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RE: VWTs in USA Today

Bodyflight.net — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 15:50:20 GMT

Well... it could've been bigger... but it DID go out!

June 4th Weekend Edition, check your local papers

Online Version: http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/060604/060604news.html#recreation

Here's the text in case they move the article:

Recreation
Floating on air

Skydiving soars indoors.

Always dreamed of skydiving but scared out of your socks that you'll end up like an insect, splatting into a windshield? There's a more controlled option: indoor vertical wind tunnels capable of simulating freefall.

SkyVenture Colorado, outside Denver, boasts four 300-horsepower fans that generate a 160-mph column of wind, enough to buoy a free-falling skydiver, minus the "where's the rip cord?" panic. Cost: $40 to $50 for just less than three minutes of "flight" time.

Although professional skydivers and military personnel have used similar tunnels, "body flying" for the masses is relatively new. How it works: A controlled (wind speeds can be throttled up or down) column of "wall-to-wall" airflow supports "flyers." "One second you're floating, the next you can shoot up 22 feet to the ceiling and then down again," says Brad Hess, of Flyaway Indoor Skydiving in Las Vegas.

"The beauty of body flying is anyone from 3 to 83 can do it," says Dawn Suiter, of the Bodyflight Network (bodyflight.net), an online community of enthusiasts. "There is this amazing sense of freedom. It hooks you almost instantly."

Opening this year from Florida-based SkyVenture: sites in Hollywood, Calif.; Nashua, N.H.; San Francisco; Ogden, Utah; Philadelphia; and Dallas.

Contributing: Lewis Beale, Laura Daily

RE: VWTs in USA Today

Bodyflight.net — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 20:13:38 GMT

Did my interview with Laura today.. she was very nice!

RE: VWTs in USA Today

Jalexp — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 15:32:38 GMT

I think the olympic footage definately helped the sport of Tunnel Flying become more popular, it will have almost certainly helped millions of people who did not previously know about tunnel flying discover this great sport!

It seems that this sport is going from strength-to-strength as the time goes by, I don't think we've seen the last of this rapid growth in popularity yet!

RE: VWTs in USA Today

Paige — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 21:36:04 GMT

Whooooo! That's awesome news. For sure in part because of the Olympics, the whole crowd was silent- it was amazing. I hope this is just the begining.

Super glad she gave you a call Brad, I'm sure you had lots of great things to say. You are such a positive part of this sport. Your love for flying and upbeat personality leave lasting impressions on those who visit your facility. There are a few of us at SVO who have been out there and most of us can't stop talking about the amazing vibe and crowd.

VWTs in USA Today

Condor — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 23:21:39 GMT

I got a call from Laura Daily with USA Weekend (a weekend edition of USA Today) about the growing popularity of VWTs in the US. This has got to be at least partially influenced by the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. It's really exciting that our beloved sport is finally getting more attention. Laura had questions about why the sport is taking off now, and hadn't before. My only answer was that skydivers are recognizing more and more the power of tunnel time, and that extreme sports in general are getting more popular. Any thoughts on this??

I'm not sure when the article is going to print, but when I find out I'll let ya'll know. I guess Laura has been talking to representitives from a number of different tunnels, I'm really anxious to see how the article is written.