Colorado Skydiving

Indoor Skydiving Experience

Are you in the mood for something fun and adventurous? Then the indoor skydiving experience could be just the thing for you. Just imagine flipping and flying in the air like a bird. Feeling completely free. To help you get an idea what the experience is like I have interviewed Derek Vanboeschoten, a wind tunnel instructor at Skyventure Colorado.

Tell me a little bit about yourself? "My name is Derek Vanboeschoten. I grew up in Napa, California. I joined the military right after high school. I learned to skydive in 1994 and have completed 3, 500 skydives. Before working at Skyventure Colorado, I worked for a NASA contractor as a Safety Diver at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. I have been a wind tunnel instructor for over 4 years now."

What is indoor skydiving? "Indoor skydiving is flying in a vertical wind tunnel, the same way skydivers fly in freefall."

How similar is indoor skydiving to the real skydiving experience? "Flying in the wind tunnel is the same as freefalling out of an airplane. The differences are you do not need a parachute in the tunnel and the flight time isn't limited to how high you exit the airplane. Skydivers and the military use wind tunnels to train for skydiving."

Do you need to be certified or trained to enjoy the indoor skydiving experience? "It takes about 15 minutes for the class and a few more minutes to get the flight suit, helmet and goggles on and then you are ready to fly. So you don't need to be certified."

What types of things can a person do when they are in the wind tunnel? "Have fun, of course! Initially, a new flyer learns to fly on their belly. The instructor will assist them into the flight chamber and help them get into a good body position. Very quickly, the flyer can be taught how to turn, move forwards and backwards and to move up and down in the flight chamber, just by making subtle body movements. More experience flyers are able to perform a dizzying array of different flips and tricks as well as flying in more advanced orientations, such as flying on their back."

How long does the experience normally last? "It depends on the company. However for most places an introductory flight is two 1-minute flights. This is the equivalent of about 3 real skydives. A first class flight package is offered that is two 2-minute flights."

What are the age limits for indoor skydiving? "Anyone between the ages of 3 to 103 can skydive indoors. As you can see there is not much of a age limit."

How much does it cost a person to indoor skydive? "Again this depends on the company. The introductory flight ticket at Skyventure Colorado costs $48 for adults and $43 for 12 and under. Once you have flown with us, return flights are $15/minute."

What advice would you like to leave for someone who is interested? "Don't put it off. Call an indoor skydiving facility today and make an appointment. Listen carefully to your instructor, they are there to help you and ensure you have an enjoyable indoor skydiving experience."