Oct 14, 2011, 4:23 PM
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Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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If I'm a licensed skydiver with 600 jumps and about an hour of tunnel time, and I want to fly with a whuffo friend who has never been in a tunnel before... is this possible?
I know the tunnel instructors hold onto whuffos tightly while they belly fly, I am wondering if they would let me into the tunnel to dock on the whuffo friend. The instructor would sitll be in there at all times.
Is this something the individual instructors have say over, or is it strictly forbidden in the tunnel rules to have a whuffo in with non-instructors?
Oct 14, 2011, 4:52 PM
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Re: [bch7773] Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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Talk to a manager at the tunnel, preferably just after you've flown there. Then they'll know that you're capable of flying in the confined space of the tunnel without bumping off the walls or burbling yourself or your friend or the instructor. the tunnel management has a duty to ensure that people who fly there are safe, and my guess is that they will be more receptive to the idea if they know a little about your current abilities.
Oct 14, 2011, 7:39 PM
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Re: [adagen] Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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No need to ask the manager. Talk to the instructor before you enter the tunnel. Tell him what your idea is. Then you demonstrate the ability to fly controlled on all axis'. From there its up to your friend to prove he isn't going to kill the both of you (or make the instructor make a save).
After that its up to the instructor.
When I was instructing I would see how well you fly, then see how the whuffo does in his/her first rotation. If they aren't a spaz and and sit there fat dumb and happy, then I would let you join, besides with both of you in there at the same air speed you are gonna struggle which means I don't have to work as hard when one of you messes up.
Oct 15, 2011, 5:26 AM
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Re: [jtiflyer] Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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ok at least its possible. I was afraid there would be some set in stone rule against it.
and I'm not doing it to save tunnel money or anything, I just think it would be neat for the whuffo to say they've docked with me in "(simulated )freefall"
Oct 18, 2011, 9:47 AM
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Re: [bch7773] Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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Talk to the Instructors. I have 100+ hours in the tunnel, but stay out of the way with 1st time flyers until they can fly well enough to justify it. A new flyer is very unpredictable and can very quickly put themselves in danger. Since the Tunnel Instructor needs to be able to make the save, it's best if I'm not getting in their way.
I took my nephew in and after about 10 min's he was doing well enough for me to join him in the tunnel. But not everyone picks it up that quickly.
Oct 25, 2011, 4:43 AM
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Re: Skydiver flying with Whuffo in tunnel?
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Book some time and rotate with them. It's cool, they get to watch you flying around and see what's possible once you have your body under control - without the concentration overload that happens the first time they ever get in the tunnel and they realise it's REALLY WEIRD.
If that's all that happens, then you've still shared the experience. Or if it's all going really well, the instructor might ask you to come in for the last flight or two
[edit: I got to fly with my Mum a while ago in just this way, it was priceless ]
(This post was edited by Joellercoaster on Oct 25, 2011, 4:45 AM)
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