Indoor skydiving happens in a vertical wind tunnel, also known as a ‘skydiving simulator’, which simulates the experience of freefall. It’s the perfect way to find out what skydiving feels like without jumping from an airplane!
Indoor skydiving has grown massively in popularity in recent years. What was once a training tool just for skydivers has become an exciting day out for anyone over the age of 2. So what exactly is it, and why is it so popular?
How does indoor skydiving work?
Indoor skydiving, or wind tunnel skydiving, is done inside a big vertical cylinder known as a wind tunnel. Wind tunnels come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from 12 feet in diameter up to 17 feet. The bigger the wind tunnel, the more people can fit inside it.
Skydiving wind tunnels work by either pushing air up from below or sucking it up from above using large fans. No matter which type of wind tunnel you fly in, the experience is the same – wind rushing up at you, holding you as you learn to fly your body through the air!
Who can go indoor skydiving?
Most indoor skydiving facilities will welcome anyone over the age of 2 years who is physically fit to fly.
You’ll start with a first-timer flight, where an experienced instructor will hold on to you and keep you stable. After a few minutes of flying, you’ll be able to try things like turning and moving around by yourself.
How does indoor skydiving compare to outdoor skydiving?
Indoor skydiving is a ‘skydiving simulator’. That means it gives you an experience as close as possible to the real thing.
In many ways, indoor skydiving is a lot like outdoor skydiving. Your body responds to the air in the same way as it does when you jump from an airplane, where you can use your arms and legs to turn and move around like you’re really flying!
It’s used by skydivers to train. There are loads of professional skydivers, and also hobby skydivers, who use the wind tunnel to hone their skills. There are skydiving competitions held around the world and skydiving teams go to indoor skydiving centers to practice and improve.
There are many ways that indoor and outdoor skydiving differ, too. That magical experience of flying a parachute around and taking in the amazing views? That’s not available with indoor skydiving. Then there’s that moment when you jump from the airplane – there’s really nothing like it! You simply can’t simulate that feeling indoors.
Indoor skydiving is great fun, but no substitute for the real thing. If you fancy taking the leap for real, check out our first timer deals – we’d love to show you what skydiving is like for real!
