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The Boss
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 23/10/2007 12:58:29
Posts: 115, Visits: 547 |
| Well last week I went to Airkix for my first proper session down there. What I mean by proper session was .. Hanging out there for a few hours, meeting and getting to know as many people as possible and doing 30 mins + time. It wasn't my first experience of Airkix.. Just the first time I'd spent any substantial amount of time down there. It was a brilliant day.
I got there bright and early and was pleasantly greeted by a couple of really nice guys who had just opened the place up. One I think was called Alec (?!) and I can't remember the name of the other guy so well because he quickly went off to get on with something else. It transpired that it was actually shareholder day and the day of the Annual General Meeting a fact that I had completely forgotten about before visiting. This was good news for me! As it happens I am a very small shareholder in the tunnel, so was in store for a far better day than I first planned.
Within a few minutes a few other shareholders turned up and a group of us went for a fly "free of charge". We got a few free flights throughout the day and the staff and team there went to great lengths to explain a little bit about the business and show people round, mainly for the benefit of the shareholders who hadn't been before. I had no idea we were going to get some "shareholder" freebies, so it was a great surprise. Alec acted as our host for the day and was a consumate professional. Very easy to get on with, very good at his job and above all, from what I gathered, a really decent bloke.
Cutting a long story short, apart from having to nip out for a few hours for a meeting in London, I spent most of the day there. Although the place was packed during the day (with shareholders and genuine general flying traffic) evening was quiet for the tunnel and I did about 20 minutes from my own wallet. I had the tunnel to myself for a while!! ;-)
The "catcher" in the tunnel with me in the evening was a guy called Michael, who was great fun and an incredible flyer. For those of you who haven't flown "skyventure" tunnels before, whenever someone flys in the tunnel - there is always someone waiting at the door ready to leap in an rescue you if you do anything too silly. I've never had to be rescued by anyone yet but once a twice I have pushed myself beyond my normal limits and come close to giving myself a battering .. Having a catcher is a great idea, especially for newer flyers and in particular more experienced flyers pushing themselves when freeflying. Anyway, I am waffling on ..
The facilities are spot on. I grumbled a little about the toilets etc not quite being up to scratch in my earlier post from the other week - well this has all been fixed. The whole building was immaculate on this visit. It really is a very, very smart place to hang out. I spent a good part of the day there, it was good. Additionally, the place was running very smoothly indeed, everything on schedule and to plan. This place is getting seriously organised and quick. In short, although this might be a new tunnel the staff are very quickly getting up to speed with all apsects of the business.
So .. During the course of the day and the evening I flew about 40 minutes in total. A good day! In the evening I donned a free-fly suit and went across to the dark side for the first time in a long time and had a thoroughly good time. Those of you that know me, will know that I am more of a RW person than a freefly person .. But that's not to say I haven't done any. In fact I am moderately competant on my back and I spent the evening practicing transisions from back to front in various ways (forward rolls, backward roll) .. Also attempted a little sit .. Got close .. Hmmm .. Had a good time ..!! :-)
The air-stream is very strong, crisp and clean and I think in my own personal experience .. It seems better for freeflying stuff than I remember Orlando being. But you know this stuff is highly subjective. So, Airkix, would I recommend it. Yes in a word. It's a great tunnel, the staff are great and there's lots of other stuff to do when you visit it. Go now .. !! |
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| | | Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 14/08/2007 17:26:13
Posts: 123, Visits: 502 |
| Thanks for the good review, it looks like Airkix have made some good improvements to an already damn-fine tunnel!
I had excellent fun when I flew here a few weeks ago, and I too would recommend it to anyone. It's a great experience.
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| | | Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 24/08/2006 18:51:45
Posts: 31, Visits: 118 |
| | Flew Arkix very very briefly during it's final stages of construction. My memory was that is was small compared to the other tunnels.-- The air was ok and very fast. Since i love RW, my primary question is: which blocks can be flown at Arkix? Also how much Rw is possible in a tunnel this size? I stress i am not being negative about the skyventure spec but am really interested as to how Arkix compares to the other tunnels for Formation stuff. |
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 31/05/2006 20:55:59
Posts: 16, Visits: 170 |
| | Um, isn't Airkix a standard SV 12ft? If it is you can do all the randoms for 4-way (I think) and I know you can do some of the blocks (specifically anything involving verts to save space) but def wear kneepads. |
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 31/05/2006 20:55:59
Posts: 16, Visits: 170 |
| Ok, have it on good authority that you can do the following blocks in a 12ft tunnel.
5, 6, 11, 15, 17 and maybe a 3.
Hope thats useful, if not I'll shut up. |
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| | | Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 14/08/2007 17:26:13
Posts: 123, Visits: 502 |
| Yeah, Airkix is 12ft .. I suppose it would feel small if you're a Bedford Junkie like Nigel 
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| | | Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 24/08/2006 18:51:45
Posts: 31, Visits: 118 |
| | Thanks for the info re blocks in Arkix. We must go down and try them out. Unfortunatly like James i take up rather a lot of space in the tunnel and as Alison keeps telling me i create one hell of a burble!-------commonly caused by me being a Fat Knacker! Nigel |
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The Boss
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 23/10/2007 12:58:29
Posts: 115, Visits: 547 |
| You're definately not a fat knacker Nigel..
You're just a big mean looking bastard!
I bet the air is shitting itself as it rushes towards you.
"I'm the only fat knacker in the village"
(that will mean nothing to our American members!)
J
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| | | Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 24/08/2006 18:51:45
Posts: 31, Visits: 118 |
| | Your sense of humor is outstanding---like it. Get your *** down to Bedford on new years eve and lets scare the sh-t out of some air together! Nigel |
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