0
YISkyDive

iFly SF Bay - Learning HD

Recommended Posts

Hey guys,

I'm in the SFBay area for work through August, staying in Newark and noticed the tunnel is rather close :D.

I've been wanting to learn headdown in a tunnel for a few years now - through a quick search I didn't find answers to my questins below - any guidance would be awesome!

- How many minutes / hours does it take someone to be able to fly head down in tunnel?
- Do people go with tunnel or external coaches in the Bay area? (hope this is loaded question - seriously know nothing about this)
- Any pre-tunnel work that can be done? (such as learning to do to an unassisted hand stand?)


Experience: 3200 jumps, 8 years, mostly tandem video, tandem - only about ~ 200 freefly jumps (can sit fly, and back fly at an intermediate level)

Thanks guys,

Dave


Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It took me 95 minutes to get stable in daffy. An hour is usually the minimum. I've had 8.5 hours total now. Good luck!:)
Edited to add: Stretching helps a lot, particularly your thighs and quads. If you're inflexible you'll find it tougher.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

RE: being on your head after only 90 minutes of tunnel time--- I don't think most people are stable on your own and/or signed off with just 1.5 hrs on your head (let alone all the flying you will have to do to work up to getting on your head!). Great if you are the exception and can do it, but I don't think that is most people, so I wouldn't walk in with that expectation.

More than likely you'll have to get through the whole progression and spend a bit of time doing that if you've never really done the tunnel before-- be prepared to belly fly, back fly, and sit fly before you can even attempt to get on your head. The tunnel is very humbling. When I worked the front desk at a tunnel back east I very much enjoyed watching cocky 1000 jump plus skydivers get in the tunnel and bounce around like a pinball on their bellys, let alone get to their head like they thought they would do on their first tunnel session. So, go in with an open mind and be open to doing what you're told by your coach.

There is a plethora of fantastic flyers here in NorCal. They are up flying at the tunnel every single night. Lots of coaches here too, as well as great guys at the tunnel who will coach you and help you out. Just stop by the tunnel any night and I'm sure you'll see the locals there training. I'll be there tonight for the 9pm block. My husband is flying my time since I'm injured, so if you want to stop by and chat..... or I'm sure anybody there would be glad to chat with you on whatever night you pop in. :)
ETA: Sorry if that came off like I was calling you cocky. I was just trying to say don't be one of those guys and come in with an open mind and realistic expectations :)

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I realised that what I wrote could have been ambiguous. Just for clarification I did about 7 hours tunnel learning back, sit, etc. The last hour and a half (now 2 hours so I am up to 9 hours total now) on my head. I found head down particularly tough to learn. Yeah-if someone could learn head down in an hour and a half with no tunnel experience then they would be a phenomenon! :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I realised that what I wrote could have been ambiguous. Just for clarification I did about 7 hours tunnel learning back, sit, etc. The last hour and a half (now 2 hours so I am up to 9 hours total now) on my head. I found head down particularly tough to learn. Yeah-if someone could learn head down in an hour and a half with no tunnel experience then they would be a phenomenon! :P



Aaahh, OK-- makes sense now! I was just making sure after hearing your story that a new person doesn't walk in and expect to be on their head in 90 minutes! :)
Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Hey guys,

I'm in the SFBay area for work through August, staying in Newark and noticed the tunnel is rather close :D.

I've been wanting to learn headdown in a tunnel for a few years now - through a quick search I didn't find answers to my questins below - any guidance would be awesome!

- How many minutes / hours does it take someone to be able to fly head down in tunnel?
- Do people go with tunnel or external coaches in the Bay area? (hope this is loaded question - seriously know nothing about this)
- Any pre-tunnel work that can be done? (such as learning to do to an unassisted hand stand?)


Experience: 3200 jumps, 8 years, mostly tandem video, tandem - only about ~ 200 freefly jumps (can sit fly, and back fly at an intermediate level)

Thanks guys,

Dave



It has taken me hours so far (but flying both daffys and hook - TONS of net drills), and I still have a long way to go. And I started with hours on belly/back/sit and transitions, etc.
I'm not a natural by any means though and I fatigue fast, so there's that :S

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

- How many minutes / hours does it take someone to be able to fly head down in tunnel?
- Do people go with tunnel or external coaches in the Bay area? (hope this is loaded question - seriously know nothing about this)
- Any pre-tunnel work that can be done? (such as learning to do to an unassisted hand stand?)


1. Everyone's different, some people learn faster than others. Took me a while but I had a bad attitude at the time. That makes a huge difference.
2. Can't answer this one but I've seen external coaches at all the other tunnels I've flown at (Utah, New Hampshire, Colorado, Eloy) with the exception of Seattle but I only did 5 mins so not sure.
3. IMO the best thing you can do to be ready for learning head down in the tunnel (or anything anywhere for that matter) is to get your head straight. Learn to relax and enjoy the experience of learning. If you're fixated on something it's really easy to get tense which makes flying a lot harder. It's a head game. I personally have a great time in the tunnel regardless of whether I'm hitting my goals. Remember, the expectations we place on ourselves can be our greatest limitations.

Have fun, listen to your instructor and keep trying with an open mind. Don't forget to have fun.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I can see this isn't a fast progression



You might surprise yourself :)
It's good to set goals but not get too frustrated if you don't progress like you thought you could.
Don't forget to have fun too! After getting off the net head down my coach and I plus some others all piled in for the last minute and goofed about doing a bit of 'combat freefly' which left me with a huge smile on my face at the end. It's not all drills, drills, drills.
Finally I can't recommend enough getting a coach.

Have fun :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
My own p[personal experience.
Have 6:30 hrs of tunnel
after 1;45 hrs I was clear to fly with people sit flying. (took me about 45 min to and hour to fly on my back).
After 2:15 hrs I was able to do side dock. After 3 hrs I was able to be base do simple single docks and fly to wherever I need in the tunnel.

Start doing some HD when I had 2:30 hrs and now after 6;30, I can fly shelf and daffy for about 1 minute before I i have to go on my back (my body position gets all weird the longer I stay HD "stop making noise" is what I hear from the coaches). Also, I can lift up from the net HD, but I haven't work on transitions yet.

Now from oyur group in the tunnel some people got a head fast and others after 5 hrs still where struggling with Sit flying.

THe best advice I got was once you start to relax and forget about progression, you start to progress.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
YISkyDive

Got in the tunnel tonight for the first time since 2001... and got my @$$ kicked on my back. I think I learned a lot but was humbling while indeed fun.

Thanks for the answers guys - I can see this isn't a fast progression.

Dave



I met you last night standing at the counter. I was filling out the Packing Data card for that brand new Infinity you saw sitting there.

If you have much time set up in there, let me know and I can come push you around a bit. It really helps to have someone in there to sort out all the new habits you will develop.

Congratulations getting back in there. Walls are weird at first. You'll pick it up quicker than you think if you have a bit of guidance.
My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
hookitt

***Got in the tunnel tonight for the first time since 2001... and got my @$$ kicked on my back. I think I learned a lot but was humbling while indeed fun.

Thanks for the answers guys - I can see this isn't a fast progression.

Dave



I met you last night standing at the counter. I was filling out the Packing Data card for that brand new Infinity you saw sitting there.

If you have much time set up in there, let me know and I can come push you around a bit. It really helps to have someone in there to sort out all the new habits you will develop.

Congratulations getting back in there. Walls are weird at first. You'll pick it up quicker than you think if you have a bit of guidance.

What Tim said :)
and PS-- he's an awesome coach!
Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
hookitt

***Got in the tunnel tonight for the first time since 2001... and got my @$$ kicked on my back. I think I learned a lot but was humbling while indeed fun.

Thanks for the answers guys - I can see this isn't a fast progression.

Dave



I met you last night standing at the counter. I was filling out the Packing Data card for that brand new Infinity you saw sitting there.

If you have much time set up in there, let me know and I can come push you around a bit. It really helps to have someone in there to sort out all the new habits you will develop.

Congratulations getting back in there. Walls are weird at first. You'll pick it up quicker than you think if you have a bit of guidance.

You're never there to help me, ya bastard:ph34r::P
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
hookitt

***Got in the tunnel tonight for the first time since 2001... and got my @$$ kicked on my back. I think I learned a lot but was humbling while indeed fun.

Thanks for the answers guys - I can see this isn't a fast progression.

Dave



I met you last night standing at the counter. I was filling out the Packing Data card for that brand new Infinity you saw sitting there.

If you have much time set up in there, let me know and I can come push you around a bit. It really helps to have someone in there to sort out all the new habits you will develop.

Congratulations getting back in there. Walls are weird at first. You'll pick it up quicker than you think if you have a bit of guidance.

Thanks for the offer, Hookit. It was nice to meet you. I'm going to grab 1.25 hours to take advantage of the "weekly pass" - so hopefully sort out a few more things and start moving to sit fly soon!


Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
my progression: about 4hrs to get stable on your head (once you have your sit nice and stable and do everything in it), if you are particularly retarded like me. More advanced shit like carving(inside) shelf and fast 360 turns in shelf or daffy is another 8 hrs (once again if you are dis-coordinated mess like myself) .. so all in all you gotta do your 20 hrs . Best to take a vacation and fly every day for 3 weeks . In the end def. worth it , and likely a massive saving if you were to do this in the real air.

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