Chicago tunnel

[ladyskydiver 0]

Has there been any thoughts on a tunnel in the Chicago area in the next couple of years?

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[PhreeZone 15]

They need to come up with a recirculated one to make it worthwhile. I heard that there was one that was looked at for the Cincinnati/Indy area but they had'nt worked out how to recirculate the air and heat it enough to make it useable from Nov-May.

Cool air may help provide lift in the tunnel, but no one wants to be in a tunnel when the outside air is already below freezing and having the tunnel chill it even more.

If the tunnel ever goes up in NJ or CO its to be a heated recirculation tunnel design so that the design can be perfected.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Vallerina 2]

They should put one up in the WI Dells area. Plenty of tourists to keep it running, and it's close enough to Chicago to people like me there all the time, too.

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[indyz 1]

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They should put one up in the WI Dells area. Plenty of tourists to keep it running, and it's close enough to Chicago to people like me there all the time, too.

The Dells would probably be the best spot in Illinois/Wisconsin for tourist traffic. Not incredibly convenient for skydivers, though, and the town pretty much shuts down after the water parks close.

I was going to suggest putitng it between Chicago and Milwaukee, on I-94 right by the Six Flags and the (proposed) hotel/water park. And I'm not saying that because I live right there.

I remember hearing talk of a Navy Pier tunnel. I guess that fell through?

[Paulipod 0]

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but they had'nt worked out how to recirculate the air and heat it enough to make it useable from Nov-May

In a recirculating tunnel its not heating thats needed... but cooling!

The heat input from over 1000HP will cause significant temp rise.... so with the right cooling, a comfortable temp can be achieved.

Bodyflight Bedford
www.bodyflight.co.uk

[kingbunky 3]

apparently, they're building one in new hampshire, so cold shouldn't be an issue! from the skyventure site:

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SkyVenture New Hampshire

SkyVenture New Hampshire recently purchased a SkyVenture 12 foot, 1000 HP recirculaing wind tunnel for installation in Nashua, New Hampshire just north of the Mass. border. The owner has completed funding, purchased the land and obtainined the required zoning. The tunnel will open in summer 2005 and will serve skydivers, entertainment customers and the Military.

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[AndyMan 7]

There's been talk of building a wind tunnel in Chicago as long as I've been living here, which is 5 years.

First Roger was going to build one at SDC, as part of a restaurant complex he had planned. He never got financing for the restaurant, so the tunnel never happened.

Then there was talk of Skydive Illinois (Morris) building one outside, but well known issues of mismanagement led to them getting kicked off the airport and the owners giving up.

Last I heard was of a plan to build a recirculating wind tunnel up near Gurnee (six flags), but a lack of financing also killed this project.

I have no doubt it'll eventually happen. I had thought the Gurnee one was likely to happen, perhaps it will some day.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[ladyskydiver 0]

[pout] But I want one in Chicago area now!!!! [/pout]

Oh, well...looks like the airlines will continue getting money from me until a wind tunnel opens up closer.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[AndyMan 7]

So now there's tunnels in Orlando, Perris, Eloy, Colorado, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Hollywood, San Francisco Bay, and even one in Montreal.

What's wrong with Chicago?

SERIOUSLY?!

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[rehmwa 2]

A recirc midwest tunnel would be a great location.

Chicago, Minneapolis, KC, St Louis are all good locations

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Remster 24]

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So now there's tunnels in Orlando, Perris, Eloy, Colorado, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Hollywood, San Francisco Bay, and even one in Montreal.

What's wrong with Chicago?

SERIOUSLY?!

_Am

Its not real till they switch the lights on. Till then, its just a press release.

Remster

[bomber 0]

Well, in case anyone is considering building one, according to the "bodyflightconcepts.com" site, and the skyventure.com site, a state of the art tunnel will cost between $2 million and $5 million, and generate $875k profit per year. (disclaimer: this is based on 10 minutes of web searching. don't take it too seriously)

If you stick to the middle of the range, $3.5 mil, that leads to being entirely in the black in 4 years, and a 10 year profit of $5.25 million.

That's not spectacular, but not too bad either, especially with the other successful tunnels to use as examples.

hmm....

eric

[Andy9o8 0]

It's a pity the initial startup for a tunnel is so daunting - not just raising a shitload of money, but new construction and all that goes into it - government approvals, architechts, contractors, unions, the actual time to build, etc. - it's like having to build a new shopping center every time, just to service the first customer. A far cry, from plopping a Cessna in the middle of a cornfield and flying loads off a grass strip. It's why you can't really believe any press release or ad until actual construction is under way.

Outside of CA & FL, the demand seems be growing much faster than the supply. Several major population regions in N. America still basically unserved w/i a day's round-trip drive: Pacific West, Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic, Texas. Hope that changes in the next several years.