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Vertical wind tunnel

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Non-recirculating indoor vertical wind tunnel.

A vertical wind tunnel (VWT) is a wind tunnel which moves air up in a vertical column. It is a recreational wind tunnel, frequently advertised as "indoor skydiving" or "bodyflight". It is also a popular training tool for skydivers.

Vertical wind tunnels enable human beings to fly in air without planes or parachutes, through the force of wind being generated vertically. Wind moves upwards at approximately 120 mph, the terminal velocity of a falling human body belly-downwards, although this can vary from person to person. A vertical wind tunnel is frequently called 'indoor skydiving' due to the popularity of vertical wind tunnels among skydivers, who report that the sensation is extremely similar to skydiving. The human body 'floats' in midair in a vertical wind tunnel, and this is called 'bodyflight' or 'body flight'.

Bodyflight

Bodyflight, or 'body flight', is the art of 'flying your body' in a controlled manner. This include turns, rolls, lateral movement, fall rate control, and other acrobatics in the air. The skill of bodyflight makes it possible for skydivers to fly closer to each other while they are falling, to allow them to link together in formation skydiving, then fly apart to a safe distance before opening parachutes. Many skills of bodyflight can be learned in a vertical wind tunnel, to enable skydivers to become better at controlling their bodies in the sky.

Bodyflight is accomplished via increasing/decreasing the drag of your body, using arms and legs as rudders for bodyflight motion control, as well as other techniques similar to that of an airplane. Professional athletes who fly through the air for long distances, such as ski jumping, have also used certain bodyflight techniques to increase jumping distance by manipulating their bodies to be more airfoil-like. Frequent visitors to a vertical wind tunnel are often called 'tunnel rats', much like frequent visitors to ski slopes are called 'ski bums'.

Some of body flying enthusiasts are developing their tunnel flying skills not for sky diving training. The goal of them is to end up with professional performances. Aerodium Latvia has a group of professional performers -air acrobats. This team started with a performance in closing ceremony of Winter Olympics 2006 and now is performing on mobile and stationary vertical wind tunnels all around the world.

Vertical wind tunnel types

Recirculating indoor vertical wind tunnel.

There are two main types of vertical wind tunnels:

  • Outdoor vertical wind tunnels, such as Aerodium and similar units.
  • Indoor vertical wind tunnels, such as SkyVenture and similar units.

Outdoor vertical wind tunnels can either be stationary or portable. Portable vertical wind tunnels are often used in movies, demonstrations and are often rented for large events such as conventions & state fairs. Portable units offer a dramatic effect for the flying person and the spectators, because there are no walls around the flight area. These vertical wind tunnels allow you to fly with a full or partial outdoor/sky view. Outdoor vertical wind tunnels may also have walls or netting around the wind column, to keep beginner tunnel flyers from falling out of the tunnel.

Indoor vertical wind tunnels include recirculating and non-recirculating types. Non-recirculating vertical wind tunnels typically suck air through inlets near the bottom of the building, through the bodyflight area, and exhaust through the top of the building. Recirculating windtunnels, form an aerodynamic loop with turning vanes, similar to a scientific wind tunnel, but using a vertical loop with a bodyflight chamber within a vertical part of the loop. Recirculating windtunnels are usually built in climates that are too cold for non-recirculating wind tunnels. The airflow of an indoor vertical wind tunnel is usually smoother and more controlled than that of an outdoor unit. Indoor tunnels are more temperature-controllable, so they are operated year-round even in cold climates.

Various propellers and fan types can be used as the mechanism to move air through a vertical wind tunnel. Motors can either be diesel-powered or electric-powered, and typically provide a vertical column of air between 6 and 16 feet wide. A control unit allows for air speed adjustment by a controller in constant view of the flyers. The controller can turn the air up for extra lift or down for less lift depending on the size, skill level and needs of the tunnel flyer.

Safety & market appeal

Indoor skydiving also appeals to the mass market audience that are afraid of heights, since in a vertical wind tunnel, one only floats a few feet above trampoline-type netting. Wind speed can be adjusted at many vertical wind tunnels, usually between 80 to 150 mph, to accommodate the abilities of an individual. Indoor vertical wind tunnels contain the person within a chamber through the use of walls. Outdoor vertical wind tunnels have either netting or inflatable cushions surrounding the airstream, to catch anyone falling out of the airstream. Wind tunnel flying is also a low impact activity, though warm-up exercises are frequently recommended prior to flying in one. As a result of the controlled safety of a vertical wind tunnel, the activity is generally suitable for participants of all ages.[citation needed]

History

The first human to fly in a vertical wind tunnel was Jack Tiffany in 1964 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

The first recreational vertical wind tunnel was developed by a Canadian company named Aerodium in Quebec. It was developed and patented as the "Levitationairum" by Jean St.Germain in 1979. In 1982 St.Germain sold his concept and helped build 2 wind tunnels in America. The first vertical wind tunnel, built solely for a commercial use, opened the summer of 1982 in Las Vegas, NV. Later that same year, a second wind tunnel opened in Pigeon Forge, TN. Both facilities opened and operated under the name of Flyaway Indoor Skydiving until 2005 when, 15 year Flyaway Manager, Keith Fields purchased the Las Vegas facitly and later renamed the facility to "Vegas Indoor Skydiving."

An important milestone in vertical wind tunnel history was 'Wind Machine' at the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics[1]. This was an Aerodium unit custom built by Aerodium (Canada/Latvia) for the sole purpose of the closing ceremony. Many people had never seen a vertical wind tunnel before, and were fascinated by the flying humans with no wires to keep them aloft.

See also

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