EU Wind Tunnel Tour

[freeflight6 9]

Hello gang - I'm doing an EU Wind Tunnel Tour starting next week - I'll visit UK, France, Holland, Copenhagen, Germany and Prague over 3 weeks and fly/video each facility.

I'm looking for input from any skydiver that has been to these Wind Tunnels for hot tips, people/staff I can contact ahead of time at these Tunnels, travel tips and local sights to see.

Any advice would be appreciated - blue skies, Frank

[adamUK 3]

I have flown at Manchester. It's a 14ft tunnel skyventure tunnel. There are quite a few tunnel rats there. Super-solid regular flyers are Mark (Tron), Simon, Luca and Frazer. They're good for coaching if that's what you want. If you're awesome and want to do some dynamic stuff then they'll be up for that too.

It's right next to the Trafford Centre which has a bunch of stuff - it's a shopping centre and there's also an artificial ski/snowboarding slope there. There's a DZ about an hour away (BKPC) too.

It's also really close to the airport (15 min drive).

If you want any more info just pm me.

[adagen 0]

Definitely include http://www.bodyflight.co.uk/

Over 16 foot diameter tunnel, usually a lot going on, flatfly and freefly. Frequent tunnelcamps with some excellent coaches. Friendly staff, and most of them are skydivers. What are you looking for, flatfly or freefly?

Also a lot of other facilities there - flowboarding, climbing wall, raceroom, fan descender jump, gym, pool, bar and diner.

Anne

[smertzen 0]

Only tunnel I know of around copenhagen is this one, located around 15 minutes by car outside the city:

http://www.airexperience.dk/uk/

It is rather small (12 ft) but the guys there are very friendly. Let me know if you want company when you get to the Copenhagen leg of your tour.

[freeflight6 9]

Thanks - appreciate your offer; I have 15 minutes booked on 2 October 2013 at 2 pm (14:00). I fly in from Amsterdam on the 1st - I'd love to meet another skydiver for tips in the city, I've never been in Copenhagen. I won't have a phone but will have my laptop so you can email me - freeflight@cfl.rr.com - for contact. Please send test message when able to establish link to your email, and I look forward to flying with you - Frank - PS - I leave US tomorrow for UK Bedford tunnel -

[freeflight6 9]

Just flew in Bedford WT - great machine - very fast - Aerokart next - Frank

[BigBUG 0]

Hey, why you did not plan Russia? :)
16 and 12 feet tunnels in Moscow, brand new 14' in Saint-Petersburg, awesome instructors (including world champ Mikhail Razomasov), cheap prices!

[adamUK 3]

BigBUG

Hey, why you did not plan Russia? :)

I loved Russia but getting a visa was a real chew on . That's one of the things that stopped me going back.

[freeflight6 9]

Update: My trip was very cool and fun. Was not able to fly in all 6 WTs due to mega-malfunction of my laptop/video equipment, but was a good first trip and I plan to do another one in the future to fly in the other 4 WTs.

Flew 15 minutes each in Bedford, UK and Roosendaal, Holland - both machines are amazing - large flight chambers and fast, smooth air wall-to-wall.

They make my local Orlando WT look like a toy, but am glad to have it 45 minutes from my house and DZ.

Special thanks to the staff and owner Paul Mayer in Bedford and Roosendaal staff - very professional.

Thanks also to Flemming for his offer to meet in Copenhagen, Kate Bjerrum, CEO of Copenhagen Air Experience, Jan in Prague and the German and French WT staff I was in email contact - I will make it another day in the future.

If any skydivers are in central Florida, please stop by my airport with new DZ Florida Parachute starting in December in Coleman, FL and we can make some jumps and fly in the Orlando WT - (352) 748-6629 or freeflight@cfl.rr.com - blue skies, Frank