So... what's it like at SkyVenture Perris?

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

So.. I have 15 minutes booked for myself & a tunnel buddy on the last Saturday of JFTC.. ANYWAY... I've been working with her on exit drills.. getting her ready for the big exit out of the tube, and the whole experience in general flying at really high speeds.

So.. this practice leads us to many questions, all of which we have answered with a SVO answer.. so I was wondering.. how are they different? In operations procedures I mean...

I expect us to have to each sit through class 'check out' when we first get in.. but how much of that will eat up our time? Is there a certain 'procedure' we must follow to be cleared?

Also.. is a suit REQUIRED?? I mean are we allowed to Tshirt fly and with jeans etc?

When does time start.. when the doors close or when the flight begins physically?

We have 15 minutes.. will we have to be in the chamber with another group making up a whole half hour or might we go in by ourselves and come out when our 15 minutes are up?

What about a camera.. are we allowed to bring a camera into the anti chamber or even into the air? Maybe our instructor
anxious to know...

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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So.. I have 15 minutes booked for myself & a tunnel buddy on the last Saturday of JFTC.. ANYWAY... I've been working with her on exit drills.. getting her ready for the big exit out of the tube, and the whole experience in general flying at really high speeds.

Lol...Dawn, please relax! It will be fine. It's not difficult to exit out of the wind tunnel, and the Tunnel Instructor will be there to help you with that part, if you need any assistance. It's not a big deal, if you need help. Flying with lead might be an idea, just in case you have problems staying down when you fly in faster air. They can slow down the speed for you, too, if you need to have them lower the air speed. They do it all the time for kids and for newer/first time flyers.

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So.. this practice leads us to many questions, all of which we have answered with a SVO answer.. so I was wondering.. how are they different? In operations procedures I mean...

Call SVP and ask their staff.

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I expect us to have to each sit through class 'check out' when we first get in.. but how much of that will eat up our time? Is there a certain 'procedure' we must follow to be cleared?

I never had a "class" when I first went to SVO. They just showed me how to get in with a quick briefing before my first tunnel session (which was during an Airspeed tunnel camp), and it wasn't too bad. I assume that SVP is similar...a short verbal briefing on how to do it. Since they knew that I had been in a Skyventure tunnel before, they didn't need to go over the entrance/exit with me.

Dawn, you need to let the staff know your experience level, etc. You have tons of experience tunnel flying, and you have flown in SVO already, so don't worry so much, girl. Still, if you do have any questions, the staff is very competent and helpful with anything that you might need. If you have questions, you should arrive with plenty of time before your flight. Anyway, the best way to find out what it's like is to just fly.

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Also.. is a suit REQUIRED?? I mean are we allowed to Tshirt fly and with jeans etc?

I would NOT try that, if I were you, Dawn. You don't want to end up flashing, do you?

Btw, is this time with Erin and myself, or did you and Rox get time on your own. Either way, I'll catch up with you that night, Dawn!

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[Bodyflight.Net 0]

Rosa, yes I have the SVO experience.. more than I logged, I never included all the time I flew during testing.. but Rox is a different story for sure..

None of us have had to sit through class at SVO but I didn't want to assume the same of SVP

I could never wear lead!!! But how responsive ARE the controls there..? How quickly can it be turned up.. variable pitch or speed?

We Tshirt/jeans fly all the time.. even at SVO.. no tunnel has undressed me yet but there is always a first. Have you never flown in a Tshirt & jeans? It's alot of fun and really quite nice, removes all the drag and allows you to just fly your body.. but is that NOT allowed in there?

As far as conveying my experience...that usually doesn't hold much weight even at SVO where every time I go I have to still do the 'prove yourself' drills
pm'd about the tunnel time

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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I could never wear lead!!!

Then, don't worry about the faster wind speed, or you can always just freefly.

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e Tshirt/jeans fly all the time.. even at SVO.. no tunnel has undressed me yet but there is always a first. Have you never flown in a Tshirt & jeans?

Of course I have flown in a t-shirt and jeans...in the sky. Talk about total freedom! I have to say that my pants slipped down my hips when I tracked away (too much air went down the front when I dearched to track). Also, my top flew up when I deployed my main. After what happened to me in the sky, I'm not trying it in the tunnel. Ask the staff at Skyventure Perris, if you can fly in plain clothing.

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As far as conveying my experience...that usually doesn't hold much weight even at SVO where every time I go I have to still do the 'prove yourself' drills fortunately, it goes quickly. Are they very relaxed at SVP about visiting tunnel flyers?

I don't know what kind of drills that you are talking about, but they are probably worried about your safety, if they don't know your flying skills. Usually, they can just watch you fly during sessions to know your skill level. They are very, very wonderful to any visiting tunnel flyers. I have heard nothing, but good things about Skyventure Perris' staff. We (local flyers and visiting flyers) love them and appreciate how professional, yet fun that they are during our sessions. I'm sure that you will also feel the same way.

Like I said, the Perris Skyventure staff are the people to answer all your SVP tunnel flying questions. PM VivaHeadDown on here. His name is Kris, and he is the head Tunnel Instructor at SVP. You can also PM Diablopilot (also a Tunnel Instructor at Perris) or call SVP with any more questions. There is no reason to make any assumptions when you can easily get answers from them. Have fun!

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[Bodyflight.Net 0]

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PM VivaHeadDown on here. His name is Kris, and he is the head Tunnel Instructor at SVP. You can also PM Diablopilot

I guess if they don't run across this thread then I will.. or call the tunnel & post the answers myself.. in case anyone else is curious too. Still haven't had much luck finding the answers in past posts...

Thanks!

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[MB38 0]

I'm only speaking from my experience here.

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I expect us to have to each sit through class 'check out' when we first get in.. but how much of that will eat up our time? Is there a certain 'procedure' we must follow to be cleared?

I showed up 30 minutes before my tunnel time. I filled out the waiver and had a short [sub-10 minute] briefing on basic procedures. Our friend diablopilot ran me through entering and exiting the tunnel as well as basic safety procedures.

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Also.. is a suit REQUIRED?? I mean are we allowed to Tshirt fly and with jeans etc?

A suit is required AFAIK.

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When does time start.. when the doors close or when the flight begins physically?

When the flight begins. Everybody enters... the room is pressurized and the fan is brought up to speed. Then the timer starts and the first flyer enters.

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We have 15 minutes.. will we have to be in the chamber with another group making up a whole half hour or might we go in by ourselves and come out when our 15 minutes are up?

The room is pressurized for 30 or 60 minutes. You're in there as long as it's pressurized. Flying for 15 minutes straight would be so exhausting that taking a few minutes off [to discuss the previous flight and to plan the next one] will be helpful.

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What about a camera.. are we allowed to bring a camera into the anti chamber or even into the air? Maybe our instructor

I doubt it... there's a high risk of parts flying off of the helmet and into the fans above. I'd hazard a guess that they won't allow it in the antechamber either, but I don't want to say.


Remember, this is all from my own personal experience and does not necessarily represent how it will be for you.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

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[diablopilot 2]

Sorry to have taken so long to get to this thread. Competition has been occuping my time.....

Experience skydivers get the entry/exit, and tunnel saftey breifing, most experienced tunnel flyers get an even briefer version.

As for flying, if your instructor hasn't met you before, or doesn't know your skill level, they will ask that you go through the basic progresion, however experience instructors will easily be able to gage your level of control in just seconds.....no fear, I'm sure you'll find us to be a fun facility.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hottamaly 1]

You might want to call them and see what's up. I understand it's shut down right now. I don't know for how long.

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[Paige 0]

Normally, SVO doesn't like cameras in the tunnel. A camera can go in the SVO chamber if someone is holding it the whole time. I'd assume they prefer one person taking pics and the camera not exchanging hands (this is the only way we've had a camera in the chamber). It's not always easy to get them to let you take a camera in, it's always good to ask and plan ahead for those kind of things.

Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate
www.TunnelPinkMafia.com

[ltdiver 3]

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You might want to call them and see what's up. I understand it's shut down right now. I don't know for how long.

The tunnel was up and running this evening when I went over to see some friends fly.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[MB38 0]

I think they shut it down for a few hours in the middle of the day for the sake of power consumption or heat... not sure which.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[Shark 0]

Still drinking that Romulan Ale?

[ltdiver 3]

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Still drinking that Romulan Ale?

Yep. Had another one tonight!
Here's one for you, too....

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

Thanks for the reply, I know it's been hectic for ya..

what about the whole rotation thing.. we're both so used to flying for 15 - 30 minutes straight... how will that work, will we have another group in there too and do we get to fly our time together, as in 2 in the tunnel at a time..?

Added: we have 15 min at 10am
sorry for my ramble, what I'm really asking is what will the rotation likely be?

[diablopilot 2]

The rotations will be whatever you ask for. If there is another group, then you'll have to work with them, if it's block time.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

so there IS the possibility that there won't be another group and we might just get 15 min in a row?

I'm just concerned with getting only 1.5 or 2 min bursts of air time.. 3-5 would be much more preferrable..

sounds cool.. look forward to meeting everyone.. we're both excited to tick another tunnel off the list!

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[diablopilot 2]

Nope, if you were the only ones in that half hour, you could do your 15 minutes in 2.5 minut or GREATER rotations.....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hottamaly 1]

It's up and running again.

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[Frenchy68 0]

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I expect us to have to each sit through class 'check out' when we first get in.. but how much of that will eat up our time? Is there a certain 'procedure' we must follow to be cleared?

Just to get in? Safety briefing, then depending on what you are trying to accomplish, briefing about the "flow".

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Also.. is a suit REQUIRED?? I mean are we allowed to Tshirt fly and with jeans etc?

They're usually pretty strict regarding anything that could snag. Jewelry, buttons, etc... A suit, IMO, is a good idea.

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When does time start.. when the doors close or when the flight begins physically?

When the flight starts.

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We have 15 minutes.. will we have to be in the chamber with another group making up a whole half hour or might we go in by ourselves and come out when our 15 minutes are up?

Either. But I would recommend sharing. Not only because of the physical strain/recovery factor, but also because breaks allow you to process and analize what you just did.

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What about a camera.. are we allowed to bring a camera into the anti chamber or even into the air? Maybe our instructor could take a few photos or is that something that 'isn't done' there..?

Up to the staff. There is, of course, a video camera recording the flight (you can get VHS or DVD).

Note: I only have a couple hours in the Perris Tunnel. Best thing is to call them.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[diablopilot 2]

Now that I have a bit of time again, here are some answers I missed.

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Also.. is a suit REQUIRED?? I mean are we allowed to Tshirt fly and with jeans etc?

Yes. Suits are required.

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When does time start.. when the doors close or when the flight begins physically?

Depends on how much you bought. 15 and less you'll get actual time. If no one else is booked into your block, you'll have some filler time to break up your session if you like.

If 30 or more then you're renting the facility for that period.

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We have 15 minutes.. will we have to be in the chamber with another group making up a whole half hour or might we go in by ourselves and come out when our 15 minutes are up?

Depends if the other time has been sold or not. Did you book your 15 directly with the tunnel desk or through JFTC? If through the tunnel, then out of the 30 minute block your 15 is in, we won't sell more than 12, that way guarenteeing you'll recieve your full time.

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What about a camera.. are we allowed to bring a camera into the anti chamber or even into the air? Maybe our instructor could take a few photos or is that something that 'isn't done' there..?

Cameras nor any other loose objects are allowed in the flight chamber.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Shark 0]

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There is, of course, a video camera recording the flight (you can get VHS or DVD).

There is only 1 DVD recorder. Be first in line to avoid hassles.

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

Ok.. I did my time today at Perris at 10 am in the morning.
I must say I had a nice time over there!! Everyone was very friendly, especially the group that went in right after us.. they were clapping etc while we were even still in there flying even!! It was a good visit.
I flew for about 13 minutes total.. I brought a friend with so we shared the time.. she flew one rotation alone, and so did I.. the rest of the time we shared. The rotation was VERY hard to get used to.. flying for only 2.5 minutes at a time isn't very much and isn't what we are used to... just about the time I would be getting warmed, Scott (instructor) would step in and let us know that our time is over.. it's a good thing he was there for that.. I only looked at the clock once or twice the whole time and I know Rox barely noticed it till her last flight too!!!

The rules there are very strict and they work hard to enforce them.. although I expected MOST of the rules that were presented to me.. one came up which I NEVER expected which was that we were NOT allowed to fly at different levels from eachother... everytime I would go up above Rox to do our 2 way spin they would turn the air down and Scott would jump in to tell me to look at her eye to eye. This is a new thing for sure.. this is my 8th tunnel and the first time that has been presented to me. I didn't know ahead of time about this so it took a couple of reprimands for me to finally figure out he was serious!! and so most of the flying we do together isn't even allowed at SVP

We tried to have some folks watch on the web cam but we spent most of our time out of frame above the view of the camera, so the only record we have of it is 2 VHS tapes.. no cameras were allowed in the chamber nor did they have a system for snapping pics. DVDs were $30 so we didn't get them and a good thing too because most of the time we are not even in the view of the camera and the entire tape (on 2 VCRs) was filled with static.. I'm hoping that a better VCR will do the trick but the bombshelter tape player didn't even play it.. and they didn't have a place for us to check it out at the tunnel itself so we had to go find a vcr, finally found one in the room/shack that Joao is using now .. and that was the best it played but still lotsa static

The controls were SUPER responsive.. more like Flyaway's response time in controlling the speed.. split second reactions. .I like that alot and it was helpful I expected lags in airspeed adjustments but nope! Who knows what airspeed we were at.. I couldn't even figure out where the door to the control room was, but I wasn't too interested in finding it.. there is a little pass through window that they give your tapes through.. but our controller was gone already and replaced by our instructor.. fast rotation it looks like with little breaks. So.. I can say for sure it's fast... of course, I'm not sure about comparing it to the SVO because it's been a few months since I flew there, but by THAT experience Perris was MUCH faster.. I was able to mainain splits, sit, docs, back carving etc.. all with ease.. at SVO I always had to kick off the net constantly.. so fast, yes..very much so!

Suits, earplugs & empty pockets (YES even inside your suit zip pockets) must be empty.. fortunately they provide you with a free locker...although I am NEVER comfortable leaving my thousand dollar wedding ring in a tiny tin box where the key is accesible from any side of the counter... also i didn't notice anyone guarding the keys while we were in the chamber but I'm sure it was fine (silly me I'm paranoid)..

End result.. what a nice experience we had, I'm so glad.. I don't know if I met any DZ.com'ers.. noone said they were but Chris, Nick & Scott were the guys we met and a really sweet but much too busy Myra (?) I think down at check-in!! I would've loved to fly more but the extra 2.50 per minute of airtime is just not in my budget for sure.... and I'm much rather spend the money somewhere where we can fly more freely.. JUST MY OPINION of course.. I know not everyone has the same goals from their flying or even looks at flying the same way I do... but for those of you out there who think a little like I do.. that was my experience.. I would CERTAINLY do it again but I would book an entire 1/2 hour for sure so that I didn't have to have such short flight times...

Will definitely visit again sometime... perhaps JFTC 2008!!
A big thumbs up for Perris SV..

ALSO.. important to note... they don't seem to call it SkyVenture Perris... instead I see Perris SkyVenture everywhere... no big difference, just an interesting side note!

[diablopilot 2]

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everytime I would go up above Rox to do our 2 way spin they would turn the air down and Scott would jump in to tell me to look at her eye to eye. This is a new thing for sure..

There is no specific rule against vertical transitions. The instructor must simply feel comfortable with the control of the flyers, and in all honesty that may take a little time if they haven't been able to see much solo flying.

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and they didn't have a place for us to check it out at the tunnel itself so we had to go find a vcr,

There are 3 team rooms with video debrief stations (VHS and digital video) upstairs for customer use.

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The rotation was VERY hard to get used to.. flying for only 2.5 minutes at a time isn't very much and isn't what we are used to...

Block time will allow you to fly in any intervals you wish. They start at 30 minute blocks.

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We tried to have some folks watch on the web cam but we spent most of our time out of frame above the view of the camera,

Fequently people fly at their comfort altitude rather than ask for speed adjustments to put them in the chamber it's self. Flying below the top of the glass is much more efficient than flying above, and speed adjustments are easy to handle.

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A big thumbs up for Perris SV..

Thanks! Come back any ol' time.....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

I cannot believe there was a place for us to check our videos at the tunnel and NO ONE offered it but instead sent us to the Bombshelter... that sux

all the rest I understand of course.. and like I said next time I'll definitely get a whole half hour at least.
and I did meet one dz.comer although not at the tunnel... HIYA QUADE if you ever poke around in here

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Fequently people fly at their comfort altitude rather than ask for speed adjustments to put them in the chamber it's self. Flying below the top of the glass is much more efficient than flying above, and speed adjustments are easy to handle.

I'm not sure I even understand what your saying... are you saying people fly right above the net so that when the speed changes in the tunnel on them, they don't have anywhere to fall and they can maintain their position more easily without interruption?? I certainly saw that in action while watching a 4 way team...

also.. I wonder.. how does that translate to the sky.. I see them feeling for the walls.. touch touch kick kick.. what happens in the sky when there are no walls.. I hear everyone talking about muscle memory and so I wonder with all that time in the tunnel practicing like that.. do they kick & reach for the walls in the sky too outta habit? (serious question.. I SWEAR I'm not being sarcastic in ANY WAY!)

[flyangel2 2]

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I did meet one dz.comer although not at the tunnel... HIYA QUADE

Excuse me, what am I? Chopped liver?

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey