SuffolkNews tried indoor skydiving at iFLY Milton Keynes and this is what we thought
With the wind whipping past my face and cheeks flapping wildly, I was spending my Friday morning enjoying one of the more unusual experiences of my life.
I had ventured out of Suffolk to iFLY Milton Keynes with my husband David and six-year-old daughter Clara. There, we were in a wind tunnel, giving indoor skydiving a try.
Skydiving is frequently one of those experiences people put on their ‘bucket list’.
In truth, I’ve always been a bit too scared to add it to mine. At times I’ve toyed with the idea, but realised I’m too much of a wimp to pursue it – flying a plane (for journalism purposes) is my absolute limit in the adrenalin stakes.
And so, when I heard about iFLY I thought it might offer the perfect opportunity to experience some of the sensations of skydiving, but in an environment I could feel more comfortable in.
Before arriving at iFLY we all had to complete an online pre-flight briefing and watch an introduction video.
On the day, everyone has to arrive at iFLY 45 minutes before their flight time to get kitted up in flight suits, goggles, helmets and ear plugs.
Our instructor Josh also re-capped the safety briefing and the hand signals he might use during our flights (the tunnel is so noisy hand signals are an essential means of communication).
At 11.30am, our 10-strong group headed upstairs to the vertical wind tunnel and filed in to sit on the bench which runs alongside.
All first-time flyers like us have two instructors – one to help in the tunnel and another in the booth controlling the wind speed.
Our flight group included a mix of ages and sexes, with a solo flyer, another family and couple included.
I felt some trepidation waiting for our turn, especially as the first flyer forgot the briefing instructions and struggled to get inside the tunnel.
At this point I started to fret whether his difficulty might make Clara nervous, but she scooted along the bench, squeezed my knee, and I looked down to realise she was brimming with excitement.
Eventually the first flyer was inside the tunnel for his flight and after what seemed like a few moments (but was actually the equivalent freefall time of more than one skydive) he was out again, looking a little shell-shocked but happy.
One by one – with David, myself and Clara last in the queue – participants entered the tunnel for their first flights.
What struck me was how difficult it looked to maintain the correct position in real life (it had looked simple in the video briefing) and that instructor Josh was not letting go of anyone’s flight suit just yet.
And it clearly wasn’t for everyone. While most exited the tunnel with smiles on their faces, one young lad – probably aged about eight – got inside and immediately gave Josh the thumbs-down signal, exiting in tears. Clara did not seem perturbed.
Suddenly, David was stood at the tunnel’s entrance and leaning inside.
I was impressed, as he was making it look easier than almost everyone else. Competitive streak fired up, I started running all the briefing instructions through my head and prepared for my own flight.
With a buzzing Dave safely out of the tunnel, I stood at the entrance, toes over the edge, arms held up and hips pushed forward to lean into the air flow.
And what an assault on the senses it was. Nothing prepares you for the noise, the sheer force of the wind rushing past your face and your dependence on the instructor to keep you bobbing safely in the airflow as you adjust to the new experience.
With my breath taken away, I felt my cheeks flapping in the wind and realised dribble was running down my chin, but there was no time to dwell on it as I needed to ensure my legs were straight, arms were lifted and I was looking up to give me any chance of staying stable.
As the seconds of my flight counted down I realised Josh was having to grip my flight suit less and I was enjoying it more.
And then it was over. I was back on firm ground and sat on the bench, wiping dribble off my chin as David described how hilarious my flapping cheeks had looked (like those of a dog sticking its head out of a moving car’s window, apparently) and watching Clara at the other end of the bench bouncing excitedly as she prepared for her turn.
With no fear, she raced to the tunnel as soon as Josh was ready for her.
As a parent, it is something else to see your six-year-old bobbing up and down in a wind tunnel.
Worried she might react similarly to the other young child in the group, I looked closely at Clara’s little face. All I could see was excitement and happiness brimming out of her, as she realised a long-held ambition to try indoor skydiving (she had seen children’s television entertainer Blippi do it well over a year ago and has wanted to try ever since).
Once Clara’s turn was over she wanted to go back in immediately for her second flight (we all had two-flight packages).
So the second time, Clara went in the tunnel ahead of David and I. She immediately seemed more stable and in control of her limbs – no doubt because the experience was no longer completely new to brain and body.
David and I also found our second flights easier, with Josh able to let go of us both at times.
With everyone sat back on the bench post-flight, Josh offered the chance for an extra flight, costing £14 each.
Clara literally jumped at the chance. David and I looked at each other and jointly thought ‘well, while we’re here, why not?’.
Having been given the thumbs-up, Clara skipped back to the tunnel’s entrance for her third – and best – flight of the day.
“That was EPIC,” she beamed at the end and asked if we could go back to iFLY for her birthday.
After the experience we headed downstairs to de-robe while Josh told us about special offers to return another day and how to buy our flight photos and videos (with the cost starting at £7).
On looking at the photo screens outside I giggled at my flapping cheeks captured on camera and was wowed by Clara’s courage, so evident on the flight videos.
As for returning to iFLY, we haven’t booked yet but we will.
It was well worth the 90-minute drive from Bury St Edmunds and if you can find a special offer – keep checking the website as they do pop up occasionally – it makes for a reasonable family day out.
And it’s not something you are likely to forget.
For more information and to book, go to www.iflyworld.co.uk
- iFLY offers indoor skydiving at Milton Keynes, in London at the O2, Basingstoke and Manchester.
- If you are going to the Milton Keynes experience, the site is easy to find and there is plenty of car parking (charges apply) outside.
- Flights are about one-and-a-half times longer than a tandem jump, with each flight about 60 seconds long.
- Children can take part from the age of three (as long as they can comfortably wear a helmet).
- If you need to wear your glasses during the flight, extra large goggles can be supplied.
- Make sure you wear lace-up trainers – no velcro.
- And if you have long hair, ensure you take a hair bobble and a hairbrush. I was left with a tangle of knots which remained in my hair for the rest of the day.
