tunnel freefly

[freeflier70 0]

Helo everybody,
I'm a just a little more then beginner in skydiving and in a month I'm going to Orlando where we're gonna jump from plains like crazy..
I'm also going in a tunnel for an hour where I would like to practice freeflying. Could someone of you give me some instructions? OK, maybe not instructions, but is there any "program for freefly beginners" in a tunnel? I'm going there three days in a row for 20 minutes. So I'm asking if you cold give me some advice how to start freeflying in a tunnel.
Thank you and wish u blue skies!

D

[normiss 754]

ummm we have orange groves, tourist parks, beaches....but we aint got no stinkin plains - those are out in the midwest somewhere from what I understand...

All the tunnel help you can stand:
http://www.tunnelcoach.com

[WatchYourStep 0]

You're going to have a blast. Call up SVO and ask for Dan Perry. The guy is an amazing flier and is very easy to work with.

Spend the extra money for an actual coach (cough cough Dan) it'll be worth it.

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[TaylorC 0]

not sure what it is like in orlando but in AZ i had to do some time on my belly, then quite a bit on my back then learn to walk/stand in the tunnel then i was able to start learning how to sit on the mesh floor. Work on back flying if your still able to skydive right now cause it will seriously help a lot when your in that tunnel

[jee 0]

if you've never been in the tunnel you can pretty much forget about freeflying until you have several hours in the tunnel even if you are a good feeflyer in the sky. for all practical purposes you will find it is completely different than jumping from a plane. you first will have to show proficiency on your belly which will take at least the first of your 20 minutes but will most likely take all three of what you have scheduled. then you will have to "fly" on your back. at the same time the instructor will get you into walking on the net and going from standing to your back without smacking yourself on the net or into the wall. all things being considered if i were you i wouldn't plan on anything other than belly flying for now.
i say this with much conviction because i was just there for my second "tunnel trip" and well into my second hour of tunnel time and can now just lift myself from the net and hover on my back without spinning out of control. i have about 200 jumps of which 100 are freefly jumps.

ciao

[normiss 754]

I don't believe your experience is typical.

[freeflier70 0]

Hey guys, I want to thank you gor all your replies. I must say, that I'm a little bit more nervous now then I was before. But i don't mind at all. I guess, I have to go and try it myself and then I'll know, right?
This link normiss sent me is very usefull and I'll try to stick up to it as much as I could...
Maybe I'll eve try with a coach, we'll see.
I'll write when I come back and share the result with all of you.
Thanks again.

D

[jee 0]

and typical is?

[normiss 754]

I know plenty of jumpers that were sit flying in the tunnel on their first visit within 10 minutes.

[VegasBrad 0]

I would have to say that typical is very hard to define. It all depends on the flyer's experience in the sky (or other tunnels), their goals and attitude, and coach. I've seen tunnel virgins with 200 jumps sit flying within 20 minutes, and skygods with 2000 jumps struggle on their belly. The most important part is to have fun, that seems to be when people learn the most. Don't get frustrated if you don't reach your goals right away, the more time you spend in the air the more muscle memory you will build. If you only get as far as back flying then at least you know you have a stable position to revert to if you cork out in the sky.

Brad Hess
Manager
Vegas Indoor Skydiving

[gmarkwardt 0]

apparently typical isn't safe.
i don't think it's whether you can sit fly or not. it's about safety. and my personal opinion is there is no way you can be safe in the tunnel in a sit after only 10 minutes. you see the fans must be turned up very high in order to support a person in the sit postion. corking at a high fan speed would be very dangerous. the idea is you MUST be comfortable on your back FIRST because if you lose your sit that is where you MUST go so you don't cork. obviously the weight and density of the flyer is also a consideration the heavier the person the more power required.
my advice is if you are sitting after only 10 minutes stop now and go back to the basics first. be safe. i think jee is on the right track and my bet is he is getting some good responsible coaching.
normiss...BE SAFE.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

Helo everybody,
I'm also going in a tunnel for an hour where I would like to practice freeflying. Could someone of you give me some instructions?

I spent over an hour (as in 4 hour long blocks rotating in with just two other people) in the tunnel learning to back fly before they'd let me sit. Had all sorts of bruises from bouncing off the net. Some people with less experience in other positions get it faster. Some people take longer.

[Katrinka 0]

find a coach and listen what he will say in 5-10min of flying That time will be enough (well for most instructors I guess) to define if you are ready "to run" or if you still need "to walk"

Its time to rock&roll.

[Casurf1978 0]

Quote

You're going to have a blast. Call up SVO and ask for Dan Perry. The guy is an amazing flier and is very easy to work with.

Spend the extra money for an actual coach (cough cough Dan) it'll be worth it.

Yeah, Dan Perry is amazing and if he's not available ask for Randy Ashley. Both are amazing flyers and instructors. You can be a kick ass flyer but if you are not a good instructor it's useless. Both these guys are top notch.

[mdrejhon 8]

Quote

Helo everybody,
I'm a just a little more then beginner in skydiving and in a month I'm going to Orlando where we're gonna jump from plains like crazy..
I'm also going in a tunnel for an hour where I would like to practice freeflying. Could someone of you give me some instructions? OK, maybe not instructions, but is there any "program for freefly beginners" in a tunnel? I'm going there three days in a row for 20 minutes. So I'm asking if you cold give me some advice how to start freeflying in a tunnel.
Thank you and wish u blue skies!

D

If this is your first time in a tunnel, they will not let you freefly right off the bat -- find a good tunnel instructor. If you've been jumping thousands of times, you might end up being a good freeflyer and only need a few minutes to get hang of it, but more likely you may end up needing a coach for the entire hour -- make sure you go prepared for all possible cases. The good thing is you have three separate days of 20 minute periods. The first 20 minute period will probably determine what you will eventually do in the next two 20-minute periods...and give you time to adjust and get ready for the next few 20 minute periods. I know, after paying hundreds of dollars for an hour of tunnel, you don't always feel like paying extra for a coach, but it is worth it -- especially if this is your first time in a tunnel or doing new things in a tunnel.

[jose 0]

Hey, shouldn't he get a Canadian tunnel coach? Like Lemay?