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rsmetak

Looking for newbies to share tunnel time with @ ifly chicago

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Hi y'all!! I'm an A license jumper 2 years out of AFF @ Skydive Milwaukee and haven't been able to jump much. Work is starting slow down but the cold weather is coming so I'm looking for people to work on belly/freefly RW with through the cold months. Only 35 jumps so far, so I think someone with similar experience would probly make it fun. But would certainly appreciate flying with any level experience so long as you don't mind helping a newbie.;) Chicago is only a 3 hr drive for me so I'd like to shoot for once or twice a month.
"I live my life 2 miles at a time. For those 60 seconds or less, Im free" ;-)

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DustyP

I've been considering this as well (I've never been in a tunnel). How does the pricing work? I'm interested.



Don't know the exactly how it works at ifly chicago, but here in Orlando at iFly you typically go in on a block of time which is then split. For example, I typically do a 15 or 30 minute block for two people or an hour for 3 to 4. You rotate in predetermined increments (we usually do 2 1/2 minutes). You fly all your time at once - meaning you can't do 30 minutes then take time off and do another 30 - you'd have to buy 2x 30 min blocks to do that which is more expensive.

You'll always have a "door guy" who can give basic coaching, but is not required to do so - he's there to keep you from hurting yourself first and foremost. We usually hire a coach which is useful if you are learning new skills (back flying, RW, layouts, sitfly, head down, etc.).

Finally, sometimes if you buy less than 30 minutes (e.g. 15 mins) you'll be integrated into another group... usually wuffos / first timers... Orlando ifly works on a 30 min block schedule. So when I go in solo for 15, I'm almost always flying with novices who do 1 min rotations. I kind of like it because I get a little more "down time" between flights...

Doing 2 1/2 with 2 1/2 off back and forth for an hour (that's 12 times) can get absolutely exhausting, especially when you are sit flying or doing more advanced stuff.

Coaching prices vary, as do tunnel prices (e.g. if you have coaching, they can usually get a slightly cheaper per block price). Check the ifly site to see what the going rate is for Chicago.

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corpkid

***I've been considering this as well (I've never been in a tunnel). How does the pricing work? I'm interested.



Don't know the exactly how it works at ifly chicago, but here in Orlando at iFly you typically go in on a block of time which is then split. For example, I typically do a 15 or 30 minute block for two people or an hour for 3 to 4. You rotate in predetermined increments (we usually do 2 1/2 minutes). You fly all your time at once - meaning you can't do 30 minutes then take time off and do another 30 - you'd have to buy 2x 30 min blocks to do that which is more expensive.

You'll always have a "door guy" who can give basic coaching, but is not required to do so - he's there to keep you from hurting yourself first and foremost. We usually hire a coach which is useful if you are learning new skills (back flying, RW, layouts, sitfly, head down, etc.).

Finally, sometimes if you buy less than 30 minutes (e.g. 15 mins) you'll be integrated into another group... usually wuffos / first timers... Orlando ifly works on a 30 min block schedule. So when I go in solo for 15, I'm almost always flying with novices who do 1 min rotations. I kind of like it because I get a little more "down time" between flights...

Doing 2 1/2 with 2 1/2 off back and forth for an hour (that's 12 times) can get absolutely exhausting, especially when you are sit flying or doing more advanced stuff.

Coaching prices vary, as do tunnel prices (e.g. if you have coaching, they can usually get a slightly cheaper per block price). Check the ifly site to see what the going rate is for Chicago.


What kind of money are we talking about? (How much)
.

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Quote


What kind of money are we talking about? (How much)




Each tunnel varies. The orlando tunnel happens to be one of the cheapest just because they get so much volume (tourists) and it's an older model - meaning the outside weather comes into the tunnel (rain, heat, humidity and even rarely very cold). I checked the prices on iflyworld.com and selected the Rosemont and Naperville tunnels in Chicago and both are the same... 30 Mins - $525. 60 Mins - $975. That's without coaching which again, gets weird because you'll get like a 10 to 20% discount on the actual tunnel, but then have to pay the coach which is between $100 and $200 typically.

In Orlando the price is 30 Mins - $420 and 60 - $645. But again it's an older tunnel though it gets the job done (if it isn't raining!) = wind brings rain straight up into your face at high speeds. Not a great feeling.

Either way I aim for about $10 to $15 a minute as being a "good deal"... without coaching.

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If you haven't done tunnel it's a great practice tool by the way. It's pretty much the same as diving out of a plane except for a few things:

1) There are walls - like 12-14' wide chamber... Everything is under the microscope. Trust me - I had a huge backsliding issue that was diagnosed in the tunnel.

2) There is a bottom - a bouncy net - and you can either use that to your advantage or not (e.g. stay away from it to simulate true freefall/skydiving or use it to stand on to practice advanced body flight, etc.) Be aware that walking and standing in the tunnel takes practice.

3) You have to fly yourself into the tunnel out of an opening/door and there is not relative wind transition - it's straight up the whole time - you'll be standing when you do this (and avoid the openings/doors when you are flying).

4) When you go to exit the tunnel, my advice is to just do a belly arch or de-arch slowly to just above the door, about 2 feet away, then arch and fall forward and down about a foot and grab the sides and go to standing pulling yourself out. This is usually the hardest part for most people but it's total instinct if you have any jumps...

5) NO WEATHER DELAYS! I have jumped enough to know I want to be a tunnel rat. I like jumping - just like the tunnel more and it's literally 5 mins from work and 5 mins from home. LOL And it's always running.

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Excellent! Thanks man! You just answered most of the questions I had for when I got there. I just bought a 15 min block for next sunday to pop my tunnel cherry.

Which was $285 btw Dusty. That made it $19/min which is still better than a ride to altitude.
"I live my life 2 miles at a time. For those 60 seconds or less, Im free" ;-)

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After 1 or 2 hours in the tunnel you may be allowed to fly with another person in a tunnel "at the same time" to further reduce the per minute cost. In skydiving I guess that would be called a 2 way.

With only about an hour under my whuffo belt I haven't attempted it yet but maybe in the not to distant future.

Be aware though of burble hopping as not understanding it can cause serious injury in a tunnel.

Also be careful tunnel flying can be addictive. LOL

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You are gonna love it. Those new tunnels are the bomb! I had the pleasure of flying one in Austin and couldn't get enough of it. I went up to the DZ this morning - too cloudy and high winds at 3k so guess where I went with my buddies? LOL It's a blessing and a curse to have a tunnel so close - my credit card hates me. hahaha Have fun and do be careful of the burble like Want2DoIT says - cracked two ribs doing RW with a buddy (there is a hard bottom and if someone doesn't know how to fly in that they will come slamming down on top of you and you then slam into the net). That set me back 3 months. B| Have fun and let us know what you think.

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Well I went down yesterday for the first time and bought a 15 min block to start with, I was lucky enough to end up flying with a well experienced instructor who also coached me through my level 1 belly fly stuff on the body flight progression list., It was a blast and it felt so good to be in "freefall" after not jumping for so long. I ended up hanging out a few hrs till close to get another 15 min coaching session. So I spent about 560 on a whim, and this is just the beginning. I started skydiving to freefly so for someone like me thats really nothing considering thats 30 jumps worth of freefall experience WITH a coach, no plane ride, no packing all in about an hour of my day. Im hooked.

As for the facility and staff, specifically at Rosemont I give major thumbs up. I'd be happy to let any of the instructors I saw flying yesterday coach me. I did both of my sessions with Josh and I certainly dont regret it, I highly recommend him. Matt B is also a pretty impressive flyer if you're looking for a coach.

So for other noobs like me: if you want to fly with other people you have to be cleared for it by getting yourself checked off on a certain number of specific skills. You can see the progression list at www.tunnelflight.com
If you plan on visiting a tunnel, go to the site and make an IBA account to log your time and skills, they have the full list of skills, and a bank of instructional videos to mentally prepare yourself with (the videos are actually pretty informative). As for cost, it could be different with every instructor depending on their experience.
"I live my life 2 miles at a time. For those 60 seconds or less, Im free" ;-)

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