big guys and tunnel

[keithbar 1]

Any big boys tunnel fly? I would love to get some tunnel time in to work on my sit flying. But I'm 6' 4" and 250ish. My fallrate is smoking on my belly. I have no clue what my fall rate would be in a good solid stable uprights sit anybody think the wind tunnels would not support someone my size? what is the upper limit on the wind speed in these things do they go up to 200 miles an hour?

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[wan2doit 6]

I have seen weight limits for tunnels of 250. I do not believe they are hard and fast though since I have read somewhere (don't remember where) that being tall so as to have more area for the wind to push on helps allowing folks of that weight to fly.

Only way to know for sure is to go to a tunnel and try.

[stayhigh 2]

big guys just have to modify their body position to fly, I've seen 240+ dude sit flying at hollywood tunnel, and that is equivalent to normal sized people flying at old Orlando tunnel.

It is all about how you can fly your body. I've seen 220lbs 6'2" flying HD off the net comfortably at Hollywood tunnel.

Super heavy people just have to consistently move around, and not fly static.

Heavy or light they all start the same, with low wind speed. Wind speed so low that you can barely pretend to sit, and once you demonstrate your ability the wind speed goes up. Until then, more back flying, more doing bullshit on the net. Those bullshit drill looks like bullshit but they help you and saves you money at the end.

Lets say you totally skip back flying and go right into sit flying. what happens if you cork out? The time is running and you are gonna waste all the time just getting back to your feet, by the time you get back to your feet, time ran out. You need to get out of the tunnel. I've seen plenty of that happen to those who just wanted to sit fly. Wasting money.

Big dude having high speed fall rate is just a excuse now days. You can slow shit down alot by flying your body properly.

vice versa I've seen 135lbs, 5'4" dude flying topped out on his belly at Hollywood. Which I can not do, and I weigh 180lbs.

It is all about flying skill.

super slow tunnel and being able to fly all axis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI1uAdIhAe4

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[jumpsalot-2 3]

You'd probably break the sound barrier if you could get off the net in a sit ...... ...... ( like you, I can do 150 mph on my belly )

Life is short ... jump often.

[corpkid 0]

I'm about 220 and 6 feet tall. I have no problems in the Orlando tunnel on belly, back or sit (well, I'm learning sit but I can get off the net for a bit before bailing to my back - but that's just a function of my level of learning, not the wind to weight issue).

What everyone else says about good body position is truth. On my belly and back, with the Orlando tunnel around 95% I can zoom WAY up and stay there (a good 5 to 7 feet above the glass). Just gotta make myself "big." I also have a pretty loose tunnel suit which helps catch the wind. I doubt you'll have much problem - especially if you are flying a fast tunnel (Orlando is pretty slow compared to the new ones). Have fun!

[BigBUG 0]

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Any big boys tunnel fly? I would love to get some tunnel time in to work on my sit flying. But I'm 6' 4" and 250ish. My fallrate is smoking on my belly. I have no clue what my fall rate would be in a good solid stable uprights sit anybody think the wind tunnels would not support someone my size? what is the upper limit on the wind speed in these things do they go up to 200 miles an hour?

If I am correct that this is about 115 kg. No big deal for any modern tunnel.
To do some advance flying, however, you'll need to think about losing some weight and definitely need to order a proper suit.
Weight is not only limitation becasue of the power of the tunnel - modern tunnels could blast up to 300 kph. But this is a matter of safety. Instructor should be able to provide spots and support you. I am currently coaching a guy who is 120 kg and though I am not a small guy myself, this is a physical challenge and potential risk is way higher. Also, ity is really much harder to learn on a high speeds, so big guys usually progress slower. It's all vary, of course.
We have a 140 kg guy flying good sit and learning to headdown, so nothing is impossible :) But I refuse to teach him layouts and dynamic staff :)

[sirenoremac 0]

I'm ~210lbs and 5'9". I sit fly quite comfortably in all of the tunnels I've been in (Hollywood, Austin, Raeford), though in Hollywood I struggle to get very high in a sit since it diffuses as it goes up. I have no problem staying on the net on my belly with the fans topped out if I want to (at Hollywood, probably not at the bigger tunnels), so I would definitely classify myself in the "like a rock" category. It took some work to figure out how to get enough lift in my sit at first, I spent a lot of time flying very stable about half an inch off the net before really getting the hang of using every available surface for lift. So, it's definitely possible though it may be some work. On the flip side, being forced to eke out every bit of lift is very good for skill development, as I can't just let the wind do all the work.

I would guess from my experience that any of the modern tunnels would have no problem flying you in a sit. I learned to sit in the tunnel at Hollywood and always had to fly with the fans topped out, and when I went to Austin, I was able to fly easily with much less than maximum power (maybe around 70% if I recall). YMMV, but I don't think you will have any problems. Give it a go! Call the tunnel you're going to before hand and ask them too, they may have specific feedback for you.

[asphaltpussy 0]

the weight limit is for us instructors back and bones with first timers and spotting people. not a technical limit. with enough money and time there's nothing that doesn't fly.

R&D Firebird USA
Skyventure Arizona Instructor
Eloy, AZ

[keithbar 1]

What brand of suit do you use? I have a freefly suit that fits well. It's somewhat baggy but not as big as freefly suits were back several years ago. one modification I would definitely make his foot straps to keep the legs from wanting to ride up my calves that's happened a few times in free fall

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[wan2doit 6]

Hey corpkid, don't be knocking Orlando ;)

[keithbar 1]

So the consensus is it can be done . With a baggy suit and a powerful tunnel. Is Raeford one of the more powerful tunnels? I have been wanting to go to that one for personal reasons.

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[bob.dino 1]

Raeford is plenty powerful. But let the tunnel know ahead of time about your size + weight so they can make sure to have a suitable instructor on hand.

[stayhigh 2]

Shaq flew in Orlando tunnel.

It is not about the speed of the tunnel, it really depends on YOUR flying ability.

At Raeford you should be able to fly with normal freefly suit.

Baggy-ness does not equal to more lift. You can have shitty baggy suit that doesn't give you any lift vs tight fitting suit that is built well and give you more lift.

Lift of the suit depends alot on its material, layering, and finally flappyness.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[ctrph8 0]

keithbar

What brand of suit do you use? I have a freefly suit that fits well. It's somewhat baggy but not as big as freefly suits were back several years ago. one modification I would definitely make his foot straps to keep the legs from wanting to ride up my calves that's happened a few times in free fall

I've lost weight but at my highest I was 240ish before I started putting on gear. I had a big baggy Tony Suit with 0-P sewn into the arms and leg layers for additional stopping power. Since I've started my tunnel progression I've gone to a much slimmer suit. Really quickly I figured out that I didn't need all that fabric, I needed better technique. I now have two Vertical Suits and they are nothing like my big suit. I specifically went to the tunnel and asked them to help me with "Big Guy Issues". I got some great coaching and pretty much had to re-learn 20+ years of skydiving but it works.

I've flown in the tunnel that Stayhigh had the video of. It's just a big fan on a big engine. I couldn't sit in it but I could backfly.

[freeflyroy 0]

I am exactly 6,4 and 250 and in the UK. Currently learning the dynamic routines and recently been signed off as a IBA HD coach. Don't let anyone (especially your own mind) tell you it's not possible. I learnt in a 12 foot sky venture tunnel when I was around 30 pounds heavier. Cordura material suite, double layers on your arms and legs and that will get you started. Static is harder than moving, but it is very doable.

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[girthy 0]

keithbar

So the consensus is it can be done . With a baggy suit and a powerful tunnel. Is Raeford one of the more powerful tunnels? I have been wanting to go to that one for personal reasons.

No, no no.... the old school way of thought is baggy suit. stay away from that advice--- horrible all that crap floating around will affect your body flight. Cordura 500 is what you want-proper fitting. your body position will give you lift

Im 6'4 and 260. I have about 10-12 hours coached in the tunnel (eloy and chicago) ..... and no, your sitfly speed will be normal when properly done and with a proper suit, the fast ones will be the ones with poor body position.

[AZogrediver 0]

I'm 6'4", 265lbs, and just completed my 1st 10mins in the tunnel in Eloy today. Had no problem flying at all and they never had to turn it up at all. As soon as I learned to make myself bigger I thought I was going to fly out through the roof. As folks have said, it's all in how you fly!

Damn good fun today, learned a ton and feel better about my next AFF jumps tomorrow. Can't wait to go again!

[wan2doit 6]

"...the fast ones will be the ones with poor body position."

Don't quite understand "the fast ones" part. Is that referring to some type of suit material or student.?

[JWest 0]

Being a heavier person I have to agree with what a lot of people are saying. My first time in a tunnel was a shit show. I was not used to the airspeed being so slow. Once I got used to that after a minute or so everything was fine. Mostly did back net drills after that.

[BigBUG 0]

This is right and this is wrong.

Do not orger baggy suit - right
Body position matter - right
Small and big ppl have the same fallrate in headup - wrong
Big guy like me (90 kilos) _could_ fly on low speed. But it will be way more energy consuming and harder to learn, if we are talking about 'static' flying. Dynamic is different, there you could fly at really slow settings. So the answer is - tunnel should be able to provide _comfortable_ flying speed, which usually 10-15% more than 'lift-off' speed.

And again, there is huge difference between tunnel and the sky. In the tunnel you apply force to fly, you need to fly at set speed. In the sky there is no 'set speed', you need to maintain position and then adjust fallrate to your buddies, thus you have a way broader fallrate range.