RossDagley

We're doing some AFF next month with two guys both who are tunnel instructors for over 18 months. I'm hoping it's gonna be fun

I heard they got their upgrade already - did they or didn't they? Anyone know? I've got a trip to Orlando coming up and fancy another few hours in there... Gotta big up my Orlando buddies Chris and Nick. Thanks for putting up with me last time!

I was recently on the UK head-down record. A friend of mine, Frazer Smith, a tunnel instructor from AirKix with 170 jumps was also on it. I was only there for the big-way stuff - Frazer spent most of the time on sequential head down stuff. He's a perfect example of how a bucket load of tunnel time can help.

Hey

Yes. It was invaluable for me (and my teammate) to help gain the AFFI rating - countless spinstops and rollovers. We were/are both full time tunnel instructors by day, so having some flying skills helped a lot too. The only thing it doesn't help with is the exits. And our course director did love his pike exit

Talking about Lillo as I can't vouch for other Spanish DZ's as I dont jump elsewhere. You do not need BPA membership to jump in Spain, but if you have it, it is accepted (you do need SOME membership) - USPA/BPA are both accepted. Regarding the FS1 - there are a few ways you can achieve this. For one, you can complete the jumps, and show the video to a CCI at a British DZ and he may simply sign it off. Alternatively your chosen spanish DZ might have a British registered FF coach available who can sign you off there, with just the CCI's sticker needed back home. I think Skydive Spain have ties with the BPA - it for sure might be worth giving them a call and seeing how they handle it there. Good luck

I couldn't disagree more, Most of the muscles that you need will strengthen themselves just from more tunnel flying. I'm pleased your disagreement with me agrees with my statement Yes it was an over simplification. Yes, more tunnel time will help. Yes there is technically cheaper ways to strengthen your arms than flying in the tunnel. Yes I can fly 45 minutes straight (without rotations or exiting the tunnel etc) and no, I've never used anything other than tunnel flying to strengthen those muscles I'm not a personal trainer (or indeed a Massage Therapist ) but I am a certified tunnel junkie Hey - this is tunnel flying - anything is possible!

haha. Yep, you're addicted Good job dude. See you soon!

As a moderator here, I would have expected far better of you than to make this issue personal between you and I. I made it clear i wasn't making a personal attack at you. Why would you try and make this situation personal? I have nothing to gain or lose from what Max has done, and frankly I'm not all that interested in the reasons behind it. The outcome is a I have a deceitful impression of Royal. Full stop. Jason has worked hard to grow his business to where it is today. And as far as I am aware, he's not done that though trading on other peoples good name or brand.

And I'm not making an attack aimed towards you, but you're not telling anyone the reason why, simply saying you're satisfied the reason is legitimate. I still call BS until I hear otherwise.

A non-BS reason?? Like what? "I accidently typed "cookiecomposite.com" when I was in fact trying to register "royallenss.com" (which by the way, he didn't bother to register...)? Sorry, but I genuinely cant think of a single non-BS reason to point that domain where it is pointed, unless he's in cohorts with Jason. And he's not. It's clearly been done with forethought and malice as the domain (cookiecomposite.com) has been registered through domainsbyproxy - a masking service to make it harder to track the original registrant for reasons exactly like this.

Like an underfunded National Health service that takes 40 weeks to replace a pensioner hip, or perhaps you mean where the tax is supposed to directly go - to our awesome paved road system?

http://www.goliathres.com/v4/res_website.asp?page=directory&supplierCode=akx100&cat1=4 Will show you AirKix's availability for 20 minutes of time in one session. Alternatively, phone Bodyflight as they sometimes have last minute cancellations or can perhaps accomodate you at other times

You'll need to book in advance unfortunately. (this) saturday is fully booked, and when I last looked (15:00 today) there was only about 20 minutes available at 22:30 ish on the sunday. Give em a call on 0845 200 2960 to find out availability, but you'll for sure have to book a few weeks in advance for a weekend at either of the (major) tunnels.

What "logic" are you sick of? The fact that we should shut up and not complain (as you're doing) because a higher percentage of our cost per litre is tax than yours? Gas prices have been high(er) over here than there for various reasons - sure tax is one of them. However, with whatever the average engine size vehicle over there you guys have (gotta be what? 2.5 - 3 litre plus on average?) you'd be screaming if you were paying what we're paying at the pumps. I was over in Florida a few weeks ago and chuckled to myself to see a car ad on TV gloating that they managed 30 mpg. Here we've adverts for cars doing 70+ mpg. It's also a mindset. 30mpg is (more than) acceptable to consumers in the US - it wouldn't be to most UK residents. Regardless of WHERE the price rises come from for us, we're still feeling the pince just as much as the next country - 6 months ago the price of fuel was about £1.00 ($2.00) a litre - even that is crazy high. Now it's about £1.30. I'm struggling with a 60% rising fuel cost year on year, just like everyone else.

try paying $9.50 a gallon like us suckers in the UK... Then you'll know what pain is all about.

Tunnel fitness is different to regular fitness. Only more tunnel time is really going to help you I'm afraid. However - two things to note - you shouldn't have hit your head as I'm hoping you have 6 points of motion on your back and good stability prior to attempting to learn sit in the tunnel - back fly is an essential tunnel skill, and one that I see coaches so often blow over it's unreal. When you bail from any other freefly position, you should be bailing to your back - the wind speeds are dangerous (as you've unfortunately found out) when freeflying, and it's really important to have good back fly skills before progressing onto more advanced flying positions. Secondly, regarding your aching arms, many people find that bending your arms at the elbows to approximately 90 degrees (so your hands are pointed forwards, not out to the side) releives some of the ache when flying for multi-rotations of tunnel time. Get back in there and fly more - but make sure you're giving your body breaks between sessions. It'll come, just dont damage yourself trying too hard at the beginning. Like I said at the beginning - tunnel fitness is quite different to "regular" fitness. Enjoy

it could also be argued that a tandem skysurf pair is a "bit of a risk" too...

Hi again

I would recommend coaching by a dedicated coach to maximise your learning. You can bring your own coach to any tunnel and negotiate your own rate (which may or may not work out cheaper than the tunne lstaff) or you can utilise the tunnel staff themselves. Bodyflight Bedford currently charge £60 per hour for coaching from the staff there. It's a good deal.

Does this mean a coach rating, or do you have to be S/L or IAD before AFFI? The coach rating is sufficient

Ah righty - thanks

Looking at the 2008 IRM, it lists the following as requirements for a USPA AFFI rating. ***a. reached the age of 18 years b. holds or has held any USPA instructional rating c. earned a USPA C license or the FAI equivalent d. logged six hours of freefall time e. completed the USPA AFF Instructor Proficiency Card (applicable portions) f. successfully proven ability by successfully completing the written and practical AFF evaluation process with a USPA AFF Instructor Rating Course Director/*** Am I reading that correctly that there is no minimum jump number requirement? I have it in the back of my mind that it was 500 jumps AND 6 hours freefall.

I saw a guy jumping this setup (and debriefing from it) about a month ago. The image quality was unfortunately... crap, at best. Perhaps he had a shit lipstick camera and a TRV in the fannypack I don't know, but I'll personally stick to decent sized sensors and image quality for now

no problem. By the way - thats a super nice shot in your avatar picture - do you have a larger version I can have a look at?