allaxisdotca 0 #26 March 10, 2008 Any interested "skydivers" can also book coaching time through me at www.allaxis.ca I am a Canadian jumper with 64 hours of freefall and 8 hours in SVO. I am also the only CSPA jumper with Instructional and Coach ratings who is certified to teach in the Niagara Freefall tunnel. I am developing a progressive curriculum for assisting upcoming jumpers, either learning via Static Line, IAD of PFF/AFF. More responses to come. Mike X www.allaxis.ca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allaxisdotca 0 #27 March 10, 2008 1st, please understand that my words are from that of a complete novice and someone who will use the tunnel as "someone just learning". A - Welcome to the sport. I live in Ontario, merely 6 hrs from the Niagara tunnel. A - 6 Hours!!!! Where are you? I'm going to NH tunnel with my coach (he has been skydiving a long time, his licence # is D472 and he is a world record holder so I trust his opinion and experience). A- Good. He told me directly that the tunnel in Niagara is not good for skydivers. A- I disagree. If you can keep arching and stay in this column of air, there is nothing that can harm you in learning here. You will be arching, doing practice pulls, learning levels control and even recovering from instability. It would have been better stated if your mentor said to you that SVN or others may offer MORE airspeed, but the air in Niagara IS CLEAN and it definitely is a great tool for learning. To me it is critical there is clean air, air flow is consistent and simulates FF as close as possible. A - DONE Being complete novice, if I was to go into a tunnel such as the one in Niagara, I would be fooled by that experience and my AFF free fall will certainly be nothing like that tunnel experience. A - How can you be 'fooled'? I don't understand. Please re-read my previous response to your previous statement. As a side note, which Canadian skydive centers offer AFF (instead of PFF) that are 6 hours from Niagara? I would stretch to guess that going into a tunnel which does not give me a free fall experience as close as the real thing would be potentially dangerous. For I would not be prepared for "the real thing". A- WOW! How can this be dangerous to a learning skydiver. Do you follow your instructors suggestions? Well don't fly outside of your capabilities and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS and you'll live the 'real thing'. (Side thought. When has tunnel flying ever been the "Real Thing"? I thought that all of the world champion tunnel flyers were still mastering the ability to fly. Many have never made a skydive.) Once I have been diving for a while, I'm sure I would not even think of the Niagara tunnel as an option... A- WOW. I have 5200 skydives, 64 hours of freefall and a good amount of time in SVO, and I still appreciate my time in this tunnel. We are always learning. sorry for the long winded approach, but what i really wanted to get across that ESPECIALLY a beginner should be learning in the most optimum conditions... skydiving is not forgiving for too many 'oops" moments.. Well, the parachute is what gets you to the ground. I hope it opens for you and I hope that your coach is teaching you more about canopy control than freefall. You surely have been taught this saying by your coach.... "Minds are like parachutes. They work better when they're open.Mike X allaxis.ca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frost 1 #28 March 10, 2008 Pizzle, i am replying to your post but it's not directed at you, more of a general reply, ok?... The bigger guys that have tried flying in the weaker tunnels know what i am trying to say. The skygod-like sarcastic replies from instructors with 16 years of experience are irrelevant, so i'll just ignore those. For the rest of us - people with moderately decent flying skills, who pay their hard earned cash for tunnel time to get better my point should be clear. One can agree or disagree with my opinion, it doesnt really matter. If creating obstacles and then working hard to overcome them is your thing - then by all means, fly in weaker tunnels with baggy suits, spend your time and money on becoming a better tunnel flyer. In the end, you probably will be better flyers then others and my respect goes out to you without a doubt - for your dedication and effort. I, on the other hand, would rather learn quicker, easier and faster in a strong tunnel. Why the extra effort? Work smart, not hard. Am i mistaken in my opinion? Are you mistaken in yours? How about this: you do what you do, i'll do what i do and it's all good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #29 March 10, 2008 Nope, not mistaken in your opinion, nor am I in mine.....as said in a song once..."dowhachulike"! ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMURRAY 1 #30 April 12, 2008 QuoteI live in Ontario, merely 6 hrs from the Niagara tunnel. A - 6 Hours!!!! Where are you? She is in Sudbury. If the tunnel in Niagara is going to be worth the short trip it will have to prove it to us - until then, it is just a tourist attraction like everything else there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #31 April 14, 2008 Quoteit is just a tourist attraction like everything else there. BINGO!! you are the winner with the correct answer.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #32 April 16, 2008 Quote Quote it is just a tourist attraction like everything else there. BINGO!! you are the winner with the correct answer.. Definitely is a tourist attraction first and foremost! But doesn't make it 100% useless to skydivers. Occasionally practicing slow and burbly flying is good for people like me who have to navigate RW on the slide (exit) or trying to recover from somebody flying under me without causing me to tumble, or trying to fall slower in a more controllable way whenever I go low. I imagine I would prefer Skyventure most of the time but next time I am in Niagara (dependant on whom I carpool with), I'd be willing to visit there to expand my experience with all kinds of airstreams, either smooth/clean or slow/burbly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
white_falcon02 0 #33 April 17, 2008 I've been reading the posts in this tread and I think that most people are missing the point. I currently fly tunnel at Paraclete xp (the big a$$ sky venture), but if I was still living in Toronto, or if I move back, I'd be flying at Niagara's tunnel. Why? Because it is there. It is useful for learning the core skills such as a proper, stable arch. going up/down (fall rate variation), turns. It will be useful for learning to fly in one spot, not using 30-50 feet of horizontal air space, which is extremely useful for the RW people out there. When I was a student, I had a lot of problems with my form (crap box) and making radical movements when only slight gentle movements were needed. A tunnel in Niagara would have been perfect for fixing that stuff, and it would have saved me a crap load of money in PFF jumps. It is amazing how many people have an opinion of a tunnel that they have never jumped. What is even more amazing is that some people are forming their opinions from other jumpers who also have not been in that tunnel. Give it a try 1st. $/minute of air time, it is cheaper and takes less time then a skydive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #34 April 18, 2008 So this means you have flown at Niagara? Otherwise you are by your own logic not entitled to an opinion about it.... I have flown at Niagara and stand by my statement. Also, just like the rest of Niagara Falls, it's a really expensive amusement ride.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
white_falcon02 0 #35 April 18, 2008 I think you have miss understood the point I was trying to get across. I will admit that I have never been in the Niagara tunnel. I have been in that style of tunnel though. The point I was trying to make is that it is better then nothing. Yes, the sky ventures are why and far superior, and in December when the Montreal one opens, I highly recommend it over the Niagara style tunnel. It would be easy for me to only defend the sky ventures as I am hitting the Paraclete xp one at least once a month right now. But for those who need help now on their solo skills, or those who have just spent approximately $1500 on their solo, or those who are just not a financially able to travel any real distance other then a couple of hours, this tunnel does have the ability to advance your skills, although not as easily. Again, if I move back to Canada, I will be using it regularly to continue to sharpen my skills.Therefore, I too stand behind my opinion. I think there have been some valid points on both sides of the fence. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paige 0 #36 April 19, 2008 Best part about people knocking slower tunnels is that it's rarely the tunnel that is the problem. Usually the flyer does not enjoy the experience because they are not an adequate enough flyer to deal with a new/different environment. "Oh it's too slow!" they say. No, not really the case. Air is air. Fast air is always preferable (to me) but man do I LOVE ALL AND BENEFIT GREATLY from ALL my time at Flyaway, SVO, and AAC. This post is in no way directed at anyone in particular. I haven't read many responses to the original poster but I do base this statement off of my 5 years in the sport and what I've seen/heard.Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate www.TunnelPinkMafia.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
djd 0 #37 April 19, 2008 Have to agree... i flew in Vegas and had such a good laugh.. and when i saw the instructors doing there thing i was really impressed... as they will tell you its more acrobatic than a fast tunnel but boy do you learn how to move... dont get me wrong i love fast tunnels but i will travel for any tunnel. i flew in an 8ft tunnel a little while ago, it was slow and different but i still smiled all day after... if you really love body flying you will do it any where.. ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunnelfly 0 #38 April 20, 2008 Quote ...that it's rarely the tunnel that is the problem. Usually the flyer does not enjoy the experience because they are not an adequate enough flyer to deal with a new/different environment. I do agree, but you should also consider the people weighing 200 lb and above. If the they say that a low speed tunnel sucks, I totally understand them... Of course, I'm not talking about me I love any way of not being "bound to the ground". No.1 reason NOT to be an astronaut: ...You can't drink beer at zero gravity... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paige 0 #39 April 20, 2008 There are always exceptions to the rule, I'm speaking about the vast majority of the 'average' sized (or 'within the tunnel limits') people.Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate www.TunnelPinkMafia.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 4 #40 April 26, 2008 Well, one difference between SkyVenture NH and Niagara Freefall is that in New Hampshire, Hooters is ~ 1/2 mile away, where as at Niagara.... HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkon 0 #41 May 5, 2008 A couple friends and I were looking into the Niagara Falls tunnel and heard from everyone it wasn't 'skydiver friendly'. I called and was told there was a mandatory 45 min class for $75 regardless of skydiving or other tunnel experience. So that coupled with the slower speeds, and 'non-skydiver' buzz we decided to make the 7hr trip back to NH. We hope to get a small group to go over and actually see the tunnel for ourselves this summer, would be great to have one closer than NH...We're from WNY so Niagara Falls, Canada is only an hour or so away depending on border traffic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
