0
Mockingbird

What does "sharing tunnel time" mean?

Recommended Posts

Could someone fill me in on what it means to "share" tunnel time and what affect does it have on the cost of flying?

I've done a search of this forum, but can't really find a definition, per se, just people using the term a lot! I have an idea of what it means, but just not sure.

Thanks!
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Could someone fill me in on what it means to "share" tunnel time and what affect does it have on the cost of flying?



If a tunnel charged say, 600 dollars an hour, 6 people could each pay some portion of that and then split up the time as they saw fit doing solos, 2-ways, 3-ways or whatever they wanted.
Owned by Remi #?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

What if a tunnel doesn't advertise a cost per hour, but just says something like $50 per 2-minute flight?



Then they are advertising "whuffo" introductory flights and not experienced akydiver rates. What tunnel are you referring to?
Owned by Remi #?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So if they advertise by the minute (or two minutes), I really need to write and ask them what exactly?

(I'm not referring to any one tunnel in particular--- I'm looking at various ones-- AZ, CO, NC, etc)
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

So if they advertise by the minute (or two minutes), I really need to write and ask them what exactly?

(I'm not referring to any one tunnel in particular--- I'm looking at various ones-- AZ, CO, NC, etc)



Write or call. AFAIK, all the Skyventure tunnels offer experienced skydiver rates.
Owned by Remi #?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
OK, so once I get the experienced skydiver rate, which will be stated in terms of an HOURLY rate, do I need to find someone to share the hour with in order to get a sort of "discount" on the hour?
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

OK, so once I get the experienced skydiver rate, which will be stated in terms of an HOURLY rate, do I need to find someone to share the hour with in order to get a sort of "discount" on the hour?



It's not a discount, it's a shared cost. I've paid for an hour and then found others willing to share the cost, I've also paid for 15 minutes and had the tunnel split the hour between me and other people who had purchased less than an hour.

Any tunnel that caters to experienced jumpers should be able to provide you with some sort of rate chart based on how much time you want to purchase. For example:

http://www.skyventurenh.com/prices.html
Owned by Remi #?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It's really simple.

If you buy an hour for $600 and fly it alone, you pay $600 for that hour you flew.

Now, if you are trained enough that you can do 2 ways - You can buy 30 minutes for $300, a friend can buy 30 more minutes for $300 and you can do 2-ways the entire time. This nets you 60 minutes of total flight time due to sharing, but you only paid $300. So each of you got an hour total practice for half the price of flying an hour solo.

Either way, the tunnel makes the same hourly rate no matter how many people are in the air at the same time.

3-way.... third the cost
4-way.... fourth the cost

It just means you pay for tunnel time by the hour and can share that time in any way that you see fit - as long as it's safe.

...
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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So you're saying that in order to share the time and cost, you have to fly WITH someone-- you can't just, by yourself, get some coaching, and then let the other person come in and do their thing while you wait your next turn?
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

So you're saying that in order to share the time and cost, you have to fly WITH someone-- you can't just, by yourself, get some coaching, and then let the other person come in and do their thing while you wait your next turn?



You can certainly fly by yourself with coach for the entire amount of minutes that you purchase. What Bill was saying is that when you get to flying well enough to be in the tunnel two way with another flyer ( by mutual agreement) now you get to fly the total number of minutes that both of you have purchased.
Example - you buy 10 minutes, your tunnel buddy buys 10 minutes, you can both get in together for your 10 minutes, and then his/her 10 minutes. You have both flown a total of 20 minutes and it cost each of you for only 10 minutes. B|

Just burning a hole in the sky.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OK. Thanks.

Have you ever flown at AAC? I'm going to be in that area in January and want to work on my body position and basic bellyflying movements.

What if you get someone to share time with and you're not really as good as the other person. Won't that turn out to be a waste of time and money for the other person and get them ticked off? B|

Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
AAC is an outdoor tunnel and is subject to the weather more then other tunnels. Contact them to make sure they are even still flying as last I saw posted on here they were doing some work on it and it was not in full operational status. Within a decent drive from AAC is ParacleteXP tunnel in Raeford NC. Look up info on it if you have not heard of it before.

Here is a better example of sharing time. I bought an hour of time at X rate since it is cheaper on a per minute basis to buy an hour then it is for half an hour. I know I can not physically fly that entire time so I share my time with a friend and he buys 30 minutes of time off of me. He saves money since he only wanted 30 minutes but didn't want to pay the far more expensive rate that the 30 minute rate costs. I get the cheaper rate too since I bought it at the hour price.

Typically you'd only do 2+ ways with someone that you know their experience level prior to stepping into the airstream and as such can decide if it is a good person to share the airtime with.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi, PhreeZone! I've been in touch with AAC already and they're running-- their winter hours are 9-5, Wednesday through Sunday, and they said they can run in practically any kind of weather.

OK now-- the example you gave is more along the lines of what I was thinking to begin with. As far as I can tell, at AAC there's no hourly rate-- it seems to be a straight $10 per minute. $300 for a half hour... $600 for an hour... In this case, sharing time with someone is of no benefit unless the other person is flying with you (a two way or whatever). Right?
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You're right, but don't assume that you'll be allowed to fly 2-way with someone else, especially if you've never flown in a tunnel before. If the second person is a tunnel coach, it shouldn't be a problem. If the second person is your buddy from the DZ, there's a good chance the tunnel staff will not let you fly together until you can both demonstrate (separately) that you can fly a two way safely.

Call the tunnel in question and work it out with them. Don't be shy, it's their job to get you to fly in their tunnel and enjoy a safe experience.

- Dan G

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

So you're saying that in order to share the time and cost, you have to fly WITH someone-- you can't just, by yourself, get some coaching, and then let the other person come in and do their thing while you wait your next turn?



this is painful - I recommend you just call a tunnel and talk to staff about sharing, group discounts, coaching, etc....

Quote

sharing time with someone is of no benefit unless the other person is flying with you (a two way or whatever). Right?



AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH :P

real simple - it's not "sharing" time unless you fly with someone(s).

...
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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Hi, PhreeZone! I've been in touch with AAC already and they're running-- their winter hours are 9-5, Wednesday through Sunday, and they said they can run in practically any kind of weather.

OK now-- the example you gave is more along the lines of what I was thinking to begin with. As far as I can tell, at AAC there's no hourly rate-- it seems to be a straight $10 per minute. $300 for a half hour... $600 for an hour... In this case, sharing time with someone is of no benefit unless the other person is flying with you (a two way or whatever). Right?



Hey, Mock -

I've flown at AAC, and wanted to second the recommendation that you go to Raeford to ParacleteXP.

First off, I should point out that the folks at AAC in Waynesville are REALLY nice. And there are some really good flyers among them.

The problem is, I'm not a big fan of their tunnel. Here's why:

In a SkyVenture tunnel, you have walls on all sides, and a door to get in/out of. This means that even if you're a little unstable, you're going to keep flying it until you get it (or until your time is up).

With AAC, because there's no physical boundaries, the entire time becomes focused on staying in the column of air. If one leg goes out, for instance, and you try to drive forward with it to bring yourself back into the column, you won't get any drive (because there's no air for it to push off of). So you slide out of the air, and have to get back in again.

To stay in said column of air, you want to look down and line up a dot on the net with a dot 10 feet below the net. That means your head is centered in the column. Problem is, when you're belly-flying, it's bad body position to fly face-down all the time. You really want to be looking forward, so you can see the person you're flying with. When you can look at the wall in front of you and tell how far off-center you are, that's a more accurate approximation of skydiving.

And the outdoor thing kinda sucks, when it's snowing outside and you're over a big fan. Be sure and bring a neck gator, full face helmet, and gloves.

This is only my opinion, but I went there when I had ~100 jumps and 45 mins of tunnel time, and found I spent the whole time learning to deal with the quirks of that tunnel, instead of working on drills I wanted to work on.

Like I said, the people at AAC are really nice, and they have some great flyers, so I mean them no disrespect. But for the purpose you want to fly the tunnel, I'd make the extra drive to go to Raeford if I were you.
Signatures are the new black.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Lloyd, you've got me wondering now... i don't wanna' waste my time or money at a tunnel that's not gonna' be beneficial. But Raeford costs almost twice as much, and it's pretty far away from where I'll be.

I wish other people who've been there would see this thread and chime in...
Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Lloyd, you've got me wondering now... i don't wanna' waste my time or money at a tunnel that's not gonna' be beneficial. But Raeford costs almost twice as much, and it's pretty far away from where I'll be.



Most of the time, you get what you pay for. I think Lloyd's post was really intended to help.
Owned by Remi #?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I can see your point.
If you plan to go to a tunnel just for the benefit for skydiving, either go to ParacleteXP and pay the higher price (although I think a 16ft tunnel is a waste of space and $ for a first-timer) or save the money for now and do your tunnel time when you are close to a 12ft (enclosed) tunnel and have more tunnel time then (for the same money you would pay at PXP).
But if you're just curious about tunnels, wanna have some fun and are close to AAC, go for it. Every tunnel will improve your skills, at AAC it just might not be as direct as it would be at PXP (or any other enclosed tunnel).

No.1 reason NOT to be an astronaut: ...You can't drink beer at zero gravity...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

although I think a 16ft tunnel is a waste of space and $ for a first-timer



I strongly disagree with this. Before I did any coaching at ParacleteXP, I thought that the speed and size would only be a benefit after the basics were learned. Since then I have coached everything from first time tunnel flyers going through their AFF to advanced head down students in there and everyone learns so much more quickly there than in the other tunnels. I was amazed at how much faster the AFF students in particular learned since I wasn't expecting it.

There is a huge advantage to having the extra space. When students drift, there is enough time for them to correct themselves before needing to be spotted. Therefore they are learning how to do it all themselves from the start instead of having an instructor do these corrections for them. They also are spending more time in the air flying (since they are not learning anything when an instructor catches them and brings them back to the center of the tunnel.)

ParacleteXP is more expensive than the smaller tunnels, but it is absolutely worth the price difference.
Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0