Bodyflight.net Monthly contest

freefalljenn — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:00:49 GMT

The May contest is up and Mrs. Dawn forgot to advertise it in here, so I am helping her out. Go check out the contest at Bodyflight.net May Contest to see if you can figure out the answer. I'm not sure what the prize is this month, but i am sure Dawn has come up with something fun. I am almost certain the answer can be found within the Bodyflight Network!

Portable wind tunnels - getting any good?

cloudfall — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:23:25 GMT

Are there any decent portable wind tunnels available and ok, I know "decent" is a highly subject thing - but what I mean is, that can generate a fairly smooth and laminar airflow at speeds capable of supporting 100kg person without a baggy suit. I.e. there a "mini"-AAC or a "mini"-Skyventure etc out there? Dawn, if you're out there .. you might be the best person to ask this question?

First Times a Charm!

Bodyflight.net — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 13:53:16 GMT

Who was first? Let's collect all the tunnel FIRSTS here in this thread for easy reference!

I'll start:

First test flight at
Flyaway Pigeon Forge - John Suiter
Powerflyte (a portable vwt) - John Suiter
SkyVenture Orlando - John Suiter
Appalachian Amusement Center - Chris Landon

The first 13way tunnel flight - AAC conducted entirely by tunnelrats

The first civilian in a VWT happened to be a teen girl! See the article at: bodyflight.net

The first Kayak flights - Flyaway PF (late 80s I think) with John Suiter

The first IN MOTION tunnel flight - John Suiter flew Lifted Entertainment's tunnel while it was being driven down the taxiway at the World Freefall Convention! (video on my site)

First ever tunnel competition: 1990 Airofly World Championship in Tampa FL... the winners? John Suiter, Phil Henderson & Chris Landon

First tunnel flight ever? 1964 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base! Mr. Jack Tiffany

ok... who's next... who knows some tunnel firsts... I'd really love to know who were the first people to fly at each VWT!!!! Oh... and NO using the history of flight section of my website to cheat!

Dawn Suiter and Shane Tully have posted some interesting info ... take a look

cloudfall — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 09:25:32 GMT

Take a look at http://www.tunnelflyer.com/Topic52-11-1.aspx for a little bit of history about our sport.

Hopefully this new forum will grow in to a gold mine of this type of information ..

The COMPLETE list of VWTs

Bodyflight.net — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:09:35 GMT

here's what I have as of now in my notes...

Adren-l-n - completed in 2003; manufactured by Jus’ Fly; propeller driven; 1st prototype; currently operating successfully
Aerodium - propeller driven machine built 1980-1981; patented in 1982; operational for 5-7 years after opening. Closed for unknown reasons, business is being carried on by the children of the inventor.
Aerodium Latvia - built in 2004 by Francois St. German now operating in Latvia, propeller driven very busy tourist facility
Aerodium Mexico - built 2002 for military; small propeller driven; inadequate for training; currently For Sale
Aerokart - completed in 2002;fan driven; french training facility; currently operational
Airodium Zurich - completed in 1991; propeller driven; currently operational and successful. The swiss tunnel is keeps current with technology and currently sell a portable vwt design.
Airkix UK - SkyVenture facility; recirculating unit; completed in 2005; currently operational
Airodium Gran Canaria - completed in 2000; propeller driven portable tunnel; operating successfully since completion this tunnel moves little around it’s home in the Canary Islands; another successfull tunnel.
Airofly #s 1 - 8 - propeller driven machines delivered to different locations; built to be movable with slow airspeeds of approximately 83mph; it is believed that all are out of commission as a result
Airpower Arena - completed in 1996 after success with the portable unit they built first; currently operational
Airpower Arena Portable - completed in 1985; propeller driven; possibly available for rentals.
Airzone - propeller driven portable; location unknown; no information is available
American Dream Flying Machine - completed in 1991; changed ownership 3 times and is currently for sale; slow airspeeds of 80-90 mph
Appalachian Amusement Center - completed in 2003; fan driven; currently operational
Blue Skies America - completed in 1990; propeller driven; closed due to lack of demand
Bodyflight Bedford - remodeled a former military wind tunnel, completed in 2005, currently operational
Bodyflight Skydive Simulators LTD - purchased an old canadian propeller driven tunnel; considering operations, little progress since 2000 believed to be due to financial reasons
BodyFlying SportanLagen - completed in 1997; constructed for an exhibition; disasembled 1 year later
Dr’Homme Volant - little is known about this facility which seemed to surface in 2002, extremely large suits have indicated extremely slow airspeeds;
Egyptian Military - completed in 1998 by the swiss Airodium; built for paratrooper training; currently operational with no public access
Wright Patterson Air Force Base - completed in 1943 for military testing; in 1946 Jack Tiffany flew in this tunnel making him the first human to fly in a Vertical Wind Tunnel and making WPAFB VWT the first VWT used for human flight; closed. Moved operation to Ft. Bragg
Flyaway Japan - completed in the mid 1980’s; propeller driven tunnel; operational for just a couple of years
Flyaway Las Vegas - completed in 1982; propeller driven tourist facility; currently thriving
Flyaway Pigeon Forge - completed in 1982; propeller driven tourist facility; currently operational
Freefall Xtreme - completed in 2002; not yet open to the public; status unknown
Free Flight Indoor Skydiving - completed in 1990; not open to the general publich; prototype
Free Flight Skydiving School - completed in early 90’s operated on a DZ; small propeller driven tunnel; original burned down; rebuilt and disassembled due continued to structural failures
Jetfly - much is unknown about this tunnel other than it was manufactured by Mistubishi and has been available for flight in Japan
Ft. Bragg - completed for the military; no public access; fan driven; currently operational
Mobile Aerodium - propeller driven portable; operational for several years in a water park; currently disassembled and in storage; reason for closure is believed to be a result of the water park closure/lost location
Onera, France - science facility, used for human flight once for fun
Party Zone - portable propeller driven tunnel, used for promotion of a Russian brewing company
Powerflyte - completed in 1994; propeller driven; successful on a portable tour; changed ownership twich; refurbished by new owners; currently non operational due to budget
Aerodium Isreal - unknown start date; operational until approx 2002; dismantled
Skydive LTD - propeller driven portable; currently for sale
Skyflyer - tiny 3 fan driven portable tunnel; no information available
SkyVenture Arizona - completed in 2005; fan driven; currently operational skydiving training & tourist facility.
SkyVenture Genting - completed in 2002; fan driven; extremely loud; currently operational tourist facility
SkyVenture Orlando - completed in 1998; fan driven; extremely loud; currrently operational skydiving training & tourism
SkyVenture Perris - completed in 2003; fan driven; extremely loud; currently operational on a drop zone for skydivers
Sundsvall Swededn - completed in 1999; propeller driven; currently run by a swedish skydiving team
Terminal Velocity - completed in 1999; closed due to noise restrictions; for sale
Tokyo Roof - unknown; no information is available
Brazillian Portables - 3 propeller driven portable tunnels used as rentals and promotional aids throughout Brazil
Vertical Velocity - propeller driven portable unit; small and easy to move; currently operating successfully
Lifted Entertainment - propeller driven portable unit; purchased in 2002; currently operational
Vuelo Libre - slow speed propeller portable unit; sold & resold, currently for sale

Under Construction:
SkyVenture New Hampshire
SkyVenture Colorado
WindWorld Hungary

keep the list alive.... I'm SURE I forgot someone!!!!

tunnelflyer.com / General discussion area / Interesting facts, history and the development of wind tunnels

Bodyflight.net Monthly contest

Portable wind tunnels - getting any good?

First Times a Charm!

Dawn Suiter and Shane Tully have posted some interesting info ... take a look

The COMPLETE list of VWTs