The little known sport of indoor skydiving is on a constant rise and fall in interest. Despite this constant flux of popularity, there is a seemingly endless supply of individuals who come to experience the sensation of flight. While few of these flyers stay to practice the activity regurily, many of iFLY’s customers are satisfied with their time.
“[I think] many people who go really enjoy their experience, even if they only go a single time in their life,” mentioned sophomore Nicole Lee.
Indoor skydiving takes place within a flight chamber as a strong convection current circulates through the system to supply a constant upward force of wind that pushes the flier off the ground. This wind can, in the case of the experienced fliers, raise to over 150 miles per hour.
The experience of indoor skydiving by the field’s largest company, iFLY, offers a safe experience with a lenient thirty minutes of preparation time for flight. Their safety procedures include a comprehensive video and out of tunnel demonstration, as well as the proper helmet and suits. The tunnel itself is designed to quickly shut off in the rare event anything goes wrong and has a strong net capable of supporting multiple elephants. Finally, there will always be a trained professional by the flier’s side to ensure safety and fun.
Lee contributed by confirming, “The entire process of getting prepared was efficient, I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
Many fliers capture fond memories while in flight, especially during the high flight. The high flight is a portion of the experience that takes the individual 15-20 feet in the air within the tunnel.
This is often the highlight of many individual’s flying time, including sophomore Piper Zuniga, “I really enjoyed flying up high in the tunnel… during the high flight… I really got the experience of what it was like to fly.”
For those few that choose to invest into indoor skydiving as a sport, the journey to mastering stunts and tricks is long, but rewarding. The skill one will develop include simple front and backflips to upside down twists. Three pathways will open up to the flier, the first being dynamic speed, the second formation flying, and the third, freestyle.
Dynamic speed, in competition, is performed by either a team of one, two, or four fliers competing against other teams. The judges of the competition will announce a dynamic line, which consists of three patterns the fliers must complete. The team that completes all the patterns in the least amount of time with the least amount of errors wins.
Formation flying, arguably the most popular forms of competition, requires a team of four to fly in the tunnel together. The judges will announce several formations that the fliers must fly in the tunnel, creating various shapes. The team to complete each given formation the fastest with the least amount of errors wins.
Freestyle, the most loose discipline, is performed by one or two individuals in a team. The judges tell the fliers a few aspects they must incorporate into their routine and the fliers have the rest of their tunnel time to showcase their talent and perform patterned movement, which even to the trained eye can be disorienting to watch. The team with the most impressive demonstration of skill wins.
While this sport may be appealing in thought and practice, there is an economic toll on the participants. Indoor skydiving is not a cheap activity, and therefore requires strong dedication of the mind and pocket. Although the iFly does provide cheaper deals for those who have completed their first flight, and even cheaper prices for those who return on a frequent basis, money is a valid turn off for many from the sport.
Indoor skydiving is a popular activity for many people to participate in at some point in their life, as the sport allows any healthy individual from three years old and up to participate. However, the sport’s retention rate is among the lowest due to its slanted prices. Many people walk away from the tunnel more than satisfied with the experience, happy to have enjoyed the sensation of real flight.