By snoadmin
Click Here to watch the iFly introduction video and two of the Daily Forty-Niner staff example video Hovering a couple feet off the ground, I barely noticed the spectators watching me through the thick rounded glass. I was “flying” in the vertical wind tunnel at iFly, a company providing customers with an indoor skydiving experience.
When first introduced to the idea of a simulated skydive, one might imagine jumping into a cushion of nets or giant inflatable pillows. But actually, this “skydive” consists of simply gliding into a circular glass room, where the wind stream suspends you midair, no jumping off tall platforms necessary.
Located along Universal CityWalk, an outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment center near Universal Studios theme park, iFly offers timed intervals of flight for ages 3 and up.
Before each flight, customers watch an instructional video on how to maneuver and relax in the wind tunnel. Instructors then go over body positioning and hand signals used during the flight.
A pointer finger up signals flyers to raise their chin in order to gain more control.
The pointer and middle fingers both up (think peace sign) signal the flyer to slowly stretch legs outward, in order to move forward. The same fingers bent at the knuckles signal the flyer to slowly bend legs upward.
An instructor’s pinky finger and thumb out signals the flyer to relax. Relaxing is the key to controlling your body against the wind, according to my instructor, Jared Foti, 21, who has two years of skydiving experience and six months of tunnel instructing.
As I geared up, putting on a provided bright blue jump suit, shoes, ear plugs, goggles and helmet, I kept reminding myself that little kids do this all the time, and I shouldn’t be worried. But with no prior experience with wind tunnels or skydiving, I was still nervous before the flight.
Just before entering the tunnel myself, I got a chance to watch one of the instructors show off his moves.
I was amazed as he jumped from side to side off the glass walls, sometimes crawling vertically like a real-life Spiderman. Effortlessly, he’d soar into the upper portion of the tunnel only to come plummeting down, bouncing off the wire-mesh floor. He continued with midair back flips and front flips. It was like a scene from “The Matrix.”
After he was done, I began my flight. To begin, I simply leaned forward into the center of the tunnel with my belly pooched outward. Instantly, the wind picked me up.
At first the experience was a bit overwhelming. I felt as if I had no control, as if I were a lightweight feather being pushed and pulled in the wind.
My body wandered aimlessly, floating into walls and drifting up and then down against the floor. Foti, standing in the wind tunnel with me, helped manually guide me from the walls.
After the initial adjustment, the experience was truly exciting and fun. It made me feel like a kid again, reminding me of the first time I enjoyed a looping roller coaster.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop smiling and the wind sucked the drool out of my mouth, sending it flying all over my face. But what’s a little slobber when you’re flying around like a superhero?
My particular iFly package consisted of four flights, the longest lasting about two minutes. By the final flight, I was comfortable in the wind tunnel and was able to finally control myself enough to do little tricks, like spinning myself around in a circle.
The overall experience was fresh and exhilarating. Foti, as well as the rest of the iFly staff, was tactful and encouraging, making me at no point question my safety.
The iFly experience not only offers training for experienced skydivers, but also gives newbies and those afraid of heights, a sense of what it might feel like to go skydiving.
I definitely plan on returning.
For prices, visit iflyHollywood.com
