Tunnel Equipment ?

[Pablo.Moreno 0]

I have done close to 11 (maybe 14 with sharing time) hrs in the tunnel all with a coach on the course of 3 years and 3 trips and doing all in between 2.5-6 hrs per trip.

I can fly head down head up, do all three transitions, also got to learn all basic dynamic transitions and moves but out face carving on my head.

Unless you live by a tunnel the coaching is always worth it, you get immediate feed back on body position and they can come up with drills to improve efficiency. You can ask them to fly with you to be a point of reference, to generate dives that are at your skill level and to push you pass your comfortable zone. This is all worth it.
If you live by a tunnel then I guess coaching can be alternated by some solo sessions since there is no rush and the coaches are always going to be there.
as in gear, depending on how much time are you going to be spending at the tunnel. If you are going to be doing 4hrs+ then I would recommend you talking with an experience flyer to see what would be the best suit for you (It depends on your body shape and weight obviously, but aim for the best performance suit.
At the beginning use the tunnels baggier suits to help you with the lack of efficiency and then move on your own suit once you can out fly the baggier suit, the less draggy suits are awesome.
Also, the g3 are really nice, but a cheap open face would also do the trick (Try to avoid the protects, when you are head down hair might sneak out of the holes and will feel pretty uncomfortable. Also, if you are doing a lot of time make sure to wear some under armor. After wearing an under armor I could feel my skin raw and dry after a week of being off the tunnel. I cant imagine how bad it would be if you are not wearing anything under the suit.

[GD64 1]

Pablo.....Great write up! I was able to gleam a lot of info from your post. No, the nearest tunnel is a long way from me as well. What you have been able to accomplish sounds impressive to me (tunnel noob and zero free fly), but I was an ok flyer in my day RW er belly flyer (still getting the present day lingo down). I'm going to spend more than 4 hours in the tunnel, no doubt about it.

Matt and several others mentioned the G3, so if it fits thats the way I'm going.

Under Armor I have drawers of, so no problem.

I'm stoked, I'm thinking the tunnel will help me get my belly flying form back, and allow me to explore a new discipline in free fly, before I hit the sky's again.

Now back to "Priceline" or whomever, for cheap rates to warm weather tunnels.

[ianyapxw 0]

How does tunnel time work in the US?

Are you paying extra for a coach, and if you do, do they replace the spotter?

If you go to the tunnel without coaching time, do they actually give you tips or they only ask you for wind speed?

[Trafficdiver 8]

I see what your getting at you have a spotter in there but not another coach. Still you've got someone telling you debriefing you.

I use a coach plus the spotter most often. This dude was also my coach in skydiving before I got my license so I know his style and and he knows me pretty well.

I can't imagine how hard it would have been to learn back flying without him, or atleast someone to coach me, it's so unintuitive from bellyflying when you start. Sit flying has been even more difficult for me. That being said the more I sit fly the better my back flying has got. To the point where I am relaxed and actually comfortable doing it.

GD when you get in the tunnel have them teach you Mantis Position as that's how the majority of good RW fliers fly. And have fun, it's a bit difficult at first and somewhat frustrating but it gets better the better you get. Just like skydiving.

[GD64 1]

Thanks Trafficdiver....... will do.

[ianyapxw 0]

But since you're bringing in another guy I think there's a minimum number of flights right? One of the reasons why I didn't want coaching was this minimum number of flights thing

[Joellercoaster 6]

I think that one might be local to you... this hasn't been the case anywhere else I know of (admittedly I have only flown in European tunnels and Dubai, the States is a dark continent to me).

Where do you normally fly?

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[GD64 1]

Joellercoaster.........I'm a total tunnel noob. With out getting to long winded, my plan is to use it (the tunnel) to regain some old form, and improve with new techniques and strategies for flying my body in the modern era. I spent some time away from the sport.....business, family, business. I'm really excited, and it's almost like the feeling of your first dozen jumps or so.

I would say that 90% of my skydives were at drop zones in the SE and western USA while living and working in the area year around. I'm consolidating my current life style with the plan of moving to warm weather DZ's in the winter. As I do a little "recon" for my future winter home, I might as well get acquainted with the different tunnels. So that is why I asked about tunnel gear and was rewarded with a lot of great info from everyone.

I guess I managed to get long winded again, darn.

[NWFlyer 2]

ianyapxw

How does tunnel time work in the US?

Are you paying extra for a coach, and if you do, do they replace the spotter?

If you go to the tunnel without coaching time, do they actually give you tips or they only ask you for wind speed?

At the tunnels I've been to (SFBay, Paraclete, Perris, and Arizona), the coach is always in addition to the spotter (tunnel instructor).

If I'm in the tunnel I'm almost always working on FS skills/drills with my team or other friends, so it's kind of a different situation. Sometimes we have a coach, sometimes we don't, but the tunnel instructors (at least the ones at my local tunnel - SF Bay) aren't 4-way types (or even skydivers - I think there's currently only one skydiver on staff), so I think of them as safety resources, not coaching resources based on what they can/can't offer.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[ianyapxw 0]

So it basically means that all these guys know is how to walk,to spot, to catch people (basically FITP) but they have no instructor ratings (Instructor 1 - 4)?

Why work at a tunnel then if you don't get to fly?

edit: And yes, I would pay for coaching if I went to those kind of tunnels

[ianyapxw 0]

iFly Singapore, but I've stopped going there since I moved to Australia.

Coaching here happens in 2 ways, there are fixed coaching time slots (minimum 5 'skydives') but there's an assigned instructor. If you want your own instructor (they all double up as spotters), you have to go for 20 'skydives' in the span of 4 hours.

I'm sure there must be some kind of minimum right? You can't just go to the tunnel and say I'd like coaching for 2 'skydives'. I've flown just 2 'skydives' before in a single day.

[NWFlyer 2]

ianyapxw

So it basically means that all these guys know is how to walk,to spot, to catch people (basically FITP) but they have no instructor ratings (Instructor 1 - 4)?

Why work at a tunnel then if you don't get to fly?

edit: And yes, I would pay for coaching if I went to those kind of tunnels

I didn't say that at all. I actually do not know precisely which level each of the instructors at my local tunnel has attained. Based on their tenure, I'd guess it's a mix.

I said that they aren't 4-way guys/gals. That's an entirely different coaching / flying skill set that isn't part of the IBA tunnel instructor curriculum and is generally only found in current or former 4-way competitors who also know how to teach. I can't think of a single person I'd hire to coach me in 4-way that isn't a current (or former) skydiver.

http://tunnelflight.com/pages/instructors/instructor.php?id=99999

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[ianyapxw 0]

My bad

got me confused there

[NWPoul 1]

It's sounds weird for me Yes I flyied and worked only in tunnels here but I never heard from anyone, that any WT would forced you to fly coachspecific slots (if I understood your post right)

In my home WT (flystation) and AFAIK in other ISG (boottrop line of WT) it's works as follow:

You pay for your time
You get a safety/spotter
You can invite your coach or get our instructor for coaching/debriefing
If you take our instructor as coach or your instructor is known instructor from other ISG tunnel that it's allowed to fly without spotter (but the spotter get in for an advanched transition/elements and if coach asked)

In all cases you will fly the time that you wish to

Flying without coaching IMO - wasting of time and money
of course there is a point when you work on shown elements by you own
And yes we as a spotters almost always readily help flyers with advices not only spot, but true choaching/debreifing is more effective)

Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

[ianyapxw 0]

For iFly Singapore, if you fly coach specific slots, it's minimum of 5 'skydives' in 1 time slot. If you choose your own coach from the spotters, it's minimum of 20 'skydives' in 4 hours.

[Trafficdiver 8]

My coach buys a membership which is 5 hours then sells me 15 minutes with his coaching and a spotter. The spotter only hops in for a few seconds at the beginning and the end unless I do something stupid dangerous, which I do, then he may jump back in to keep me from killing my coach.

I may do a few rotations without him on my back and belly or to work on something, but for the most part he stays in and gives me direct feedback. It would take me 10 times as long to figure out sit flying or back flying. Heck learning belly was hard enough and I had some great coaches for that too.

[ianyapxw 0]

So your coach isn't attached to the tunnel (and doubles up as a spotter)? I know iFly Singapore does have outside coaches but not sure how this arrangement works.