Indoor Flight



While it may seem to the uninitiated that skydiving indoors would be a fantasy or science fiction story, this activity is actually rather common today. Military personnel constructed the first skydiving wind tunnel more than 60 years ago, during World War II. Engineers and scientists at Wright Patterson Air Force Base had the vertical wind tunnel for more than 20 years before it was used to simulate flight with humans. Eventually the federal government's skydiving demonstration group used the tunnel to train new divers.

The first commercial indoor skydiving facility (skydiving simulator) was built in 1982 and was for civilian use. The Flyaway Indoor Skydiving facility in Las Vegas was soon joined by one in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. They are still used today, offering the fun and excitement of flight to thousands of people every year.

It Works This Way

What actually takes place in a skydiving wind tunnel? Quite simply, the individual is pushed vertically through the tunnel by fan-generated winds that may reach 120 miles per hour. The skydiver uses arms and legs as "rudders" to move about and control their position. With a bit of training and some instruction in safety issues, almost anyone can experience the excitement of "flying."

There are a few restrictions regarding height and weight for those wishing to experience this thrill, however. A person must weigh at least 40 pounds, which still leaves plenty of room for older children to have some fun. Other companies that have a skydiving simulator place their own height and weight restrictions on customers, for the sole purpose of being completely safe.

History

To give proper credit for the idea of a vertical wind tunnel, we have to go all the way back to 1871 and Francis Herbert Wenham, a member of the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain. His tunnel would not keep a human being in "flight" but it was the forerunner for the modern indoor skydiving facility.

The first military wind tunnel at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio) was used to test parachute technology and to test small-scale versions of aircraft. Only in 1964 did someone decide to try the wind tunnel on a human subject. The attempt was successful and from that humble beginning indoor skydiving grew. Today, the skydiving simulator is used by those learning the sport as well as by some who have hundreds, even thousands of real jumps on their record. It's a safe and fun way to experience this wonderful sport.