Planning a trip to the US next year

[FFlyer 0]

Hey everyone,

Me and some friends are thinking about going to the US for a skydiving/tunnel trip. So being from South Africa and having never been in a tunnel I have a few questions.

The group of friends I will be going with will probably all be freeflyers. A friend of mine came back from doing some tunnel time last year and although she said it was great, she said that she had to modify her sitflying style and position drastically because of the slower wind speeds (she had to try techniques of flying really wide and then bringing her knees together the whole time). Now with this in mind ive only ever heard good things about learning in the tunnel and how your learning curve can rocket up. But how can it really improve your flying skills so much if you are flying completely differently to how you would fly in the sky?

We are probably iether going to go to perris or to eloy. Havnt decided which yet but if you have any suggestions they would be welcome. Ill do a search because im sure you have all discussed many times which is the best place to go to. I want to also go to a place where I can get some good ff coaching on skydives, not just tunnel.

Would you say that 30 mins in the tunnel would be beneficial for someone who has never been in a tunnel. Or should I just save up and go for a full hour? Its just that in terms of money, I want to still do a lot of skydives and a good portion of those I would like to be coach jumps.

Also,...my original plan was to improve my HD with the help of the tunnel but apparently you first have to proficiently back-fly, then sitfly, then HD. This makes sense, but means I probably wont be able to do any HD in the tunnel.

We have only just started to plan the trip so im sure ill have more questions later.
Any ideas or advice? Thanks!!

edited: What is the weather like at those two dropzones in about march/april? When is the best time to go in terms of weather?

[Bowen 0]

Hey,

the tunnel will teach you proper technique. a lot of skydivers find the tunnel hard because of lack of technique. In the tunnel you are flying at slower wind speeds. Around 135MPH so you learn how to really fly your body. Not just fall through the sky in a body position. If she is pushing her knees together and her ankles out then I suspect she is a little bit of a bigger girl. Usually people that do this in the beginning eventually get better at flying their bodies and then go into a text book style sit, calf and thigh at a 90degree angle, legs slightly wider then your torso, back slightly arched back and arms parallel to the torso at a 90 degree angle pushing the air down. Before you get to the tunnel talk to a experienced free fly tunnel coach . Paying for a good tunnel coach will help you a lot, It’s well worth the money. My decision would be to go to Eloy. It may not be the largest any more but I think it’s the fastest public tunnel a civilian can go too.

-Bowen

Retired Tunnel Instructor, Sky/Tunnel Coach

Former dealer for 2k Composites, Skysystems, Alti-2, Wings

[bbarnhouse 0]

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It may not be the largest any more but I think it’s the fastest public tunnel a civilian can go too.

What I can tell you is that recently we flew someone equipped with ruck,rig,O2 etc weighing in around 310 lbs above the glass at 85%.
Yeah I have pictures, but sorry I can't post them here.
(Thanks to the fine fella that helped with this project)

[Paulipod 0]

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It may not be the largest any more but I think it’s the fastest public tunnel a civilian can go too

not wanting to get into too much of a pissing contest but I will just say ahem.

Bodyflight Bedford
www.bodyflight.co.uk

[Paige 0]

Quote

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It may not be the largest any more but I think it’s the fastest public tunnel a civilian can go too

not wanting to get into too much of a pissing contest but I will just say ahem.

But he's taking a trip to the US That's as big and fast as civilians can get over here.

Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate
www.TunnelPinkMafia.com

[bbarnhouse 0]

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not wanting to get into too much of a pissing contest but I will just say ahem.

My response was to the statement. I never claimed to have the fastest tunnel someone else did. I only stated the fact of what had transpired.

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But he's taking a trip to the US That's as big and fast as civilians can get over here.

That would be a true statement today, but things change very rapidly with growth.

[Paige 0]

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But he's taking a trip to the US That's as big and fast as civilians can get over here.

That would be a true statement today, but things change very rapidly with growth.

[FFlyer 0]

Thanks for the comments. Does anyone else have anything to add in reply to my original questions?

Geez, just checking flights to get an idea of prices. Return flight from South Africa to the US is really going to break the bank . Oh well,...it'll be worth it

cheers

[Eule 0]

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edited: What is the weather like at those two dropzones in about march/april? When is the best time to
go in terms of weather?

March or April is probably a reasonable time for Eloy - warm, but not too hot. Not bad in Perris, either,
but it might rain a bit in March there. Here's a chart for Eloy and a chart for Elsinore (just down the
road from Perris):

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliF302000.pl?azeloy
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliF302000.pl?caelsi

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[FFlyer 0]

Quote

March or April is probably a reasonable time for Eloy - warm, but not too hot. Not bad in Perris, either,
but it might rain a bit in March there. Here's a chart for Eloy and a chart for Elsinore (just down the
road from Perris):

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliF302000.pl?azeloy
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliF302000.pl?caelsi

Eule

Great, thanks!

[FFlyer 0]

How close to the dz is the arizona tunnel?

Also, im hoping to find a motel or something nearby to the az dz, but we wont be hiring a car. Is there any way to get to the dz from a reasonably close motel if we dont have a car?

Is +- $30 a night possible at a motel, or am I being too hopefull?

(Sorry, this isnt all about windtunnels anymore, but I figured I may aswell just carry on with this already created thread)

Thanks

[Dazzle 0]

About 150 meters!

There are team rooms and a bunkhouse if you dont want a car. We spent the xmas boogie last year in the team rooms and they were fine.

[FFlyer 0]

Well im finally doing it. Im buying my airline tickets today. The trip will be from 13th April to 28th April. Damn,...I cant wait!!!
I hope there aren't any big boogies at that time at other dz's which will mean that arizona will be empty?

Now ive just got to get my team mates to hurry up and get their tickets organised.

[bbarnhouse 0]

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I hope there aren't any big boogies at that time at other dz's which will mean that arizona will be empty?

No worries is is plenty busy in April and you may want to extend your visit.
The last weekend we travel to Puerto Penesco Mexico for the Rocky Point boogie. Its a blast.
B2