Finding a Tunnel Coach

[DrDom 0]

Hey Guys,
I looked in the directory above and I am near SkyVenture NH where I flew quite a lot in the past. Sadly I had hoped I could FINALLY get a tunnel camp with Tanya but she has evidently moved. BOOOOO!

Anyhow, I need to find a proper coach. I want to get my flying improved over the winter while I have time and conveniently the place I'm moving to gets me closer to the tunnel by a substantial amount but not any further from SNE (ok, its also right near Pepperill, so I have two DZs local), but I digress. I did not think that contacting the owners would be the best way to go, I'm sure they have more to do in their daily operation than deal with customer questions.

SO, how does one FIND a good tunnel coach who can teach me how to fly better? I have the basics, but getting good is limited by the instructor since my back-flying has been so slow to progress and I could probably use a brush up on my belly work... yeah.

Advice? Referrals? Thanks all!

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[corpkid 0]

Here's what I did in the Orlando Tunnel... I flew a lot with different instructors and all were good, just some better at that particular thing I was working on. So one coach might be great for X while another might be great for Y, and further, having different people coaching you on the X or Y can offer some new tips/tricks/perspective. So it's tricky like that.

For example, I sucked on my back (it was fear of going up too high and I'd ball up and fall back to the net). Enter Preston - aka Sgt. Kick Ass and he wouldn't let me leave the tunnel (I had the whole block to myself) until I stayed above the lights on my back for one minute. By minute 4 or 5 I was so exhausted I just fricken' did it to get out of the tunnel and rest! So that worked and that fear is gone and backfly is pretty easy now.

For advanced belly stuff - I found Striker is my go-to. He's always challenging me to play tag with him, etc. Keeps my precision on point.

Etc. Benji seems to be my sit fly guy - we'll find out in the overnight in a few weeks (booked an hour to learn this now that I have back more or less down). You get the point. I know in the Orlando tunnel we have lots of seriously talented instructors - not sure about NH... My advice is work on back - it's so foundational. You really can't move forward with VFF until you have that down solid. It's your "dump position" when a sit fly or transition goes bad and being able to control yourself keeps your noggin from smacking the walls and lets you get right back into the position you were working on without flailing and bouncing around for 15 seconds. :) Feel free to PM me for some tips that helped me get back flying to "click" (finally). :) GOOD LUCK!

[hillson 0]

Get in touch with Ben Liston or Ari Perelman.

They'll both be at the Skyventure tunnel meet in January. Anything you need to learn you can learn from them...plus I'm sure that they can give you a bunch of other people to contact that are local to the Nashua area.

[corpkid 0]

hillson

Get in touch with Ben Liston or Ari Perelman.

They'll both be at the Skyventure tunnel meet in January. Anything you need to learn you can learn from them...plus I'm sure that they can give you a bunch of other people to contact that are local to the Nashua area.

+1 on Ari - he's the guy who taught me how to belly fly. One of if not the best tunnel coaches. He's based out of Austin last I heard but travels a lot. Great guy and great coach! If you have the opportunity to fly with him make it a point to do so.

[DrDom 0]

Awesome, thanks guys!
There is a guy named Ben that started teaching me there and did most of my flights, I may just look him up...

You are not the contents of your wallet.