The discussion revolves around the comparison between the iFLY indoor skydiving experience and actual skydiving from an airplane. Participants explore the technical aspects of how iFLY operates, the sensations involved, and the differences in experience between the two activities.
Participants generally agree that while iFLY offers a fun experience, it does not fully replicate the thrill of jumping from an airplane. However, there are competing views on the safety and mechanics of stalling, as well as the overall enjoyment of the iFLY experience.
Participants express varying levels of concern about safety, particularly regarding stalling and falling. There are also differing opinions on the physical sensations experienced during iFLY compared to actual skydiving.
russ_watters said:Having done the real thing, but not this, I'd say that the part it is missing - the actual jumping out of an airplane - is a pretty big deal. The freefall, once stable at terminal velocity, is windy but pretty calm.
That said, I'd still like to try it. There's one near me. When they were building it, I thought it was a wind tunnel (I was half right?), since it is right next to a large Lockheed facility.
jedishrfu said:The whole idea is to use your body cross section to control the airflow and control your height and position via wind resistance.
Stalling is the point.bluecap said:can one stall?
A robot defining "fun".jedishrfu said:The whole idea is to use your body cross section to control the airflow and control your height and position via wind resistance.
russ_watters said:Stalling is the point.
Thinking about your body as a wing is problematic. You increase lift by increasing cross sectional area. You decrease lift by decreasing cross sectional area. It never counts as "flying".bluecap said:what you mean? if i fly to the ceiling and panic and stall.. i can fall straight down hurting my feet?
russ_watters said:Thinking about your body as a wing is problematic. You increase lift by increasing cross sectional area. You decrease lift by decreasing cross sectional area. It never counts as "flying".
bluecap said:can one stall?
cosmik debris said:Yes. If you want to move across the ground to intercept other skydivers to form a star or other pattern you arch your body, point your toes, and put your arms back along your sides. This position is like a ski-jumper and forms a sort of crude aerofoil. In this position you can attain something like 60 - 70 knots across the ground but it also increases your vertical component. Your vector speed may approach 180 knots. If you arch your body too much you will start to stall and you can actually feel buffeting and loss of lift.
I forgot to mention, this is in real skydiving.
Cheers
It's the energy required to operate the fan. You can Googulate that.bluecap said:ifly centers are great revenue generating businesses earning $100 with just less than 2 minutes of floating time. Why are there only one company (?) in the world doing this? Is it so hard to order or manufacture the big fan? Is this the same one they used in Boeing in testing the wing flight characteristics?
russ_watters said:Having done the real thing, but not this, I'd say that the part it is missing - the actual jumping out of an airplane - is a pretty big deal. The freefall, once stable at terminal velocity, is windy but pretty calm.
That said, I'd still like to try it. There's one near me. When they were building it, I thought it was a wind tunnel (I was half right?), since it is right next to a large Lockheed facility.
Fig Neutron said:I have only done it once, but it was a lot of fun. Where I went there was an instructor in the tunnel with you to help and the floor was like a mesh trampoline. I did stall a little once, but they show how to tuck and fall to the padded siding on the floor. When that happens you sort of get blown over to the side anyway (or a least it did that to me).
They do let you stand on the side and jump over the fan. It’s not the same as jumping out of an airplane, but it does give those of us who don’t want to jump out of an airplane the chance to get a bit of the feeling.
bluecap said:Have you try floating to the ceiling 3 stories up? and when you stall.. how slowly do you fall to the mesh trampoline.. I saw news someone hurted her ankle when she fell.. want to make sure it won't happen if i'd try floating to the ceiling. Need to decide before buying the online tickets.
I've done both, and the experiences are quite different. You're never going to get the adrenalin rush at iFly that you do from jumping out of the plane.russ_watters said:Having done the real thing, but not this, I'd say that the part it is missing - the actual jumping out of an airplane - is a pretty big deal. The freefall, once stable at terminal velocity, is windy but pretty calm.
That said, I'd still like to try it. There's one near me. When they were building it, I thought it was a wind tunnel (I was half right?), since it is right next to a large Lockheed facility.