windtunnel for freeflying?

[Iezyka 0]

Hi!
Is there any windtunnel I could practise freeflying wearing my usual jumpsiut and the same head-up/head down positions I want to use in the air?

If there is, has anyone of you out there tried it? Do you recommend it for basic skill practise?

[skymama 35]

check out this thread, it might answer some of your questions.

http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=306477;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[oosskis 0]

Hi Iezyka,
I just returned from a freefly tunnel camp in Orlando, Florida. While you'll have to wear a baggier suit than in the sky, the tunnel is a great tool to learn to freefly. You can do everything in the tunnel that you can do while going down the tube in freefall.
Right now Sky Venture in Orlando is the only one of its kind, but within the next year there will be numerous new locations, including Great Britain, Perris Valley... For good coaching check out freeflytrainingcenter.com

"Bodygolfing" isn't as much fun as it sounds. People get pissed when you don't replace your divets.

[apoil 0]

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Hi Iezyka,
I just returned from a freefly tunnel camp in Orlando, Florida. While you'll have to wear a baggier suit than in the sky, the tunnel is a great tool to learn to freefly. You can do everything in the tunnel that you can do while going down the tube in freefall.

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you here.

Seems to me, the only people saying that the tunnel is a good tool for learning freefly are people trying to sell you coaching time in the tunnel and people who have just paid a lot of money for coaching time in the tunnel.

Learning in the tunnel is not impossible, it's just likely to require the same amount of time and money, without being able to work on your canopy skills at the same time.

[CanEHdian 0]

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You can do everything in the tunnel that you can do while going down the tube in freefall.

Lightweight_pro_champions aside - I have to disagree with that statement.
Furthermore, unless you are a lightweight, your sitfly technique in the tunnel will be quite different than in the sky in order to just 'stay up there' and not sink back down... baggy suit included.

I watched a friend of mine last year (very good & experienced freefier) trying to sitfly in the tunnel... with his solid frame, he was fighting just to stay up, huge wide leg stance, leaning on his back which would propel him forward if/when he'd switch from 'ass flying' to a more vertical position, etc... and forget about getting inverted!

Personally, being at 190lbs, I'll wait until they increase the power before I spend the bucks.

As for in air coaching with the guys at FTC, I agree 100%

Cheers,
CanEHdian

Time's flying, and so am I...
(69-way, 108-way and 138/142-way Freefly World Records)

[Kirils 1]

I had about 40 minutes total in the tunnel last Dec.
It was great on the belly. For Freefly it sucked. The tunnel needs to power it up quite a bit for it to be a viable freefly learning tool.

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[cheneyneel 0]

Guys I have some video of the some people that take part in the tunnel camps FTC and they are kicking ass..
These guys are flying in real flight positions and doing two way routines not any different than if they were in the air.. Maybe to really get the wind tunnel revamped for freeflying you need to be apart of the FTC tunnel camps..
I think that they are $250 for how ever minutes with coaching.. But the video dosent lie these guys are freelying hard core in the tunnel!! So the people that have had a bad expierence freeflying in the tunnel, there must have been something missing in the equation that didnt allow you to freefly..

[arlo 0]

i watched Juliana and Fabian in there last night doing some incredible stuff (double jokers and other compulsary moves)....as usual.

i don't think they had much of a problem freeflying....

[skyjuggler 0]

The Skyventure tunnel rocks for freeflying!!! For safety reasons you have to demonstrate stability on the belly, then back before moving onto vertical work, but its all good. I had the pleasure of flying with Fabien and a mate and we loved it!!
Sure the position is a little different, but flying slow with a baggy suit means you're going to be more efficient with your body and so can wear less drag for freeflying anyway. Its all learning, and for the lucky ones who have seen Fabien & Juliena, Rook, Swany etc... then you'll realise the potential impact of the tunnel for freeflying. All I can say is that it is very addictive, great for your skills, whatever position, and I can't wait to earn some more cash and get back out there. The tunnel rocks.

[skyjuggler 0]

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***I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you here.

Seems to me, the only people saying that the tunnel is a good tool for learning freefly are people trying to sell you coaching time in the tunnel and people who have just paid a lot of money for coaching time in the tunnel.
***

By the way, I paid the normal $10 per minute rate, and a very small coaching fee for Fabien, which was so small when you consider what you're getting (Hint: $60 for 30 minutes). So its cheaper than a jump, no packing, an you can really see the results of your body movements, plus Fabien and Juliane are so positive. I haven't been on a tunnel camp but watched the professionalism of 2 or 3 camps, and all the participants looked very pleased. I am neither trying to sell coaching nor have just been on a camp and am a big big fan.

Embrace the tunnel, another tool for all the Freaks out there!!

• Quote

[highfly 0]

I was lucky enough to see Mike Swanson and Rook Nelson in the tunnel at Orlando last Year. Boy they can fly wicked in there. It really opens your eyes when you see a 3 way sit and head down in the tunnel. The control on those guys is amazing.
They also done a 3 way stand on each others shoulders . The tunnel wasn't powerful enough to lift the stack but it still looked impresive. Check out
http://www.dropzone.com/features/FreeflyTrainingCenterFre.shtml

http://freeflytrainingcenter.com/
for details.
[url]http://www.freeflytrainingcenter.com/photogallerys/tunnel_pix/chrislynch.htm
If you are gonna do freefly tunnel training then these are the boys for sure.

www.myspace.com/durtymac