels

Tonto.. I said.. IN GENERAL, of course, that means there are always exceptions to the rule of thumb. 4500 jumps is quite alot, and you wanna learn to sit in the tunnel? Can you sitfly in the sky?

I think that practicing your video work in the tunnel is the best way to go when you can get in and practice while flying. Although SkyVenture is mostly against cameras due to the fact that any breakage will cause MAJOR problems, I know that if you pass inspection they would let you in with it. The N. Carolina tunnel allows ALL camera flyers to wear and practice with their equipment because even if it breaks it won't cause any problems (it has no moving parts above or below the flyer). So if you can get into a tunnel with your camera, you should, it's one of the fastest mose efficient ways to train and if you can video someone in such close quarters, then you will have no problem keeping your spot in the sky! Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels

Out of the hundreds of students.. I would say that IN GENERAL those with around 100 jumps or less, do better initially in a tunnel.. girls are initally better at it than guys. Your size has alot to do with it, the larger you are the harder it will be. All in all, though you are not alone, it usually takes a few minutes AT LEAST to get acclimated to the different environment and probably 15-30 before you feel in some control. But you will find that your tunnel skills will translate well to the sky. Good luck! Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels

Hi Gemini... When John (hubbie) went to fly at Ft. Bragg (he's non military) it was difficult to say the least. BUT, he and his buddy were able to pull some strings and get some time, only minutes, in there. So, I'd say the chances are better than slim for you if they let a civillian in the tunnel, so try anyway! He says it was an awesome time and always refers to it as one of the better tunnels out there. Good luck... maybe our Mod could give you better advice on getting in..... Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels,

Actually... the first wind tunnel was not invented by the Wright Brothers... however, they did use one first for testing airfoils. The first wind tunnel was invented in 1871 by Frank H. Wenham about 29 years before Wilbur & Orville got theirs going...http://www.bodyflight.net/history_1800-1916.html

Oh, ok. Ya know why I come here, even though I don't consider my tunnel time as training for skydiving? Because there are like minded individuals here and at the DZ... people who can appreciate the freedom of thought, movement and thinking outside the norm. This mindset is not available from just anyone, but usually comes as a package with skydivers, tunnel flyers & pilots in general, the understanding of what's important, and about knowing your body or vessel and enjoying life to it's fullest today. Good luck with the re-organization..and thanks for the place to land.

Hey Anvil, your not an idiot! My response: It was hard for sure I could sit fly for years (which in some tunnels looks more like back flying), in fact other than head down I could do anything I wanted except fly on my back really. But just a couple of weeks ago, I finally got it right. Now, I have spent the last 2 hours of tunnel time since then just back flying. It's too fun, really but man my arms were tired after a whole hour of it! But I love it really, keep up the hard work, you'll get it too... it also took me a long time to learn to sit fly without wings, I think that although it seems more natural, after hours of belly down, it's just like learning to fly all over again!

HH, Thanks for finally creating a LZ for us tunnel junkies. Only one question from me though, what's it doing in the Skydiving Forum?? I would've thought that it would belong next to Base Jumping in the Related Sports.. since it's not skydiving and is a sport unto itself. But glad to have it somewhere. Will all the misc tunnelposts around the other forums be transferred over??? It would help to keep the repitition down for sure! Blue Skies & Fast Air

actually only yours and one other, accelerate the air as it comes around, and there are at least a couple others that recirculate that don't accelerate, so again... your on top of the curve there too! But whos keeping score??

Paul, ya know I luv ya by now right? I don't see anywhere where the new Bedford Joy Pipe actually 'pushes' unless I'm missing something. HOWEVER, your recirculating tunnel, with it's single fan/prop above orientation is much more efficient than the 'other' competitors sucking design, but is still a sucker The single fan/prop above recirculating design creates an environment friendly for an "in draft" tunnel, and shouldn't cause speed dropouts or fluxuations in the flow when engaged, just like the blowers. So by MY definition, you should have the BEST sucker available!!!

Rehmwa, I love chocolate, we can talk about that all day long! I think there could be a better name, in fact we MOSTLY describe them ourselves as body flying facilities. But really, the prop jobbie portables, even they provide a column/tunnel of air. As I'm sure has been pointed out already: A tunnel can be defined as, A structure, installation, or facility incorporating apparatus to simulate flight conditions in one way or another, specially designed for testing or experimenting with power plants, or with aircraft, rockets, or other aerodynamically designed bodies, engine installations, or models; specifically, a wind tunnel. More specifically however, I was talking about VWTs that SUCK. Which of course there are very few since the design itself causes instability in the air flow & test section. No need to bow down.. you can throw money instead. Current Stats: Operation VWTs World Wide: 8% Suckers 92% Blowers VWTs Currently Under Construction: 75% Suckers 25% Blowers That will still only takes the sucker category to 26% of total facilities World Wide.

What are you talking about..? I am talking about vwt's!

actually less than 10% of currently operational tunnels really suck

Thanks Jeffrey, that site was adorable.. here I was cruising for posts and then got sidetracked at this site for the last hour!!! Too cute, I just love Guinea Pigs and all the Birds too!! Great site? YES!!!

Got it on the first try, jump #24, borrowed my coaches goggles, they didn't fit well, so I had flip over to a sit for the rest of our jump! It seemed like just as good a time to try it in the sky as any other...

Seems like the best idea, at least that's what I've done on here for years, and I update each time I get back! Not a problem for me.

Here Here! My sentiments EXACTLY I will not plead for my life in a death death situation. There is absolutely NO reason to give my captors the satisfaction. F&@*ck you hostage takers!