jmidgley 0 #1 December 12, 2005 Hi This is probably old news to you dedicated tunnel rats, but it's fresh and frustrating for me, living only a couple of hours away from not one, but two new tunnels, and having *still* not set foot in either of them. Here's what I thought would happen: I phone up and say "I'd like an hour of coaching, all told, between opening and closing on any convenient weekday. Do you take cash?". But it turns out that it's *my* job to find some other customers, who also want to do this, otherwise there's a danger of being required to do the hour in one lump. Even I know this isn't a good idea. I've looked in the Tunnel Time Classifieds, but there isn't exactly a flourishing market. How do people overcome this? Regards John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #2 December 12, 2005 Post a note on the notice boards at the tunnels. Leave your name and email address with the reception at both tunnels, to pass on to anyone else making a similar request. From January on I'll be looking for someone to split some off-peak time with me at Bedford (Mondays). PM me if interested. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RossDagley 0 #3 December 12, 2005 You'll find this with tunnels. What you'll also find is it can be better to book your time (even with a coach) as a 15 minute slot which the tunnel can work in around the paying punters rather than a 30 minute or an hour block, which you'll have to fill solidly. IE, do two 15 minute blocks back to back, with paying Jo-Public in at the same time, rather than a 30 minute block 'solid' which you cannot fly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #4 December 12, 2005 John..... Post something somewhere..... If you are looking to share tunnel time there is a whole lot of people I am sure in the same boat.... Count me in for 2006 if you are looking for someone to share some tunnel time ...FF of course Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #5 December 12, 2005 Don't know whether Bedford does this, worth checking (paulipod?), airkix has a coaching evening Tuesdays and I know they do FS coaching then and you can book 10 min slots. Depending on who is the instructor, you may be able to do FF coaching on Tuesdays too. It's also worth getting in touch with some of the FF coaches at DZs, some of them block book time which they sell on to punters in 10-15 minute slots including tunnel time and coach cost. From my own experience, any more than that is exhausting (I did 20 mins non-stop with Rusty when he was over and had problems reaching my steering wheel to drive home) tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paulipod 0 #6 December 13, 2005 Finding someone to share the time with doesnt have to be difficult... if you are flexible on your flight time. We do not guarantee roation with others when people book bulk time (30mins or over) but we do provide people to share with (and organise the diary for this) when you book 10mins blocks or less. Easiest by far though is just ask what times in the diary there are other people already - and then we book you in to share with an existing booking. I think in the last few months of running we have only had two times where people had no-one to rotate with.... and on those occasions I simply brought forward some staff training. At no time would we ever expect people to fly for more than a few mins straight - but we do warn people that if they book bulk time that this is their responsibility - after all I cant invent the right people to fly with As for coaching.... we offer a few options. 1. For basic flight position skills you can use the instructor in the tunnel 2. For one-on-one coaching we can offer a member of staff for brief/flight/debrief for £8 per 15mins 3. We can hook you up with a coach too. Fabian / Babylon are all here next week for example. Bodyflight Bedford www.bodyflight.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigelh 0 #7 December 13, 2005 Maybe you should try and Tunnel Camp? There's been a little bit of feedback in the forum on my site www.ukfreefly.com Nigel-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Sponored by NZ Aerosports, CYPRES 2, Tonfly & L&B Team Dirty Sanchez #232 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites