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an excerpt from L-1 sales materials in regards to cost: L-1 Cost Analysis Site License $1,000,000 paid directly to VWTC at time of agreement - grants you permission to build & operate a VWTC L1. You are provided access to all necessary blueprints & technical papers required to construct the tunnel. Our Lead Engineer will oversee and assist with the construction of your facility and is available to you to make the necessary modifications that will make your facility a unique part of your corporate identity. Construction & Labor $1.5 - $3,000,000+ paid directly to your own suppliers, contractors, engineers & crew throughout construction - these amounts are paid to your own crew of contractors. This is an ideal way for you to control costs & truly create a unique facility catered to your own needs. It is estimated at this time that duplication of our current prototype in a similar location, would cost approximately $2 million dollars; there are more than a variety of ways where you can save money or even accumulate more costs through modifications made to the original unit. Additionally it is vital to note that materials such as steel & concrete vary in price frequently reflecting the condition of the economy and/or the geographic location of the construction project. An L-1 VWT does not use a prop. It is powered by a single fan. The fan itself is located about 70 feet away from the vertical section aka. flight area in the HORIZONTAL section of the tunnel. In other words, yes, they have done a better job than aerodium

This always happens to me when I spend too much time on my belly. After about 10-15 minutes of constant flying on my belly my nose just starts to hurt. I spend a good deal of the rest of my belly time blocking the air from my nose with my hand, or I just give up and flip over. I'm sure a full face would resolve the issue, but I prefer to see and be seen, so I choose to not to wear one, regardless of the situation. The cold air in freefall makes me feel the same way, but the duration of the freefall is so short it wasn't really a problem.

Hey Darlene! Good to see you in here. I do actually still have the container, although it is NOT in my posession. I haven't even jumped it in fact (I should owe beer or something for that shouldn't I) It's with a rigger friend of mine in Virginia, and it's in the same pristine condition you gave it to me in, in fact, no one has jumped it since, and I have decided that I should go ahead and sell it. I haven't actually done anything yet to sell it, but I am ready. Thanks for remembering, it's not that I don't just love the idea, it's just that I haven't jumped since shortly after I got it, and I don't intend to be jumping anytime soon. I figure after a couple of years, it's probably better off in someone's hands who will give it some use. After all it IS an Infinity I just got back from SkyVenture New Hampshire, my 3rd trip up there since August, and I just love it. You will all have such a fabulous time!! Enjoy!!

Wouldn't that be great? ANOTHER Mother daughter PMT? Beth Joined our PMT (#37) months ago on her last trip down!!!

Hey Beth, Well my vote would have to be a solid vote for AAC AND Flyaway if possible. Not to mention getting that little one her pink mafia number too while she's here in either tunnel! Why don't Lexi (who is also 12) and I show you and your girl around Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg one day, get a flight at Flyaway too.. and then the day before or after head over to AAC. A day in Gatlinburg is a ton of fun for the kids and extremly family friendly. We can go ice skating, video games, hit ripley's aquarium or museum, walk around town (very walkable) eat junk food and funnel cakes *YUMMY*.. that sorta thing. You know how to reach me... so you let me know. Good to see your back in the loop! I'm headed up to NH again next weekend, too bad you two couldn't head up there next weekend We'll be inducting another little girl while we're up there and Lexi will be along etc. HUGS to YOU!!!

It's my mission to visit them all, so I guess that's a vague non answer. I have moved several times to be near this tunnel or that one... at the top of my list is diameter followed by price. and so long as I can actually GET to it, the location for me is irrelevant.

I'd be MUCH more worried about breaking a guitar string!

OMG... WHAT was I thinking???? So sorry... let me correct myself a little bit. The one that burned down... the 6' machine did burn down but was rebuilt... but then shortly thereafter it "fell apart" so to speak which is why I totally forgot they rebuilt it. and then there was Dynasoar The last operational tunnel I'm aware of was the Dynasoar (duh cuz this was the first tunnel I flew in, how could I forget!!!), which was then sold to Larry Campbell in S.E. Texas and renamed Powerflyte. That was late 97... after that I'm not 100% positive but pretty sure there weren't any more tunnels... He was working on Patent Law and has many already published... but he does still have a website and is not really out of the industry in any way... check this out: http://www.trda.org/news/Outreach/outreach56.htm

Hiya.... It's been a while since I heard Frank's name around here Last time we saw him (couple of years now) he was working on his law degree I think. As far as I know/knew the last operational tunnel he had available unfortunately burned down several years back.. .

Because the "source" of the air is located a few dozen feet away from the actual flight area, AND because the method of creating the column iteself involves first pressurizing a room (horizontally) before expelling the air vertically, a power failure or "fault" results in a gradual decrease of airspeed at Appalachian Amusement Center.

Wow.. Mar.. it must be! You would've flown with my hubby John that day, and crazy as it is.. I think I DO remember the boys in that very situation. We arrived in Mid April and stayed through October.. and until we moved to the DZ in Deland in Sept. I was at the site pretty much full time with John while he was working. I wish I had gotten to meet you formally then, but love to know we've crossed paths even before I knew we did. sorry for the hijack... :) but ontopic.. why do I go to the tunnel? It's hard to summarize... but when I fly, I feel free. My mind is free.. the bills, lifes stress, the worries I have when I'm walking around, are gone. Just gone. I am only in the moment.. that moment where you are infinitely free to be and do as you please. There is no limited amount of time, there is no bulky equipement or suits to get in the way.. there is nothing but me, my jeans, sweatshirt & me in the air.. it's not over until I DECIDE it's over.. the time, the air, the flight.. I own it. And even when I share my air with others.. it's infinite and priceless... flying is my dream, my quest and yet only one of many purposes in my life. there is nothing like it in the world

Look at THAT! Mar.. we probably met in 98 and didn't even know it!

I just wanted to jump in here and volunteer that more coaches and tunnels DID get involved this year than last year. Bodyflight Bedford represented BIG time with a $300+ donation Flyaway Indoor Skydiving Las Vegas represented even bigger with a $500+ donation and of course John Suiter currently with Appalachian Amusement Center donated his tips too 'for the cause.

No worries about how long it's been! Your on your way! That's awesome!!! It's NOT like you haven't been a busy busy girl! I have some idea of how that is It'll be great... Paige we've flown in 4 VWTs together I think... all in the last couple of years! This time we'll go for the double rodeo

I did misunderstand your thoughts and there was a unit or two I think where the prop & motor was mounted in that orientation.. wow! But they didn't really work very well, which is why the gear box was introduced. The tunnel Paige has pics of made its first Rantoul appearance THIS year in fact.. it was short lived but it did make it

Hi Paige! I'm SOOO excited to see your artistic talents come into play this halloween! Your costume is looking GREAT!!!! John's costume arrived already as did Lexi's.. just waiting for my stuff to come in so I can work with it hopefully! See you all next weekend!!!

Turning the airflow 90 degrees prior to the test section is not only difficult but incredibly inefficient. Although it would be ideal I suppose to run a propeller in it's engineered orientation (vertical) they have always been mounted horizontally, since the first vertical wind tunnel. I'd be happy to provide an updated list of all the vertical wind tunnels known to date, there are about 75 of them I think at this point. There is only 1 that accomplishes this 90 degree turn, and that is Appalachian Amusement Center in North Carolina, but there is no prop on that machine, only 1 large fan locaed FAR away from the test section. There is a portable design in the works, course it's been in the works for years and has seen dozens of setbacks, but nonetheless, a portable that turns the airflow 180 degrees using a ducted fan, but until it's operational.. there is no way to know if they will actually accomplish this.

More Details http://www.bodyflight.net/cgi-bin/bfnews/print.pl?article=66

Again, completely reasonable.. ALOT of skydivers get in the tunnel for the first time and leave feeling frustrated... even at state of the art air quality tunnels! You'll do better and better each time you go. This is a great plan if your going to be in the area for a while. Talk to them and see what if any instruction they can offer you. While they maybe didn't offer alot of instruction on your first visit, it could be because they didn't feel you wanted the instruction, or because they don't have the skills to share with you. Either way.. a good discussion with them should assist you with figuring that out, and making the decision to give it another try or not.

I just wanted to post on some of your questions, now remember, I'm not an expert, I just play one on tv. There wouldn't be a whole lot of similarities, other than the basic act of flying. The tunnels, the environments, the instruction techniques, all of it are very very different. A fan & prop yeild very different results. In Aerodium Latvia there is a propeller.. and yes.. they create a great deal of turbulence in the airflow all by themselves. This doesn't mean however that they aren't capable of higher speeds. I have no idea of your size, but I do know that the tunnel there is capable of some fairly high speeds, I've seen plenty of video & pictures where no suit is required for flying. The technique in tunnels without roofs, open jets, is to keep the airpseed down for beginners, until they learn the ability to control altitude, and make them work a bit for it (pressing down to get lift), once that skill is well mastered, it's far easier and less worrisome to give someone ample airspeed. If given too early, then this could result in tragedy, and no one wants that. Yes.. totally normal for a beginner! This is a complicated move for such a confined space. Without enough lift and skill this can be disasterous.. So, bad technique.. yes. Lack of power? probably so due to your experience level and or size. I hadn't realized that Latvia was a big skydiving mecca. I understand from the owner that there is quite often a long line waiting to fly of tourists & beginners. Were you aware that you were flying in a tunnel that made history by appearing in the Olympic Closing Ceremonies just recently? It was pretty awesome!! Your experience will be extremely different. SkyVenture instruction will be very structured and you will likely learn alot in a short amount of time. The price for flights/instruction will likely be significantly different as well. A GREAT many of us learned to fly our bodies in "aerodium type air columns" and went on to be great skydivers. Provided that you are simply not TOO LARGE to benefit from the tunnel there, you should have no problem coming out of Aerodium with a solid education and skills to take to the sky. No.. they arent the same, but no tunnel and skydiving are the same. The skills we use are extremely similar, and how much you learn, is always a measure of how willing you are to learn, and not necessarily a reflection on the abilities of a particular tunnel.

FYI: I opted for NOT prebooking slots this year.. it's an open freefly-for-all SO much easier that way I have no idea what to dress up as... hippie? clown again? something else? anybody else coming up with costume ideas?

Nope.. have to join by then, and according to the guidelines we have until 12/31/07 to use it!! Awesome!

I just got the details to post on my site, and we have until 12/31/06 to join up and take advantage of the deal! Whoo hoo.. that allows me some time to save!!!

Michael, It was a pleasure to have met up with you too, you were a wonderful guest and I'm glad you had a great time, week and birthday! It was an honor to have flown both Smoky Mountain tunnels with you during your trip. Hope you enjoyed your time off too after all of that travel! Great big hugs, Come back and see us again soon.

Practice your pull sequence... tell your instructor that your prepping for aff and they will help you with everything you'll need to know. Talk to your future AFF instructor as well and get advice from them.