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Tonythetiger7

first time wind tunnel advice

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Im going up to Bodyflight Bedford (UK) next wednesday with my girlfriend and was just wondering if theres anything worth taking with me, or any useful advice from your own experience?

We are going to be spending 3 hours with the RAF Falcons team, and while my girlfriend will be having a few goes for fun, I will be trying to learn as much as possible as Im doing my AFF a month later.

THANKS ;)

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Im going up to Bodyflight Bedford (UK) next wednesday with my girlfriend and was just wondering if theres anything worth taking with me, or any useful advice from your own experience?

We are going to be spending 3 hours with the RAF Falcons team, and while my girlfriend will be having a few goes for fun, I will be trying to learn as much as possible as Im doing my AFF a month later.

THANKS ;)



Don't smack in to the glass/wall... it can hurt :P Relax and enjoy it.
Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

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Yea there's not much to say - it's great fun and surely not much can go wrong, really. I mean, all sorts of people go and have a go in tunnels these days.

I guess if you're aiming for your AFF then mention that to your instructor and they can tailor your training to it.

Just enjoy it and learn what you can.

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We are going to be spending 3 hours



That's a shitload of time for your first shot. Best advice - prepare for the tunnel time like you're going to run a marathon. Be well rested, proper nutrition and hydration, be sure to strech and limber up for a few days before hand, and then on the flip side, don't make any plans for the next day, you're going to feel like you got hit by a truck.

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I "only" started to barely sit-fly in the tunnel but admit to have gotten a whole new perspective about the force in the tunnel. You want to manage the basics before the speed goes up or you could easily get smashed pretty well.

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We are going to be spending 3 hours



That's a shitload of time for your first shot. Best advice - prepare for the tunnel time like you're going to run a marathon. Be well rested, proper nutrition and hydration, be sure to strech and limber up for a few days before hand, and then on the flip side, don't make any plans for the next day, you're going to feel like you got hit by a truck.



"You ever see a lion limber up before it takes down a gazelle?"

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Were not actually IN the tunnel all of the 3 hours



Right on. Most of the time when someone says they booked '3 hours' of tunnel time, they're talking about actual flight time (even though that time is broken up into short 1 or 2 minute flights with time for rest and debrief inbetween).

I glad to hear you're not flying for 3 hours, that's way too much for a first shot. Still make sure you're well rested, fed and hydrated, it is a workout and you'll feel it the next day.

3 hours of flight time you might feel for a couple of days.

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be prepared to be broke because your going to love it and will want to sell your gf to fund your addication to tunnel time.
Like everyone else says just relax and listen to the instructor. The less you think and stress the better you will fly - thats why you see 4-12 year old kids out flying most other first timers

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THANKS to everyone for all of the advice on here.  
My girlfriend and I did 1 minute 30 seconds each time and had 4 groups rotating (not sure what it's called! Maybe just 4 rotations?)
And in total we did about half hour each actually IN the tunnel.
My girlfriend did it just for fun, and did really well, and by the end of the day, was hovering around, able to turn on command, and having a whale of a time!
For me, it was a big learning curve.  And having had the experience, I now feel a lot more confident about my AFF. 
The RAF FALCONS display team all contributed to training me, and despite a few crashes into the wall, and never quite getting the hang of getting out that door when exiting the tunnel, and either crawling out, or doing a crazy jig trying to get my legs to go out, by the end of the day, I was able to fly independently, stable, able to follow my coach around the tunnel and up and down, with a dummy rig on, and practicing HASP, and did the first few levels of AFF. And generally had a LOT of fun!
But now, at home, 9 hours after finishing at the tunnel, and after a 4 hour drive home, it does feel somewhat like I've done a million sit ups! My arms, my chest, my tummy, and most of all, my lower back all ache a lot!
But it was all worth it!!!  And given the chance, we will both do it again.  And my girlfriend is even looking into making her first actual skydive as well now :-)
The RAF Falcons team were absolutely fantastic, and I can't thank them enough for giving us the opportunity to learn from them.  
I do have a DVD being posted out to me, and will get it uploaded and a link posted on here soon as I receive it ;-).

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