Amy Chmelecki

www.tunnel-rats.com
A Publication for Tunnel Flyers and Skydivers / Issue 1
ALSO FEATURING...
SCOTT PLAMER
MIKE GRUWELL - CHUTINGSTAR
CASEY GARDINER
JOSH O’DONOGHUE
MIKE SILVA
DEVIN & BEN ROANE
GARET BLOODWORTH
TUNNEL MICE - LITTLE UNDERCOVER NINJAS
AND MORE!
FEATURED FLYER:
Amy Chmelecki
“Be who you want to be
and be proud of that person”
EXPLORE AIR SPACE
CO NT E NT
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Photo Credit: Nicolas Lott
SAMANTHA SCHWANN
TUNNEL RATS STAFF
Q&A WITH AMY CHMELECKI
DUANE HALL of SPEEDFLY SPORTS
JAKE JENSEN
FIRST FAI WORLD INDOOR SKYDIVING
CHAMPIONSHIP (WISC)
SCOTT PLAMER
MIKE GRUWELL of CHUTINGSTAR
CASEY GARDINER
JOSH O’ DONOGHUE
LIQUID SKY by JULIO RUIZ
TUNNEL TIPS AND TRICKS by MIKE SILVA
RUSTY LEWIS
TUNNEL COMP - 7.19.15
DAVID HANLEY
GARET BLOODWORTH
MIKE SILVA
ANTONIO ARIAS
TUNNEL MICE - LITTLE UNDERCOVER NINJAS
DEVIN and BEN ROANE
SPACELAND LITE
Jason David Frank
CEO
Laura Denio
Project Manager/Editor
Angela Rolls
Editor
Tammie Frank
Content Advisor
Alex Rosas
Shannon Marchand
Ktahime Studios
Layout and Design
Cover Photo: Samantha Schwann
©2015 TUNNEL RATS
www.tunnel-rats.com
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT
TUNNEL RATS STAFF
www.tunnel-rats.com
SAMANTHA SCHWANN
JASON DAVID FRANK
Jason David Frank was introduced to the skydiving
sport during his run as a Power Ranger during
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Although
he did not actually jump during the movie, it did
spark his attention toward the sport. Now he has
been in the sport for 15 years with over 1200 freefly
jumps, 2 balloon jumps, 2 helicopter jumps, and 15
BASE jumps. His skydiving license is D24460 and he
is sponsored by ChutingStar, Infinity, ALLMAX, iFly,
and LiquidSky. In 2013, he mixed his love of skydiving
and martial arts to break a Guinness World Record.
He broke seven pine boards with his fist in freefall.
In March 2015, Jason became a Certified IBA
Instructor.
Samantha Schwann is a Canadian photographic artist living in Eloy, Arizona. She completed her AFF in Perris in 2007,
and knew almost immediately that she wanted to become a skydiving photographer.
As a self-taught photographer, she spent hours each day shooting land, sea, and cityscapes in Vancouver, discovering
and learning composition and technicals. Photography very quickly became a passion, and she knew she had found
the artistic medium that was a perfect fit. In 2012, she held her first solo exhibition in Vancouver, containing 40
images juxtaposing the beauty and harshness of desert and sea, which remains a heavy influence in her artistic work
today.
Samantha started tunnel photography shortly after moving to Eloy, as her husband, Friday Friedman, coaches at
SkyVenture Arizona. She began experimenting with a 3-speedlight system, which not only combatted the low light, but
was also able to freeze the fast action.
Samantha enjoys traveling to various tunnels to shoot camps and events. She also offers tunnel photography to flyers
and teams coming to Eloy to train, capturing everything from progression milestones to photos for sponsors.
Samantha now concentrates full time on photography, with her tunnel and skydiving-related images having been
published both nationally and internationally. Her landscape and abstract images have been exhibited in Phoenix,
Vancouver, Los Angeles, and New York. Find her on Facebook as Samantha Schwann Photography or check out her
website at www.samanthaschwann.com.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
ADVERTISE WITH US!
TAMMIE FRANK
Tammie Frank began skydiving about 15 years ago. Since then, Tammie has skydived over 900 times, is a very active
tunnel flyer, and has a coach rating in the tunnels. In addition to this, Tammie, who does mostly freefly jumps, also
has 2 balloon jumps, 2 helicopter jumps, and 2 BASE jumps. In 2014, Tammie, along with her fellow women skydivers,
earned her first world record for the “First All Women Feet First Skydive” World Record that was established at
Skydive Spaceland in Texas. She currently is a two-time world record holder.
Full Page
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LAURA DENIO
After hanging around various drop zones with friends for about 10 years
and numerous tandem jumps, Laura stumbled upon tunnel flight in May
2014 and quickly fell in love with it. She currently has about 30 hours and
is anxiously awaiting completion of the two tunnels under construction
in San Diego. Like most tunnel rats, she does not get to spend nearly as
much time in the tunnel as she would like, so being a part of the Tunnel
Rats business is very exciting for her. Laura’s role in the Tunnel Rats
partnership centers on project management, which is where she excels
professionally.
For inquiries about magazine advertising:
[email protected]
If you have any high-resolution photos
(1MB or more) or ideas you would like to see
us consider for the magazine, please contact:
[email protected]
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AMY CHMELECKI
Featured Flyer
www.tunnel-rats.com
Q&A
with Amy Chmelecki
What is your hometown?
What was your first sponsorship and when?
Mamaroneck, New York.
Skydive Chicago was my first sponsor in 2001.
Where are you currently located?
When did you first become sponsored by Red Bull?
Eloy, Arizona, is where my home is;
however, I am pretty much on the road
nonstop and I love it.
2013
Do you have any other hobbies?
I knew they were thinking about it, but would not let myself get my hopes up. When team captain Jon Devore called me, I was
traveling from Singapore to PHX after a tunnel competition. I was speechless. Even after he asked me, I really did not believe it.
Once I signed my contract, it all sunk in and I threw a big celebration at my home in Arizona.
I love to travel. Luckily skydiving and
tunnel flying gives me that opportunity.
There are a handful of other things I
enjoy like yoga, cooking, snowboarding,
and ceramics, but to be honest, I do not
do too much more than travel and fly
these days.
How long have you been
skydiving?
20 years.
Where did you start?
What was your reaction when you found out you would be sponsored by Red Bull?
Do you have any other current sponsors?
iFly, Rigging Innovations, Icarus Canopies, Cookie Composites, Paraclete XP, Boogieman Suits, L and B, GoPro, Get Hypoxic,
CYPRES.
What is some of your favorite work that you’ve done with Red Bull?
Every single job and training camp with Red Bull is an amazing experience. Traveling around with the team is always a mega
fun time. We get to do lots of cool stuff together. My favorite job so far is a wing suit flight we did over Manhattan Island. Three
out of the five of us on the jump were from New York. This made it extra special. The morning light on the massive city was
breathtaking. My mom was there when I landed. It was for sure a dream come true.
Is there anything upcoming that you’re excited about?
The Ranch in upstate New York.
How many jumps do you currently
have?
Yes. ;-)
Photo Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
Around 15,000.
What are your different
disciplines?
Right now my competition focus is
Dynamic 4 way. I guess you can call me
your typical freeflyer. I have competed
in Freefly, Freestyle, Canopy Piloting,
Vertical Formation Skydiving, and
various FS disciplines.
Photo Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
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AMY CHMELECKI
Featured Flyer
www.tunnel-rats.com
Photo Credit: Samantha Schwann
Has being a woman in skydiving
made your success more difficult
to achieve?
This question is hard to answer because
I do not know what it would be like to
be a man in the sport, but what I can
say is that nothing ever seemed hard for
me. I have just been following my heart,
rolling with the punches, and enjoying
every little detail.
Do you have any advice for other
female skydivers out there trying
to advance in the sport?
There is no crying in skydiving!!! For
real, if you are crying over skydiving, I
guarantee there is something else going
on in your life. Take some time to figure
it out and make the changes you need
in your life to be a better you. I am not
saying it is wrong to cry or feel sad,
as all feelings are important, but do
not blame it on your poor head down
carving skills. Be who you want to be
and be proud of that person.
Have you done any stunt double
work?
Photo Credit: Samantha Schwann
What teams have you been a part of?
> Sugar Gliders was an all-female freefly team from 2001 to 2003.
> Resident Eloy was a freestyle team from 2003 to 2005
> Arizona Arsenal was a VFS team from 2006 to 2012
> Joy Riders XP is my current D4W team.
Do you have any upcoming plans for competitions?
I have done a handful of super fun commercials and recently I was in my first movie, San Andreas. I absolutely love stunt double
work.
The Joy Riders are looking for our next competition. We are not sure what direction we want to go in right now.
Do you do any coaching or instructing?
Do you have any favorite or memorable skydiving or tunnel moments?
I mostly coach in an organized setting these days. I like large group coaching more than one-on-one coaching.
How many and what competition awards have you won?
Just this weekend I flew with a tandem in Switzerland. She has Down syndrome. It was her 90th tandem. She is through and
through a skydiver on every single ridiculous level. She was the happiest person I have ever seen in freefall. Skydives like this
mean just as much to me as the huge RB stunts. The little experiences that touch my heart give me long-lasting happiness.
I think I have around 8 national titles, 4 world titles, a handful of local victories, and 11 world records.
Do you have a favorite tunnel and drop zone?
Which one meant the most to you?
Oh man, there are so many amazing ones. My favorite is the variety. I like jumping and flying everywhere.
I think my first gold at nationals was the most memorable. I was competing in freestyle and the win was a surprise. It was a
turning point in my career. Competition is my main drive. It brings out my best and I love this feeling.
Do you have any skydiving/tunnel mentors or role models?
Yes, I have so many. There are a few legends that just blow my mind. Tony from Tony Suit comes to my mind first. A few weeks
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AMY CHMELECKI
Featured Flyer
www.tunnel-rats.com
ago I was in Norway with him, where he was competing for a slot in the World Wing Suit League. He is still at the leading edge
of the sport both developmentally and competitively. I love seeing that. On the other hand, the new young talent in the tunnel
is off the hook. Alex Verner is one of the very best flyers and coaches out there, and I remember when he was born. The new
generation and how they evolve the sport is awesome to watch.
What advice can you give to students to help their progression in tunnel flying?
What are your future goals for your career and in general?
Who can we thank for getting you into skydiving?
I tend to go with the flow. I am not a big planner. However, I want to continue to learn and have fun in the sport. I have a few
projects in mind that are new and exciting to me. I will tell you about them after they are over. ;-)
I think my father’s genetics is a big reason why I crave adventure. He and I are a lot alike. He does not skydive, but he is like a
skydiver in many ways. Jeff Provenzano and I started jumping together when we were 18. He used to come to my work and in a
very funny way convince me to go to the DZ with him on our next days off. I am not sure what my life would look like if it were
not for him, but I am pretty sure you can thank him for getting me to where I am today.
What is the 360view helmet?
A man from Norway contacted me via Facebook and asked me to send him a helmet to turn into a VR helmet. I was not sure
exactly what I was getting into, but it looked interesting, so I sent him an old G3. He tricked it out with 14 GoPros, met me in
Voss to show me how it works, and left it with me. A total stranger dropped this awesome project in my lap. It has been fun to
play with. He has it back to process the footage and make some changes on it. I can’t wait to get it back, new and improved,
and fly it some more. It feels like the future to me.
How do you feel tunnel flight translates to the sky and how does the sky translate to the tunnel? Has doing
both advanced your skills?
Tunnel is such an amazing tool for learning how to fly your body. It has changed the sport of skydiving in a massive way. People
learn so much faster these days. Body flight that took me 6000 skydives to learn can now be accomplished in 10 hours of tunnel.
However, there is a lot of important skydiving knowledge that cannot be trained in the tunnel. Jumping out of a plane needs to
be respected as a different sport with its own set of safety rules. Things like air traffic control, canopy skills, proper equipment,
and weather conditions are very important things to think about. For me, being able to do both skydiving and tunnel flying on a
large scale has helped me advance my skills personally and professionally in a massive way. I am extremely grateful.
Have fun with it every step of the way. Enjoy the fails as much as the successes. You are always learning, even if it feels like
you are not. People that are enjoying themselves learn the fastest.
How does your family feel about you being a professional skydiver?
They are very proud of me. They support me and my happiness. They are happy about the person I have become. At first, they
were hoping it was a phase. In time they grew to love it.
The style and art of body flight continues to change. How do stay on top of these changes?
I do not think I am on top of these changes. The younger flyers that work in tunnels are better than me for sure. However, I
keep myself in the mix competitively because I love body flight. I fly as much as possible. I watch and learn all the time.
Who inspires you?
Anyone and everyone that lives their dream inspires me. No matter what that dream is. If your intentions are good and you live
the life you want, you inspire me.
How do feel about being a role model for women in the sport?
If I can influence someone in a positive way, I am happy. This is a dream in itself.
Photo Credit: Samantha Schwann
What style of flying is your favorite in the tunnel?
Dynamic flying is my favorite right now. The nature of Dynamic flying encompasses so much. It feels so free and so good on the
body.
WHAT LEGACY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE?
“BE GOOD, BE HAPPY.”
-AMY CHMELECKI
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DUANE HALL SpeedFly Sports
Duane Hall
My name is Duane Hall. I have been in
Skydiving for 19 years and have 6000+
skydives, based for more than 13 years on
the drop zone in Perris, California, where
I manage the skydiving pro shop, Square
One, and work as one of the primary canopy
piloting coaches on the DZ. I am also the
proud owner and chief instructor at SpeedFly
Sports, which is my speed flying school located
in Lake Isabella, California. I have been speed
flying for 13 years and instructing it for 10 years.
Speed flying is the art of foot launching small
high-performance parachutes from hillsides
and mountains. It is one of the most exciting
and exhilarating non-motorized extreme sports
you will ever experience. This style of low-level
proximity flight has rapidly spread through the flying
community all over the world and is growing daily.
www.tunnel-rats.com
No previous experience is required to attend a speed flying basic training course. The basic course is a four-day instructional
course in which first-time pilots will learn the fundamentals of speed flying. Day one will be an introduction to the equipment
and how to perform a preflight inspection on your gear. We will then move on to the launch sequence and practice the layout,
forward launch run-ups, and begin ground handling drills. Day two will continue with run-ups and ground handling drills as you
transition into taking mini flights from the base of the hill. Day three will again continue with run-ups and ground handling as
you slowly move up the lower training hill and begin to increase your flying time. Day four will begin on the training hill with
pilots continuing to improve on the proper skillsets to gain proficiency and advance to the intermediate hill.
Four-Day Basic Speed Flying
Course
Experienced Flyers
Normal Price: $1,000
Gear Rental: $85 per day including
4x4 transportation at the hill.
You can find all of this information and
more on our website at:
http://www.speedflysports.com/Home.
aspx.
Discounted Price: $700 (30%
discount for limited time only!)
4x4 Transport at the hill: $45 per
day with your own gear.
You can also send us an email to
[email protected].
Price includes: Gear rental
(excluding shoes and helmet), all
ground school training, debriefs,
and 4x4 transportation at the hill.
Price does not include meals or
accommodation.
Check out this link to learn more
about SpeedFly Sports:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=MLWcWwOZwqc.
The type of wing that is used for speed flying is very
similar to the type of wing used for skydiving, but they
also have many differences. Since speed wings do
not go through a high-speed, high-stress deployment
sequence like skydiving wings do, they can be built with
lighter materials. Speed wings generally have a higher
aspect ratio, more cells, and a more aerodynamic shape
that makes them more efficient to inflate, launch, fly, and
land.
Speed flying is an aerial sport and, like all aviation, there
are inherent risks. However, with the proper training,
guidance, and mindset, this sport can be performed as
safely as any other aerial sport.
You can also be a part of this new and exciting flying style.
SpeedFly Sports offers student pilots the opportunity to
learn the fundamentals of speed flying, requiring no previous
experience to start. The skills and techniques you will learn
from speed flying will greatly improve your flying abilities
similar to the way a wind tunnel does for skydiving. At
SpeedFly Sports, you will learn how to leave the ground with
your wing, how to use all control inputs, and how to harness the
full potential of your wing to fly and land safely.
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If you like to fly and like what you have seen, come and join us at SpeedFly Sports in beautiful Lake Isabella, CA.
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JAKE JENSEN
Photo Credit:
Tyson Sugihara Photography
tysonsugihara.com
twitter: @PhotoSugi
www.tunnel-rats.com
JAKE JENSEN
Flying iFly Utah
By Jake Jenson
Hey everyone! I am Jake Jensen, camera guy for SDC Core VFS team, a level 4
tunnel instructor at iFLY Utah, a world upright record holder, and most recently
world vertical record holder. My team is based out of Chicago, so I spend a lot of
time in the Chicago tunnels, playing and coaching, but there is nothing like the
feel of my home tunnel.
iFLY Utah is a tunnel nestled in the small but growing town of Ogden, Utah; a
town that attracts outdoor enthusiasts for skiing, mountain biking, climbing,
speed flying, and of course skydiving. Skydive Ogden is 10 minutes from the
tunnel and operates with a Cessna Grand Caravan, and is open 5 days a week.
Students that come to our camps fall in love with the beautiful surrounding
mountains and all the activities they can do outside of flying with us. There
is also a BASE course in Twin Falls, Idaho, only a couple hours away, and a
paragliding/speed flying school in Draper, about an hour away.
“...go into your tunnel
time knowing you
are going to learn,
but just have FUN.
Try not to have
expectations that
might frustrate you.”
iFLY Utah boasts some of the best instructors in the business. Since Ogden is
a small town there is not much of a business for first-time flyers; 90% of our
business is coaching skydivers and return flyers. Something really unique about
our tunnel is our price of $740 an hour, which includes coaching. Yes, you read
that right; $740 an hour! Another unique quality that we as instructors in Utah
have is that we all come from a skydiving background, so we not only want to
make you great tunnel flyers, but also to work on skills that translate to the sky.
I coach as a team with Chris “GNARgyle” Argyle and C.J. Roane, mostly so that our
students get three different views of coaching for the best chance to succeed.
The biggest thing I have learned while working with students over the years is
that people learn the fastest if they are having fun. Students that get frustrated
do not progress as fast. If there is any advice that I could give, whether flying
with us or any coach at any tunnel, it is to go into your tunnel time knowing you
are going to learn, but just have FUN. Try not to have expectations that might
frustrate you. With that being said, come with goals and let your instructor know,
because we want to help you learn what you came to see us for. As a team, that
is what we strive to do; have fun and push people in a safe environment.
Come fly with us! We would love to shred some GNAR with you! We promise not
to disappoint!
You can contact me at: [email protected]
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FIRST FAI WORLD INDOOR SKYDIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The first FAI World Indoor Skydiving Championships (WISC) is a very exciting event coming to the world of tunnel flight. Hosted by Hurricane Factory in Prague, Czech Republic, the event, which will be held from October
20 through October 24, 2015, will historically be the first indoor world championships.
The host tunnel, Hurricane Factory Prague, has a state-of-the-art wind tunnel offering the newest technology
in indoor skydiving with a flight chamber diameter of 14 feet (4.3 meters) and height of 45.9 feet (14 meters).
The facility consists of two buildings, one with two floors and one with three floors, and includes many multipurpose rooms and a large Italian restaurant. A large sports hall just opposite the tunnel building will also be
rented for the event. The facility is located in the suburbs of Prague, easily accessible by public transportation
or car.
A valid FAI sporting license for 2015 is required and must be obtained through the competitor’s National Airsport Control (NAC). All competitors must be registered by their NAC in the FAI Sporting License Database (www.
fai.org) before submitting the official entry form. Since the sporting license must be issued in the country competitors are representing, mixed teams from different countries, which is very common in dynamic flying, will
not be able to participate. However, competitors are recognizing the importance of this event and are doing
their best to organize themselves to be able to compete. Some dynamic flyers in this situation are instead
planning to complete in freestyle, since no teammate is needed. The competition was designed this way by
the FAI to be more of a representation of nations and to be more in line with the world championships of other
sports and the Olympic Games.
Disciplines will include 4-way FS (formation skydiving), 4-way VFS (vertical formation skydiving), dynamic 2-way,
dynamic 4-way, and solo freestyle with open and junior categories. In FS 4-way, there will also be a female
category. There must be at least 4 nations registered to be able to declare a world champion, so it is possible
that not all of the junior categories will be held this year. All other categories have at least 4 nations signed
up. There will be at least 20 countries and around 200 participants registered for the event. Rules are according to those set by the FAI and can be found at http://www.fai.org/ipc-documents.
There will be a live feed for the event, and the
link for that will be available on the event website. For further information on the event and
Prague, consult the official event website at
www.wisc2015.com. This is also where you will
be able to find the results of the competition,
which will also be covered in Issue 2 of Tunnel
Rats Magazine.
This event is only expected to get larger each
year and will become the tunnel competition
that everybody trains and aims for.
SCOTT PLAMER
www.tunnel-rats.com
SCOTT PLAMER
Q What is your home town?
A I grew up in Boise, Idaho, and Salt
Lake City, Utah.
Q Where are you currently located?
A Right now I am in Utah, tomorrow I
will be in Idaho, and the day after that
Washington. I travel about 180 days a
year. My house and where I call home
for the last 6 years is Deland, Florida. Q Do you have any other hobbies?
A Lots. I grew up riding motorcycles
and snowmobiles. I spent the
summers on the lake wakeboarding. In
my “adult” life, I have picked up
paragliding, speed riding, BASE
jumping, yoga, kite surfing, and right
now I am fully hooked on golf.
Q When and where did you start
skydiving?
A I started jumping at a small 182 DZ in
Caldwell, Idaho, in 2001. I was taught
using the static line progression and I
was a total s--- student. Professional Skydiver
Indoor Skydiver
BASE Jumper
Wing Suit Pilot
Stunt Man
Adventurer
Q How many jumps do you currently
have?
A I don’t log very well or at all really,
but I tell people I have 9000-ish jumps.
Photo Credit: FlyStation
Q What disciplines do you do?
A I fly my body. That’s what I
do. Saying you “do a discipline” puts
you in a box. I don’t like small spaces.
Q Do you have any sponsors?
18
Q&A
with Scott Plamer
A I prefer the word
“supporters.” Maybe it’s because
I have had the great opportunity
to see how real action sports and
sponsorship work on a professional
level. In our industry, people call it a
sponsor when they get free stuff. In
my opinion, you’re not sponsored
unless you are getting a paycheck
from said company and you have a
mutually beneficial contract.
Q That all being said, my sponsors are
iFly Dynamic, Ferriman Plant Hire, and
my generous students.
A My supporters are Tonfly.com,
UPTVector.com, PerformanceDesigns.
com, Larsen and Brusgaard, and
Cypres.
Q Most of us have seen the video
from when you jumped without a
parachute. What was going through
your mind when you made that jump?
A I get asked this all the time. I think
it’s an anticlimactic question. I was
100% focused on the stunt. One of the
reasons I love stunt/high risk things
is the single-pointed focus you get
while performing them. I am finding
that through focused breath work
and quieting the mind while flying in
the tunnel I can find this “zone,” so
my need for high-risk things is slowly
diminishing. Maybe I am just getting
old.
Q What are your most memorable
skydiving moments besides the jump
without a parachute?
favorite type of jumps. Getting the
opportunity to jump over Tavarua
Island in the South Pacific was pretty
epic. Q What ratings do you hold?
> USPA A, B, C, D Coach / Tandem /
AFFe, S&TA, Pro
> Tunnel Instuctor.org Trainer
> Fly Dynamic Coach
> IBA I4, T3
Q What awards have you won?
> 2014: WWXP D4W Bronze,
Charlewars D2W Gold, Charlewars
D4W 4th Place,
> 2014: iFly Gunslingers D2W Bronze /
Team iFly Dynamic
> 2013: Voss Valhalla D4W Silver /
Team Voss Ventus
> 2012: 138-Way Vertical World Record
> 2012: Battle of Bottrop D4W Gold /
Team Voss Ventus
> 2009: Nitro Circus World Record
Longest Indoor Flight
> 2009: Skyventure Orlando Gold
Medals
> 2009: Paraclete XP 2-Way Freefly
Gold (2 medals) / Team EP and Team
Extended Play
> 2008: USPA Nationals 4-Way VFS
Bronze / Team DeLand XP
> 2007: 69-Way Vertical World Record
> Numerous Nitro Circus episodes
from 2007-2009
Q What teams have you competed
on?
> iFly Dynamic - D2W, D4W
> Voss Ventus - hybrid VFS, EP, EXP Q Do you have any plans for upcoming
competitions?
A Nope. Q When did you begin tunnel flying?
A In 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. I
started full-time work as an
instructor in 2005 at SVAZ.
Q Approximately how many tunnel
hours do you have?
A This is a question that never gets
answered accurately unless you paid
for all your tunnel time. I have been
flying full time since 2005. I figure
I have around 3000 hours of actual
flying in the wind.
Q How does tunnel flying translate to
skydiving?
A It’s really cool to take the
knowledge I have gained indoors to
the sky. If you can fly in the wind
tunnel, flying in the sky is effortless.
On the other hand, if you can fly in
the sky really good, it doesn’t mean
that translates over to indoors very
well. Q Where do you coach tunnel flying?
A I am a traveling road show. :) I fly
in any tunnel that is at least 14’. My
favorite machines to fly in are ISG
or the German-design tunnels like
Bottrop, Voss Vind, Airspace, and
Flyspot.
Q How can someone contact you for
tunnel coaching?
A Shoot me a mail to scott@
ilfydynamic.com.
A I do a camp every single month of
the year. Check out my Facebook
page for the most up-to-date
schedule:
www.facebook.com/iflydynamic
Q What can tunnel students do to
help them mesh well with their
instructor and get the most out of
their training?
A You have to resonate with your
coach for sure, so if you don’t
communicate well outside the tunnel,
then learning in the tunnel will be
difficult. Ask, “Why do you want me
to do it that way?” If you can’t get a
good answer, time for a new coach. Q Do you have any tips for tunnel
students for tunnel flying?
A Tunnel flying is a practice. You
must practice to do it. There are no
shortcuts to flying good. You can
give yourself a crutch (wind speed),
but what happens when you want to
walk without the crutch?
Q What is the most difficult thing to
teach in the tunnel?
A To not allow the frustration of what
we are doing take over, therefore
making the learning take much
longer.
Q What are your future goals and
plans for skydiving/tunnel flying and
in general?
A I plan to continue to travel
and spread this style of
flying. ProudFlyers
Q Do you have any upcoming camps?
A Sneaky 2 ways are always my
19
MIKE GRUWELL
CHUTINGSTAR
Q&A
with Mike Gruwell
>What made you decide to start skydiving?
It was all my sister. She is the one who wanted to try it, and I just went
along to experience skydiving as well, but I would not have gone on my
own. I was definitely just there to spend time with my sister. After that
first jump, I was done, or so I thought, but then my sister wanted to
continue on with student training. Ack! So, I ended up doing the same
back home in Seattle, and kept it up for something we could do and learn
together. I did not really fall in love with skydiving until maybe 100 jumps.
Until then I was scared out of my mind and was only doing it because my
sister was doing it.
> How many jumps do you currently have?
I have 6200+ jumps. For several years I made 500 to 1000 jumps a year. > What are your skydiving credentials?
I have competed in 4-way formation skydiving and canopy swooping. I
am an AFF and Tandem Instructor. I am an FAA Master Parachute Rigger
and Designated Parachute Rigger Examiner. I served one term as the
Southeast Regional Director for the United States Parachute Association.
20
www.tunnel-rats.com
> Where are you located?
> What is CHUTINGSTAR?
I live in Powder Springs, Georgia,
a suburb west of Atlanta. I have
lived here since 1997, but grew up
in Seattle.
>Do you have any other hobbies?
CHUTINGSTAR is a skydiving, photo/
video, and skateboarding gear store
with three locations in Florida and
Georgia, including an indoor skate
park and two parachute rigging
lofts.
> What made you decide to start
CHUTINGSTAR and when did you
start?
In addition to skydiving, I skate,
play drums, hike/backpack, and
do anything my wife and kids
want to do. >When did you begin skydiving?
I made my first jump in 1995. It
was something my sister wanted
to do during a visit I made to
Atlanta.
CHUTINGSTAR as a business evolved
out of earning my parachute
rigger ticket. Being a parachute
rigger means you are assembling,
inspecting, packing, and repairing
all of the gear that skydivers use. It
started as a service business with
me working nights and weekends
to pack and repair skydiving
equipment and later grew to add
actually selling the gear as well.
> How has CHUTINGSTAR evolved over the years?
Gear sales was the first real evolution of CHUTINGSTAR from just a service business. That happened around 2005.
Within a year, we expanded from being a walk-in retail shop to selling gear online worldwide. Since we were trusted
and so well known in the skydiving industry for our parachute rigging services, the gear sales grew fast, as a
skydiver could have everything done through CHUTINGSTAR related to gear. From there we opened up larger shops,
added a warehouse, and added a key location in DeLand, Florida, which is really the skydiving mecca when it comes to
manufacturers and skydiving due to the number of manufacturers in that city, which also has a large drop zone. We
then added skateboarding to the mix with the addition of a skate park and shop in Georgia. This really came about as
something for me and my twin boys to do on the weekends, but then local skaters wanted to skate the park, so we
opened it up to the public and added the shop and then added all the products to our website. We ended up being
able to expand our product range with skate items that skydivers wanted (shoes, socks, longboards, and the like)
and then also bring items and expertise to skaters that not all skate shops have with all of our photo/video gear and
experience.
> Were you surprised by how successful CHUTINGSTAR became?
Very. It definitely was not something planned, and now we employ 12 people over two states and are continuing to
grow and improve.
21
MIKE GRUWELL
CHUTINGSTAR
www.tunnel-rats.com
> What advice do you have for new skydivers getting their first gear?
Read all of our “Buying Gear” articles first to educate yourself and avoid all the pitfalls of skydiving gear purchases
that are out there. Talk with your local instructor about what size canopy you should start off with and then give us
a call to start the process.
> What advice do you have for someone trying to buy gear that is above their skill level?
Don’t do it.
> What are your future goals for CHUTINGSTAR and in general?
We actually have a 10-year plan for growth centered on our service, education, and sales channels (website and
stores). We plan to increase the size and selection of our walk-in stores, the ease of use of our website, and also
build a bigger skate park. We want to continue to improve the buying experience for customers and, through it all,
provide our employees a great job opportunity, benefits, and a place to make an enjoyable living.
CASEY GARDINER
www.tunnel-rats.com
CASEY GARDINER
Age: 26
Tunnel Hours: 2900+
Home Tunnel: iFLY Orlando
Occupation: Level 4 IBA Instructor
A 3500+ total. Before working at the
tunnel I had about 5 hours. Q What drew you to the tunnel?
Q Do you have any advice for transitioning from sky to tunnel and tunnel to sky and being successful at both? A Just because you’re a skygod doesn’t make you a tunnelgod and being a tunnel rat doesn’t mean you’re a skygod. Both
need to be respected independently. There’s a lot of difference and it’s a little bit of a learning curve in both environments.
Just because you learned head down during the winter doesn’t mean you can do it effectively the first time in the sky. Take
your time, GET A COACH, and learn the proper way to transfer your skills. A I went to school for computer
engineering and really consider
computers my first passion. When
growing up, I played tennis almost
every day, but since I went skydiving,
I’ve only been able to think of one
thing, FLYING!
A How cheap it is! (haha) Flying my
body was very challenging at first
and I quickly realized my mind and
body were on two totally different
wavelengths. Allowing myself to be
in the wind for an extended period of
time taught me a lot about myself.
Seeing legends like Michael Kaz,
Striker, Carney, Mike Cumming, and
Tom Baker shred in that tube was life
changing. I knew what I wanted to
with my life as soon as I did my first
rotation.
Q How many years have you been
skydiving and tunnel flying?
Q Have you won any awards in tunnel
competitions?
A My aunt and uncle were both very
active skydivers in Canada and would
go to Zhills in Skydive City every
winter. I moved to Florida in 2012 and
it wasn’t long before I found myself
at the same drop zone. I went to the
tunnel about a week before completing
my A license in Orlando and was
hooked.
A I’ve won two neo-freestyle metals
and one 4-way dynamic medal. A Take your time, enjoy the journey! There’s no end point in our sport and no matter how much time or jumps you have,
you’ll continue to want to improve your skills. Don’t rush and think that once you learn ‘x’, you’ll be satisfied. “I just want to
head down carve!” turns into “now I want to spin and carve!”
Q What is your home town?
A 600+
A I call Traverse City, Michigan, home! I
moved there from Canada when I was
10 years old and stayed there until I
graduated high school. Q Approximately how many tunnel
hours do you have?
A I’m currently onboard the Quantum
of the Seas, sailing out of Shanghai,
China. When I’m not working on ships,
I work full time at iFLY Orlando!
Q Do you have any other hobbies?
with Casey Gardiner
Q How many jumps do you have?
24
Q How does tunnel flight translate to the sky and how does
the sky translate to the tunnel?
A When I first started working as a tunnel instructor, I had
about 200 jumps. I always mixed skydiving and being in
the tunnel, so I never really formed any bad habits, which
can be common for skydivers with no tunnel time. Wind
is wind and flying our body is the same regardless of the
environment. Things like relative wind and large separation
can only be taught while skydiving. Breaking skills down,
learning to control yourself in a neutral position, and
working on minor details are best accomplished inside a
tunnel. Q Where are you currently located?
Q&A
week where $40 gets you 5 minutes. Seeing young kids
enjoying and learning body flight is really rewarding. Q What can a tunnel student do to mesh well with their instructor and get the most out of their coaching?
A Pre-flight briefings are so important! Learning how you’ll communicate inside the tunnel and knowing what to expect
from your instructor is key to learning. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a student struggle to understand their
instructor because of lack of communication beforehand. Time is money in our sport and wasting it on something
preventable sucks. Eye contact inside the tunnel is key! If you’re paying for coaching, look at your instructor!
Q Do you have any tips for tunnel students?
Q What is it like to be an instructor on a cruise ship?
Q What is your favorite part about
being a tunnel instructor?
A One word: “AWESOME!” I catch myself every day while I’m here looking out and seeing something different every day. The
crew we have on these ships is great, and every time I leave and come back I get to see their progression. A Every second you’re in the wind,
you’re getting better. Seeing the look
of frustration followed by the look of
pure enjoyment from a student is such
an awesome feeling. At iFLY Orlando,
we have a kids club that I do every
Q What destinations do the cruises go to?
A My first two cruises were Bahama cruises out of New York. We went to CoCo Kay, Nassau, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. I joined
the Anthem of Seas, sailing out of England, and we sailed all over Europe and the Canary Islands. I just joined back up with
Quantum of the Seas and we’re currently in Asia! 25
CASEY GARDINER
www.tunnel-rats.com
Q Do you ever get experienced flyers on the cruise ships or is it mostly first-time flyers?
A Every so often we’ll get some skydivers and I once had a 4-way team out of Perris onboard. We also get a few older guys
that said they jumped in their younger years either in sport or in the military. Seeing them feel that wind again on their
body is awesome!
Q Is flying in the cruise ship tunnel any different than the regular tunnels?
A Just like every tunnel, they all have their differences. Obviously the first thing is the size. Coming from the original 12, it’s
not that big of a leap, but it’s quite the difference. They diffuse a ton, but you use that to your advantage. Makes it easier
for the instructor to keep first-time flyers safe and it’s a ton of fun to fly in. It’s really similar to iFLY Hollywood, but a whole
lot faster!
Q What are some of your most memorable moments on the cruise ship?
A I have two that really stick out in my mind. Taking a Vietnam paratrooper vet that had no arms or legs inside the tunnel
was quite an experience. He never thought he’d ever get a chance to experience flying ever again and seeing the look on
his face after was amazing. The second was spending New Year’s onboard the Quantum. Who doesn’t like a good party,
right?
Q Do you do any instructing in other tunnels as well?
A I worked at iFLY Austin for week while I was transitioning between the Quantum and the Anthem. The crew there is
awesome! I’ve traveled to 14 different tunnels so far, and everywhere I go, I’ve learned from and taught something to
everyone that I get a chance to fly with. There’s always someone that can do something you can’t!!!
Q How can someone contact you for coaching?
A The best way to get ahold of me is either email at [email protected] or by Facebook.
Q What are your most memorable skydiving/regular tunnel moments?
A Before I took the oath to become a rat, I watched tunnel videos religiously. I had a ton of people I admired and looked up
to. My first competition was at iFLY Dallas, and after we had an awesome huckjam where we did 16-ways with everyone I
had watched previously. First time realizing that dreams really do come true!
Q What are your future goals?
A Enjoy life and keep sharing my passion with others. I enjoy teaching, but I love learning. I hope that one day I’ll take my
wheelchair scooter to some iFLY and teach the young guns what old school flying is all about. I’ve also been working with
TonySuits in making a brand new suit called the xStream and the xStream Acro. Both projects have been huge successes
and we can’t wait to show the community some of our ideas to progress our sport!
“You only live once, so you might as well do something you love”
26
JOSH O’ DONOGHUE
Josh O’Donoghue is a competitive
skydiver and wind tunnel instructor.
What is your home town and where
are you currently located?
My home town is Bedford, England,
and I am currently in Sion, Switzerland.
What tunnels have you worked for
and/or flown at?
I have worked in Bedford, Prague,
Empuriabrava, and Sion, and have
flown also in Paraclete XP, AirKix
Milton Keynes, Bottrop, Sirius Finland,
Bodyflight Stockholm, and Tatralandia
Slovakia.
How many years have you been
skydiving and tunnel flying?
I started tunnel flying in December
2009 and started jumping summer
2013 and have approximately 250
jumps.
What skydiving/tunnel
competitions have you
competed in and what
awards have you won?
Battle of Bottrop 2012,
4-way dynamic Silver medal;
Barcelona Extreme 2014, 2-way
dynamic Gold medal; WWXP
2014, 4-way dynamic Gold medal;
Bodyflight World Championships
2015, 2 way dynamic Gold medal.
Do you have any plans for
upcoming competitions?
Possibly Prague in October and
Dubai in November.
What drew you to the tunnel?
Luck. I needed a job, so I applied at
Bodyflight Bedford as a driver. A friend
told me about the offer. When I applied,
I had no idea what it was, but managed
to get the job. A few months later
they made me an instructor, then I was
completely hooked.
What are your disciplines?
Dynamic, 2-Way VFS.
How does tunnel flight translate to the
sky?
What are your credentials?
For me, it is strange how two sports are
so similar, yet also so far apart. Obviously
having tunnel experience helped me a lot,
but with skydiving there are so many other
factors that you need to be aware of. They
are both my favorite playgrounds, but I must
remember that these playgrounds are very
different, even though the skills I am using are
very similar
High School, Royal Marines, Tunnel
Instructor Examiner, RealFly Chief
Instructor.
What teams are you a part of?
Two-way dynamic with Julian Guiho;
four-way dynamic with JuJu, Raph,
and Ramsey; and Team RealFly in Sion.
Do you have any sponsors?
Boogieman, Turbolenza, and RealFly.
28
Any advice for transitioning from sky to tunnel
and tunnel to sky and being successful at both?
www.tunnel-rats.com
Just because you have a million jumps
does not make you a god in the tunnel.
Attach yourself to someone who is
better than you and be open to learn.
Do you do any tunnel instructing and do
you have any upcoming camps?
Q&A
with Josh O’ Donoghue
At RealFly, I am free to coach every day.
Here are my next camp dates: November
6-8, January 22-24, and March 18-20. You can
contact me at [email protected] or on Facebook at
Josh O’Donoghue.
What can
a tunnel
student do to
mesh well with
their instructor
and get the
most out of their
instruction?
Trust them. They
know best.
Do you have any tips
for tunnel students?
Enjoy yourself. When your
mind is happy and calm,
your learning will increase
tenfold.
What are your most memorable skydiving and tunnel moments?
For the tunnel, winning Bodyflight World Challenge. This was in my
home tunnel, so it meant a lot to me. For skydiving, it was my first
solo jump. I felt so completely free.
What are your future goals for tunnel flight/skydiving?
For tunnel flying, I want to keep winning competitions. With skydiving, I
want to jump much, much more.
Always respect the environment you are in and the
people that are around you. Just because you have
a million tunnel hours does not make you a sky god.
29
by Julio Ruiz
LiquidSky has been the top choice for skydivers ever since
we launched in 2004. We are more than just a skydiving
jumpsuit-making brand. Some companies focus on relative
work suits (RW) and others focus on freely suits (FF) and
wingsuits, among other. We build jumpsuits of all kinds,
except wingsuit. We also make kart racing suits, downhill
mountain bike pants, snowboarding pants, bathing suits,
jerseys, shirts, hats, belt buckles, and other leisure apparel.
I started jumping back in 1992, inspired and motivated
by the movie Point Break. I saw it and I knew it was my
destiny. I started making my own skydiving suits a long
time ago and patching up surfing trunks (board shorts) with
different fabrics from the knee down. I also had one of my
neighbors make me a custom suit that I designed. It was old
school; full tie-dye.
To talk a bit about the sport’s history, after WWII a couple
of former Army Airborne soldiers started to jump out of
airplanes for fun (sport parachute jumping) using their
military gear. It was not until the mid to late 1960s that
other non-military guys got into the sport.
Back in the day, the first suits were very baggy; over the
top baggy, excess-in-fabric baggy. That had a purpose.
They “needed,” or felt they needed, the drag to be able
to maintain relative fall ratio with their fellow skydiving
buddies. Later that developed into the RW suit, or relative
work suits with grippers to be able to “dock” or hold/
grab your partner and make a few “points,” which means
different grips and releases, such as turn and grip again.
With time, those same suits developed into a more skintight fit for better performance. You could fly cleaner and
moves would be sharper and neater.
Somewhere in the 1990s, the cool boys came up with a
totally new way to fly… FREE FLYING! It blew everyone’s
mind. No longer would the skydiver fly only on his belly.
From then on, any way but belly flying was the motto.
Freeflying required no special suit, or so was initially
thought. Jumpers would fly wearing baggy pants or jeans
and a long-sleeve shirt for some drag. They were the
“rebels” of the sport, if you will.
Once freeflying became the new thing, all the suit makers
like TonySuits, Dakine Rags, and Firefly started making
baggy pants and full suits with a baggy and casual fit to
them with cool patterns and fabrics.
In 2004 my wife and I wanted to bring another type of
fashion into the sport and LiquidSky was born. We were
influenced by Ouragan, a very popular brand that started
in the early 2000s and revolutionized the way freefly suits
looked. They had an awesome look and style and were very
fashion-forward. This changed the way freefly suits looked.
For many years we made the technique called appliqué,
which was what gave the suit the awesome intricate
designs. If you did not have a tribal or some cool design, you
were not wearing a cool suit. Suddenly the wind tunnels
started growing and growing, and that type of technique
was not the best to withstand the power of a wind tunnel,
so little by little it disappeared.
Year after year we keep tweaking and making improvements
as the sport continues to evolve, helping the skydiver
achieve their goals when it comes to performance in flight.
Suits get tighter and tighter, but they need to stay flexible
and to move and breathe with the athlete. It used to be just
about fashion. Now it is also about the technology behind
the suit and its material to make sure there is the proper
performance.
Large action sport companies are used to printing designs
or photos on their garments to give a cool look to their
product. You can find this fashion in our products as
well with our custom-printed material options for use on
your suit, mountain bike pants, and other suits. We even
customize containers for VSE. It is not cheap, but surely is
unique. It is not just falling; it is flying in style. These days,
with social media, everyone wants to post their photo and
show how awesome they look, and we definitely help them.
We have a pretty decent roster of athletes we sponsor;
teams, individuals, special events, or expeditions; and
we also make movie wardrobe for skydiving scenes. We
currently have two locations: Los Angeles, California, and
DeLand, Florida. We also have many dealers around the
world and a lot of awesome athletes that represent our line.
In Los Angeles we get a lot of requests for special projects.
Our goal is to be an action sports clothing line specializing
in custom clothing. This keeps us very unique and highend. I try not to copy my designs from other brands. Every
order we receive is custom. Everyone hates going to a party
and having some guy or chick wearing your same dress,
right? If one day we can grow to the masses and have the
LiquidSky clothing line in all the sports stores, that would
be a blessing. It takes a lot of work, but that is what we are
here for. In the 23 years that I have been in this awesome
sport I have learned so much, and although I do not jump
anymore, I still belong in the air. It will always be a feeling I
cannot explain.
You can follow us on Facebook at LiquidSky Sports,
Instagram, and on Twitter at @liquidskysports.
TUNNEL TIPS AND TRICKS By Tunnel Rat Mike Silva
www.tunnel-rats.com
Tunnel flying is a sport where skill sets and techniques build on each other and, when performed correctly, can lead to an efficient, safe, and
fun learning curve. When you learn maneuvers in the correct order, or what I like to call Order of Operations, it is much easier to progress because
it allows your coach to let you fly in faster wind speeds and with less spotting. I would like to start this written tunnel guide for trick flying by
introducing one of the foundational skills that all great tunnel flyers need to master to shred in the wind. This skill set is one of the most powerful
and impressive flight maneuvers you can perform in the wind and when done well will impress anyone watching.
POPPING!
One of the most fun and frequently used maneuvers in tunnel flying is the ability to aggressively go up and down in the wind tunnel, or as I call it,
“popping.” A pop is performed in a flat orientation, either belly or back, and by utilizing more surface area it has the ability to aggressively go up and
down in the wind. This maneuver should be practiced first at a normal back fly speed on your back then gradually increased as you demonstrate
good controls. Back flying sets you up to see the top of the tunnel and better prepare you to turn the wind up and experience what it is like to really
push this maneuver and yourself to your flight limits.
PRE-REQUISITES
FLIGHT GOALS
• Control of belly movements to include turning, forwards/backwards,
basic up/down controls, and side sliding.
Goals create a safe environment and must be followed at all times,
especially when you are out of reach of your coach or instructor.
• Control of back movements to include turning, forwards/backwards,
basic up/down controls, and side sliding.
1. Flyer must stay in the center of the tunnel.
• Transitions to include barrel rolls both 180 and 360, over-the-feet
transitions to your belly and back.
3. Flyer should maintain a heading that keeps their head away from
the door but aware of its location at all times
• Basic walking skills at a flat speed.
!!!WARNING!!! If you cannot maintain flight goals (1. Center, 2. Heading,
3. Door aware) DO NOT try to reach the apex of your pop. Recover to
the center of the tunnel and get back on heading and try again!
BREAKDOWN
2. Flyer must stay on heading.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
In the center of the tunnel,
on a correct heading,
balance in a good low back
fly position.
Pop! Using your whole
body, become as flat as
possible. You should feel
like you are digging the
heels of your feet into the
wind, flexing your butt and
back while the arms are
touching the sides of your
helmet.
Holding the pop takes practice and
repetition, but you need to learn
to balance this shape as it travels
upwards. Practicing at a very slow
speed first makes it safer, easier,
and faster to learn in the long run.
You will notice that the heels are
slightly lower than the arms, and
that is on purpose to keep you in
the center of the tunnel. For most
people ;) your legs are bigger and
stronger than your arms, and in
order to stay centered you must
counter the larger surface area of
your legs by slightly digging them
into the wind.
At the apex of the maneuver, you should still
be holding the exact same position you started
with while maintaining flight goals.
ADVANCED MANEUVERS Once you have mastered the art
of popping in a wind tunnel, you can begin to experiment
with other body positions and transitions to create
incredible combinations of maneuvers and tricks. The
power and surface area that is created while popping
is incredible and will allow you to perform maneuvers
that are above and beyond what a normal tunnel flyer
or skydiver can hope to achieve. In the next issue, I
will describe where to take these new skills and add
in transitions and body positions to help you become a
true tunnel rat!
32
1. In the center.
2. On heading.
3. Door aware.
Step 5
Once you can no longer travel up, you will need
to descend in a quick but controlled manner
in a compressed back fly position while
maintaining flight goals.
Step 6
Finish the pop in the same way you started;
on your back, low in the tunnel, on the correct
heading, and in the center of the tunnel.
TUNNEL PHOTOS
34
Photo Credit: Vegas Indoor Skydiving & Christopher Brewer
www.tunnel-rats.com
RUSTY LEWIS
www.tunnel-rats.com
Q&A
WITH RUSTY LEWIS
Rusty Lewis is an experienced wind tunnel trainer.
Can you talk about dead airspace and how that can affect a flyer and put them in danger?
Well, in a couple of the earlier models of tunnels, there are what can be considered to be “dead airspace” spots; more of
just a slight interruption of the laminar airflow that we see in all of the new facilities today. In these facilities where it is
possible to have this, it may feel like a flyer is flying underneath you during your flight or a burble-type effect, and unless
you are aware of where these areas are located, it will come as a surprise during a flight session. In order to not be in a
position where these areas can catch you out, be sure at each new facility to get a rundown of the idiosyncrasies pertinent
to that particular tunnel. In newer generations of wind tunnels, this is really not a factor anymore.
What kinds of injuries do we see in the tunnel and how can they be prevented?
Can you explain how to prevent spots?
How has tunnel flying helped the sport of skydiving?
As an instructor, it is always the goal to prevent a rollover/unstable situation occurring that can create a spot. Largely,
an instructor being very proactive with their students prevents spots. It starts from providing a good briefing and setting
the correct expectations prior to flying to ensure that the students have the best information possible to assist them in
remaining in the correct position and orientation during their flight(s).
I’m sure many will agree, the inclusion of tunnel training is a must in today’s world as an active skydiver. Look at any team
that competes. I would say that the majority have and continue to tunnel train. There are also many AFF schools that,
where possible, have included tunnel training into the student progression, as it is such a great tool for students to perfect
the majority of the skills required to graduate through not only the AFF program, but in order to be a proficient A-licensed
skydiver.
Inside the wind, ensuring students get the correction needed to form the best possible position and making sure that the
wind speed matches the characteristics of the position will be very important. These duties are not typically a one-time
done deal. If you watch a well-seasoned instructor, you will see them constantly interacting with their students to ensure
that they are adopting the best possible position and working with the airflow controller (their teammate) to ensure that
the wind speed matches the position.
Do you have any safety tips for instructors and coaches?
Well, as I would say with anything, listen to people with experience that can and are able to share from it. The tunnel is a
fantastic tool and a great environment to learn and teach within, but there can be some “gotchas” if you are not careful
and do not respect it. The training provided is there for a reason and it works. Stepping outside of the tools within the
training system can often lead to things not going the way they were intended at the beginning. Ideally, when coaches are
working with their students, everything should work with a team environment in mind. If the coach and the instructor are
on the same page, everything will run smoothly. Thus, the student is getting the most valuable product; something every
instructor/coach should be looking for.
Also, follow the progression. It is there for a good reason and it works well. We have broken down the progression multiple
times and rebuilt it to ensure that what we offer is the best and most prudent path for the students. If we stay on track
with our students, we are more likely to develop a much better, well-rounded flyer as the end result.
36
Mostly, it is shoulder dislocations. Even when trying to perform the best possible practice while operating each facility, if
instructors are unaware of past injuries such as these, there is a high likelihood that they will reappear. As instructors,
we should during each briefing session deliver the message as clearly as possible in order to ensure that students share
previous injuries, and then from there we are able to determine the most appropriate approach. Communication is the key.
Can you explain the process of level one up to a T4?
When an instructor successfully gets selected to join a team at a tunnel and begin training the Level I course, as mentioned,
this can take about a month. Upon completion, an instructor is put to work to put those skills to use and gain experience
in the wind and working with students. Through time, a trainer will continue to work with instructors through the Level II
though IV training. The higher the level, the more difficult the demand. This process can take approximately a year to get to
Level IV. At this point in time, there are a select group that will be invited to follow the trainer route. The invitation process
is there to ensure that we are capturing the best individuals to “carry the torch,” with a view toward one day leading their
own team of instructors. Knowing the training structure from the trainer’s viewpoint takes a lot of work and dedication. We
aim to produce great leaders through the program, which is also a 4-level system. After approximately a year working as an
instructor, it can take roughly another two years to complete the trainer progression and become a certified Trainer Level IV.
What skills must tunnel instructors learn while going through FITP programs?
The Flight Instructor Training Program (FITP) is a detailed course that specifically focuses on the how and the why of tunnel
sessions. Prior to starting that training program, we require that each candidate demonstrate physical ability and agility in
order to get started. This is for obvious safety reasons. We want to conduct a program that is successful and that begins
with selecting the right people.
37
RUSTY LEWIS
www.tunnel-rats.com
Throughout the training, we tend to not focus a lot of the time toward personal flying skills, although we do ensure that
each candidate can perform a minimum set of requirements. We do believe that having a level of personal flying ability is
important for the understanding of what we do; plus the ability to control yourself will help when controlling a new flyer.
The actual instructor-type skills within the course are broken down into individual drills. For example, we teach a section
on new flyer entrances and focus on each aspect of the process starting with a normal process and then building on that
for the different types of scenarios that could potentially happen. Once the instructor candidate is comfortable with each
scenario, we introduce a random selection to help train the reactions and then we introduce that new skill to the big picture
full “scene” environment to help keep it fresh.
The list of skills is pretty extensive, but at the end of the training course, an
instructor must be able to demonstrate that they can conduct a normal tunnel
session, incorporating all of the skills learned where necessary, and keep a safe
environment throughout while getting people to fly.
What can be done to draw more competitors to tunnel competitions and to
create more recognition and interest for the sport amongst outsiders?
From the first moment someone comes to a wind tunnel, they should be
introduced to the notion of indoor skydiving as an organized sport rather than
a ride. Tunnels see plenty of first-time business, but often little return business.
Offering a clear pathway toward progression, giving a platform in which people
can build a community, and creating inexpensive and fun ways for people to
compete are the keys to sport promotion.
RUSTY LEWIS
38
Tunnel
Comp
7 . 19 . 15
Photos courtesy of: Christopher Brewer & Nicholas Lott
Overall podium Winners:
The Two-way VFS Competition on July 19, 2015, in Houston
1st – Jon Walker and Michael Bougher
– 99 points, competing in open class
By David Hanley
2nd – Clay Harrison and Merry Regan
– 89 points, competing in advanced class
3rd – Tony Cascino and Blair Hamelink
– 74 points, competing in intermediate class
When I first started skydiving nearly 6 years ago I remember seeing a group of freeflyers playing a video of their last jump. I thought to
myself, “Holy crap. I can’t believe what I just saw! That was awesome! I want to do that.” At around 50 jumps, I quickly realized that I
had a LONG way to go to get anywhere near that level of flying, because at that time I had to either get lucky and find someone willing
to take me on a freefly jump, pay someone for a coach jump, or make the journey from Texas to Skyventure Colorado (now iFly Denver) for
some tunnel coaching. It took hundreds of jumps, several trips to Denver, and several years before I could successfully fly anywhere near
that level of awesomeness. Then I got to a point where someone said, “If you really want to get better, you need to be on a team.” So that
is what I did.
After being on a four-way VFS skydiving team for one year and now on the Dallas Skyscrapers in our third year of competition, it became
obvious that flying with the same people with common goals over a long period of time made us better flyers (and better people), but
there seemed to be something lacking; a gap in the middle, a way for people to advance their skills as if they were on a dedicated team
without actually being a “full on” competition team.
Not everyone is ready, willing, and able to commit to that level of dedication and sacrifice to advance their flying skills. With all the new
tunnels nowadays, it is much easier for flyers to advance their skills at a much quicker pace than in years past, so creating a two-way
VFS event was also a way to provide a platform for people from all levels to come together, get to know each other, fly together, compete
together, grow the community, build better flyers, and hopefully build better people in the process.
Putting together a two-way VFS event like this took a lot of research, planning, and footwork. Although there were already separate twoway VFS scrambles, two-way VFS competitions, two-way FS scrambles, and two-way FS competitions, there had been no other event like
the two-way VFS competition to date, that I know of. To organize the two-way VFS event, I tried to look at the strengths of each event
and incorporate them, as well as find ways to improve the efficiency and success.
The efficiency was derived by using many of the organizational successes that Scott Latinis used during his two-way belly scrambles
events. After hearing about the huge success he had with his format, I contacted Scott and tried to incorporate as many of his
organizational techniques as possible. His techniques helped tremendously, but as you can imagine, the flying format of FS does not
exactly translate to VFS, so I still had some work to do.
I contacted Tex and we sat down to eat at Freebirds and discussed the successful flying format of the separate VFS scrambles and
competition events that he and Waz put on at the iFly Austin tunnel. As we ate and I furiously took notes, it quickly became apparent
that by taking the organization of the FS events along with the flying of the VFS scrambles and VFS competition, and smashing them into
one event, we could give the participants more options, generate more interest, and achieve the most success. And so this two-way VFS
event was born.
During the online registration process, flyers choose whether they want to bring a teammate (competition style) or if they want the
organizers to choose a teammate for them (scrambles). They can also select which level they want to compete in, rookie, intermediate,
advanced, or open. Just like any other competition, there is a separate draw for each class, but where it gets interesting is that each
team competes against every other team point for point for an overall ranking.
For example, first place overall could be an intermediate class competition team, second place could be an open class scrambles team,
and third place could be a rookie class competition team. Scores are posted so that everyone can see where they rank, not only against
the overall winners, but also against everyone else in their class and against other scrambles and/or competition teams. They can also
see how they did in each round, and by watching the other teams fly at the event they can learn better ways to engineer the draws, and
therefore score more points.
I could go on and on about how the dynamics of each team’s performance fits into the entire competition and how they become engaged
in improving their flying skills, learn how to engineer draws more efficiently, and to be more competitive at the next event. From an
organizer’s standpoint, what could be cooler than that?!
From the start, some of our main motivations were to get people of all levels together, challenge them, get them engaged, and give
them a platform to “stair-step” their way to becoming a better flyer. Take for example, Larry Bell. At the July 19th competition he was
competing in the intermediate class. He told me he was learning to fly head down so he could compete in the advanced class during the
next competition. He competed in the rookie class during the first two competitions, but had been receiving coaching from instructors
and had been flying with other competitors between competitions to advance his skills for the next competition. His goal was to go
from rookie class to advanced class in a matter of a few months. Then there’s Merry Regan, who flew in the advanced class in the last
competition. She told me how she and Clay Harrison had been practicing some of the challenging open moves in anticipation of moving
up to open class during the next competition. So, whether an individual flyer wants to progress or a team wants to progress together,
this event provides the platform to do so, but before tunnels started popping up everywhere it was not so easy.
Keep your eyes open for the next VFS competition…
41
GARET BLOODWORTH
www.tunnel-rats.com
GARET BLOODWORTH
Garet Bloodworth is a record holding
skydiver and wind tunnel coach for
iFly Chicago
Have you competed in any skydiving or
tunnel competitions and do you plan to
do so in the future?
I have been tunnel flying for about 16
months now. I work for iFLY Chicago
at the Rosemont location.
Yes. I competed iFLY Austin’s
Gunslingers Part Dos, competing in
2-way dynamic and VFS and 4-way
dynamic and VFS. I also competed
at iFLY Chicago’s Untouchables
competition in 2-way and 4-way
dynamic. I do plan on competing in
upcoming competitions.
How can somebody contact you for
coaching?
Do you feel your tunnel flying has
helped you with your skydiving?
You can email me at
[email protected] or I have a
Facebook page for my coaching where
you can contact me at as well, “Garet
Bloodworth – Wind Tunnel Coach.”
Absolutely. I wouldn’t be the flyer I am
today without the tunnel.
How long have you been flying in the
tunnels and which tunnel do you work
at as an instructor?
What were you feeling while planning
to be on the recent head down world
record?
Do you have anything that you
especially enjoy teaching in the tunnel?
What are your favorite and most
challenging parts about being a tunnel
instructor?
Prior to the record I was anxious.
During the actual jumps, I was not as
nervous as I thought I would be. I just
stayed focused, calm, and visualized
the jump over and over. I had a lot of
confidence in the engineering of the
jump as well as the flyers, so that
made me feel comfortable.
I love flying. I think that is the main
reason most instructors do this job;
we love to fly. Staying healthy can be
challenging. It is a very physical job.
How do you practice for something
like the world record jump? Are there
drills in the tunnel that would help in
training for big ways?
I really enjoy teaching dynamic flying
and head down.
How did you get into the sport?
A friend asked if I wanted to go do
a tandem with him. The rest is all
history. As soon as I landed from that
tandem, I was absolutely hooked and
signed up for the AFF course.
42
Photo Credit: Garet Bloodworth
Q&A
with Garet Bloodworth
Skydiving would be the best practice
for it. Learning the sight picture
can only be done by jumping. My
recommendation is to attend a bigway camp and learn the fundamentals
of big ways from an experienced
organizer. The drills I used in the
tunnel were flying topped out and lots
of stability drills; having another
flyer push/pull/burble you while you
maintain your slot and levels.
Could you give us any important tips
in building big ways?
Levels, levels, levels. Remember
the fundamentals of formation
skydiving. Levels, slot, and dock.
When you do get your dock, do not
stop flying.
What was building this big way like
from your perspective?
Photo Credit: Garet Bloodworth
I was near the outside of the
formation, so I had a good view
of the formation as it was building. When flying in big ways, you are supposed to be referencing your cross partner (the
person who has your same position on the other side of the formation). It helps keep the shape of the formation flying. The
view of everyone diving and floating up to the formation was amazing. The engineering behind these big ways is down to a
science and it works great.
How did you work with your particular pod to make sure you were all on the same page and working as a team?
I could not have asked for better pods to work with. We did a very good job at debriefing ourselves, watching video, and
asking for feedback of how we can make it fly better. We all knew this was a team effort and this was just going to help
the overall success of the record.
What was the reaction on the ground once the record had been confirmed?
Well first off, the energy is unreal and you cannot put it into words. I think everyone had a feeling that we got the record
during that jump. When I landed, it was nothing but high-fives, smiles, hugs, and excitement. Just from everyone talking,
we had a good idea that it was complete but we didn’t want to celebrate too much until it was “official”. It was such a
surreal experience that was one of the best feelings I have ever felt. The energy in the room after the judge declared the
record was intense! Such an amazing experience to be a part of! Hands down the best experience of my life.
Are there already plans to try to build an even larger record?
As of right now, I am unaware of the plans, but knowing Rook, I am sure he has got something bigger and better in the
works. I am super stoked to hear what it is.
What are your future goals?
My plans for now are to continue tunnel coaching; attend skydiving records, boogies, and tunnel competitions; and to earn
my trainer rating with iFLY.
43
MIKE SILVA
www.tunnel-rats.com
Q&A
WITH MIKE SILVA
Mike Silva is a trick flyer, skydiver, and wind tunnel
coach and instructor.
What awards have you won?
• Paraclete XP Best Trick winner 2012.
What is your home town and where are you currently
located?
• Many 2-way and 4-way VFS competitions: Eloy The
Gauntlet, SVCO Mountain States Boogie, iFLY Austin
Indoor World Cup, iFLY Seattle Tunnel Comp.
Denver, Colorado.
• Many 2-way and 4-way dynamic tunnel competitions.
Do you have any other hobbies?
Hiking with my wife and dog, video games, weightlifting,
yoga, eating great food, and spending time with my
friends and family. Did I mention video games? (I am
the Batman.)
• Many neo-freestyle competitions: SVCO, iFLY Denver,
iFLY Seattle, Skyventure AZ, and others.
Do you have any sponsors?
My sponsors have included Flyaway Las Vegas,
Skyventure Colorado, iFLY Denver, iFLY Austin, LiquidSky,
and JOIN suits.
What are your disciplines?
My favorite and major focus of body flight is trick
flying, but I enjoy all areas of competition to include
VFS, formation, dynamic, and FS. I have experience in
tunnel Instructing, coaching freefly, trick flying, 2-way
freefly routines, artistic, neo-freestyle, freestyle, 2-way
and 4-way VFS, 2-way MFS (outside skydiving), big-way
head down/sit/belly formations, and 2-way and 4-way
dynamic to name a few. I would love to add canopy
pilot to the list, but still need more practice in that
arena.
When did you begin skydiving?
My first tandem was in September 2005 in Mesquite,
Nevada, at Skydive Mesquite. It was a great experience
and my home DZ.
How many jumps do you currently have?
1,200
• 800 freefly/sequential
What are some of your credentials?
I currently hold both an Instructor Level 4 rating and a
Trainer Level 4 rating with the IBA and am a certified
AFF-I instructor as well.
44
• 50 flocking/tracking
• 150 big-way head down (HD) jumps
How did you get into trick flying?
I have always been attracted to the gymnastic and breakdancing side of flying, and it was really the reason I was so hooked
on flying in the first place. I have always pushed myself to do bigger and better tricks, and for me it was always my goal to
be a trick flyer.
What martial arts and gymnastics training do you have and how has this helped with skydiving and tunnel flying?
I have some training through high school in martial arts, mostly in kickboxing and wrestling. I also am trained as a gymnast,
diver, and break-dancer, and all of that knowledge of tricks, awareness, and balance really helped me excel at tunnel flying.
When did you get into tunnel flying?
My first wind tunnel experience was at Flyaway Las Vegas during a family vacation. I was 12 or 13 at the time, and I
remember my instructor flew this amazing demo where he zoomed off the walls and threw flip twists and bounced off
the top net, and I was amazed. I had never seen anything like it in my entire life. I was awestruck at the things that were
possible in a wind tunnel. I was aware of and wanted to skydive, but had no idea that indoor skydiving was a thing that I
could do. It was definitely a life
changing moment for me. This
was my only flight experience
for a few years until I attended
college in Las Vegas at the age
of 18 and through dumb luck
got a job at the very same wind
tunnel where I had my first
flight.
Approximately how many tunnel
hours do you have?
Being a full-time tunnel
instructor for the past 12 years,
I estimate that I have accrued
4000+ hours of personal flight
time and well over 15,000 hours
of time in the tunnel coaching
other flyers. I have worked on everything from little kids’ birthday parties to military HALO training and skydivers, and
my saying has always been, “If you like flying then I like you.” I really believe that my training in gymnastics, diving, and
breakdancing had a significant impact on my learning curve though.
• 10 video/camera
• 200 coach jumps
What drew you to the tunnel?
• 1 AFF jump as a reserve side Instructor
The freedom and power you have in the wind to move your body through space was amazing. I loved the look of flying
acrobatics, and the wind tunnel for me was like a diving board or trampoline without having to hit the ground if you messed
up. It was a perfect storm for me to keep doing gymnastics without the risk of my legs exploding.
45
MIKE SILVA
www.tunnel-rats.com
Where do you teach?
I primarily teach at iFLY Denver, formerly
Skyventure Colorado, but I do traveling camps
throughout the year to visit other facilities
when my schedule permits.
4-way dynamic team that competed in Seattle
and got 2nd place.
of both skills because my focus and background have taught me that being a well-rounded flyer is always the best choice,
especially if they want to trick fly and be well rounded in the wind.
I currently coach team EagleBear, a collegiate
2-way VFS/MFS team, and last year at
collegiate they won gold while setting a new
collegiate record for points during a VFS
round.
How does tunnel flight translate to the sky and how does the sky translate to the tunnel?
MIKE SILVA
How can somebody contact you to get
coaching?
My main work is one-on-one freefly coaching,
and I can be reached by phone, e-mail, or
Facebook. If you want to learn quickly and
efficiently while minimizing frustration and
injury, get in touch with me. I have great
rates at iFly Denver.
What are some of your most memorable
skydiving and tunnel moments?
• 138-way World Record HD jump.
• Winning Best Trick at Bodyflight World
Challenge at Paraclete XP.
• Medaling 4-way Dynamic at iFLY Seattle after
training in only a 12-foot-diameter tunnel.
• Scoring 46 points in a 2-Way Open VFS round
while flying with Collective.
What teams have you been a part of?
My main and longest running team is
Collective with Josh Evans . We competed
in 2-way VFS, freefly, artistic, and dynamic.
As a team we probably have 1000+ hours of
tunnel time together. You can check out our
team video at https://vimeo.com/44297151.
Collective had a few years of medal runs
and won gold in 2-way VFS in many of those
competitions.
I also flew on JOIN Dynamix, a 2-way MFS
team that competed at Nationals in 2013. We
got Bronze in the open class.
Finally, I flew most recently with Ascension, a
46
What is your favorite part about being a
tunnel instructor?
My favorite part of being a tunnel instructor
is pushing people to their limits and watching
them succeed at something they never
thought possible. I also enjoy explaining and
watching flight video with students to explain
what is going on with flying. I like to see
people improve their body/spatial awareness.
What is your biggest challenge as a tunnel
instructor?
Staying positive when students get frustrated
and thinking of new or creative ways to teach
the same skill when a student does not “get
it.”
How do you prefer to teach someone starting
head down? Static or by gradually increasing
carving angle?
Over the last 12 years I have changed my
opinion and have learned to shape my
coaching progression to fit the student’s
needs. In a fast 12-foot tunnel, like iFLY
Denver, it is easier to teach people static
HD off the net, but only if they have enough
skills to safely bail. When I get to travel to
larger-diameter tunnels, it is much easier
to work on carving skills first because you
have the space to fly with the student, but
it is not necessary. If the student’s focus is
dynamic then they should spend more time
carving and if their focus is VFS then static
off the net. With my students, they get a mix
They are very similar and very different. When talking about the bodyflight skills, I think that there are 2 main differences,
first the view and second the space you have to work with. I love flying in the sky and tunnel and constantly hear people
say that the tunnel/sky is easier/harder to learn in, and I feel that as long as you have good expectations and good coaches
you will love both. Here are my thoughts on the issue. There are pros and cons to the sky and tunnel, and to be a good
flyer nowadays you have to do both. The tunnel is small and forces you to be precise and accurate with your movements.
It also gives you constant visual reference points and a lot more air time in a short period, but it cannot teach someone how
to fly the hill, how to judge or cover big distances, or even deal with formations that are not falling straight down.
Do you have any advice for transitioning from sky to tunnel and tunnel to sky and being successful at both?
Tunnel to Sky: I will always be a tunnel rat at heart, and I probably had about 1000 hours in the tunnel before my first
tandem. That being said, I was still unprepared for the excitement, adrenaline, and pressure of my first solo jump.
Technically I could hold a heading, dock, and control my levels and pass my AFF, but I had no idea how to judge distance
or have any understanding of how quickly things can go wrong. I would encourage tunnel rats to take it slow, enjoy the
process, and follow a good progression when it comes to increasing the difficulty and size of your skydives. Take your time
and be conservative.
Sky to Tunnel: When skydivers come to the wind tunnel, I typically encounter two problems. The first is that skydivers’
movements are too big and/or aggressive, causing them to hit the walls, and the solution is to slow down. The second
problem, although much less frequent now that tunnels are more prevalent, is to learn good foundational skills before
progressing to the next body position or skill, for example learn belly before back, back before sit, and sit before head down.
Take your time and be conservative.
What can a tunnel student do to mesh well with their instructor and get the most out of their coaching?
A tunnel student can come with a positive attitude and be physically prepared to work hard. Also be realistic about what
you can accomplish during your sessions.
Do you have any tips for tunnel students?
Schedule times with adequate rest in between sessions and only fly what you can handle. For most people that is a 1015 minute session per half hour. It is rare to see someone fly more than that and have something positive to show for it.
Tunnel time is about both quality and quantity, and you have to balance that out to learn effectively.
What is the most difficult thing to teach in the tunnel?
Two-way communication and in Denver tunnel outface carving.
Q&A
with Mike Silva
47
MIKE SILVA
Explain in your words the difference between static,
dynamic, and trick flying.
• Static flying is FS/VFS and big-way skills.
• Dynamic flying is the sport of wind tunnels, and
movement is key.
• Trick flying is gymnastics/acrobatics/parkour/
breakdancing with wind.
How did you start learning trick flying?
Flyaway Las Vegas was always about the biggest best
trick you could do. The tunnel and environment was all
about trick flying, and that was all I knew growing up in
the sport.
Is there a wind speed difference with trick flying?
Depends on the trick. There are really no rules to it.
Just do what feels right and looks awesome.
How does someone start learning a flip twist
movement?
You start by getting really good at back and front-flip
transitions and then make them into a straight body
position without moving. You have to control your flips
with precision on level, on heading, and in the center of
the tunnel.
Is trick flying the same as gymnastics? Do the same
principles apply?
Gymnasts will have a much easier time learning to trick
fly. Almost all of the same principles apply. You just
have to learn how to control flying a body position and
then mix flying and gymnastic skills together.
Do you have one piece of advice for someone who
wants to start learning tricks?
Develop strong balancing skills in your body positions.
48
www.tunnel-rats.com
The better you can balance in belly/back/sit/head
down, the easier it is to land tricks and fly in unique
ways.
What is in the future for Mike Silva?
I am training new instructors for iFLY and love the opportunity to influence and support the next generation of tunnel rats
all over the world.
How did you become a well-rounded flyer?
Working in a wind tunnel full time and competing in as
many different disciplines of flying as I could manage
over the years.
When do you have time for your training?
Should a student start learn to call his own wind
speed?
How do you overcome your fear of trying new tricks?
I think that all students should be aware of what wind
speed they fly at in different body positions, and as
long as they are flying under control they can call their
own speeds. If spotting is necessary or they are out
of control, the instructor/coach should decide wind
speeds.
Do you have any safety tips as to what to wear in
tunnel, such as elbow pads or knee pads, and why?
Pads and safety gear are essential to progress in the
wind tunnel. Great elbow and knee pads are a must,
as well as a full-face helmet that is freefly friendly. I
prefer to use G-Form pads and a Cookie G3.
What is your most challenging and best trick you have
ever done?
I won Paraclete XP Best Trick contest in 2012 by
performing head down flip combinations. The winning
trick was performed at fast freefly speeds. I drop in a
standing position and, right before I hit the net, belly
out to get a surge of power, then use that energy to
wrap up into multiple tuck backflips, usually 4, then
I straighten my body to get some extra surface area
and link the backflip tucks into a layout 720-degree
twisting backflip and end either sit or head down
facing the judges on level close to the net. In total it
is 5-1/2 flips and 720 degrees of twisting rotation in
about 2 to 3 seconds while remaining on heading, on
level, and in the center of the tunnel.
Always before or after work hours at the tunnel.
I make sure to get good advice from teammates and pace my learning so that I do not hit the wall too hard. I also WATCH
MY VIDEO to make sure that I am spatially aware while flying.
Have you ever had an injury and, if so, what was your worst?
Outside of the tunnel I have had many injuries, to include a right knee explosion (torn ACL, MCL, LCL, and fractured femur) as
well has a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
In the tunnel I have had lots of bumps and bruises from wall strikes as well as a concussion from hitting the door while
learning to freefly exit the tunnel, but other than that I am pretty lucky with flying.
Does it affect you when you try a trick and it does not work out?
Yes, but I try to focus on the positive and move on. I always seem to perform better when I am having fun.
Does it bother you when you train for people to watch?
It is always great to have people appreciate something when you have worked so hard to get there. I like when people
watch my tunnel flying. I consider it a compliment.
“I try to focus on the positive and move on.
I always seem to perform better when I am having fun”
MIKE SILVA
49
MIKE SILVA
MIKE SILVA
www.tunnel-rats.com
How can somebody contact you to get
coaching?
What is your favorite part about being a
tunnel instructor?
My main work is one-on-one freefly coaching,
and I can be reached by phone, e-mail, or
Facebook. If you want to learn quickly and
efficiently while minimizing frustration and
injury, get in touch with me. I have great
rates at iFly Denver.
My favorite part of being a tunnel instructor
is pushing people to their limits and watching
them succeed at something they never
thought possible. I also enjoy explaining and
watching flight video with students to explain
what is going on with flying. I like to see
people improve their body/spatial awareness.
What are some of your most memorable
skydiving and tunnel moments?
• 138-way World Record HD jump.
• Winning Best Trick at Bodyflight World
Challenge at Paraclete XP.
• Medaling 4-way Dynamic at iFLY Seattle after
training in only a 12-foot-diameter tunnel.
• Scoring 46 points in a 2-Way Open VFS round
while flying with Collective.
What teams have you been a part of?
My main and longest running team is
Collective with Josh Evans . We competed
in 2-way VFS, freefly, artistic, and dynamic.
As a team we probably have 1000+ hours of
tunnel time together. You can check out our
team video at https://vimeo.com/44297151.
Collective had a few years of medal runs
and won gold in 2-way VFS in many of those
competitions.
I also flew on JOIN Dynamix, a 2-way MFS
team that competed at Nationals in 2013. We
got Bronze in the open class.
Finally, I flew most recently with Ascension, a
4-way dynamic team that competed in Seattle
and got 2nd place.
I currently coach team EagleBear, a collegiate
2-way VFS/MFS team, and last year at
collegiates they won gold while setting a
new collegiate record for points during a VFS
round.
50
What is your biggest challenge as a tunnel
instructor?
Staying positive when students get frustrated
and thinking of new or creative ways to teach
the same skill when a student does not “get
it.”
How do you prefer to teach someone starting
head down? Static or by gradually increasing
carving angle?
Over the last 12 years I have changed my
opinion and have learned to shape my
coaching progression to fit the student’s
needs. In a fast 12-foot tunnel, like iFLY
Denver, it is easier to teach people static HD
off the net, but only if they have enough skills
to safely bail. When I get to travel to largerdiameter tunnels, it is much easier to work
on carving skills first because you have the
space to fly with the student, but it is not
necessary. If the student’s focus is dynamic
then they should spend more time carving
and if their focus is VFS then static off the
net. With my students, they get a mix of both
skills because my focus and background have
taught me that being a well-rounded flyer
is always the best choice, especially if they
want to trick fly and be well rounded in the
wind.
How does tunnel flight translate to the sky and how does the sky translate to the tunnel?
They are very similar and very different, hahaha. When talking about the bodyflight skills, I think that there are 2 main
differences, first the view and second the space you have to work with. I love flying in the sky and tunnel and constantly
hear people say that the tunnel/sky is easier/harder to learn in, and I feel that as long as you have good expectations and
good coaches you will love both. Here are my thoughts on the issue. There are pros and cons to the sky and tunnel, and
to be a good flyer nowadays you have to do both. The tunnel is small and forces you to be precise and accurate with your
movements. It also gives you constant visual reference points and a lot more air time in a short period, but it cannot teach
someone how to fly the hill, how to judge or cover big distances, or even deal with formations that are not falling straight
down.
Do you have any advice for transitioning from sky to tunnel and tunnel to sky and being successful at both?
Tunnel to Sky: I will always be a tunnel rat at heart, and I probably had about 1000 hours in the tunnel before my first
tandem. That being said, I was still unprepared for the excitement, adrenaline, and pressure of my first solo jump.
Technically I could hold a heading, dock, and control my levels and pass my AFF, but I had no idea how to judge distance
or have any understanding of how quickly things can go wrong. For transitioning from the tunnel to the sky, I would
encourage tunnel rats to take it slow, enjoy the process, and follow a good progression when it comes to increasing the
difficulty and size of your skydives. Take your time and be conservative.
Sky to Tunnel: When skydivers come to the wind tunnel, I typically encounter two problems. The first is that skydivers’
movements are too big and/or aggressive, causing them to hit the walls, and the solution is to slow down. The second
problem, although much less frequent now that tunnels are more prevalent, is to learn good foundational skills before
progressing to the next body position or skill, for example learn belly before back, back before sit, and sit before head down.
Take your time and be conservative.
What can a tunnel student do to mesh well with their instructor and get the most out of their coaching?
A tunnel student can come with a positive attitude and be physically prepared to work hard. Also be realistic about what
you can accomplish during your sessions.
Do you have any tips for tunnel students?
Schedule times with adequate rest in between sessions and only fly what you can handle.
For most people that is a 10-minute to 15-minute session per half hour. It is rare to see someone fly more than that and
have something positive to show for it. Tunnel time is about both quality and quantity, and you have to balance that out to
learn effectively.
What is the most difficult thing to teach in the tunnel?
Two-way communication and in Denver tunnel outface carving.
Explain in your words the difference between static , dynamic, and trick flying.
• Static flying is FS/VFS and big-way skills.
• Dynamic flying is the sport of wind tunnels, and movement is key.
• Trick flying is gymnastics/acrobatics/parkour/breakdancing with wind.
Q&A
with Mike Silva
51
ANTONIO ARIAS
Q&A
www.tunnel-rats.com
Should a student learn to call their
own wind speeds?
WITH ANTONIO ARIAS
Antonio Arias is an instructor and wind tunnel engineer at Indoor
Skydiving Bottrop.
How does wind speed vary across wind tunnels?
Photo Credit: T. Seifinger
When flyers refer to “wind speed,” they typically are referring to a percent of
maximum fan speed. In other words, if someone is flying at 65, this means
they are at 65% of maximum fan rotational speed. The unit of measure used
for fan rotational speed is revolutions per minute or rpm. Maximum fan rpm
is determined by fan purpose and the design limit of components that make
up the fan. This is a programmable value in the control systems of the tunnel.
Indoor Skydiving Bottrop uses percent of maximum possible fan rpm. Tunnels
can be calibrated in a way that 100% is a reachable maximum possible fan rpm,
or that 100% is the maximum possible fan rpm but may never be reached, or
100% is a reduced rpm value and may or may not be reached. Maximum fan
rpm can be reduced for wind speed safety, economics, incoming power quality
limitations, or other limiting factors. In general, every tunnel displays fan rpm
percent of some maximum rpm value and most also display air speed. Air
speed varies depending on several factors, including units of measurement
(meters per second, kilometers per hour, miles per hour, etc.) and can be in
excess of 280 kilometers per hour. As one could imagine, it can vary greatly.
Fan speed percentage varies from 0 to 100 percent and is the easiest and most
consistent to communicate via hand signals.
Giving hand signals to a wind tunnel
controller is something that should
be reserved exclusively for qualified
flyers and instructors familiar with
the wind tunnel technology being
used. Each tunnel may have different
hand signals and protocols. A fan
rpm of 65% in one wind tunnel could
yield the equivalent airspeed of 85%
fan speed in another. Wind speed
requests should all go through the
instructor that is in charge of the
session, commonly referred to as
the “spotter.” If a flyer wishes to
change wind speed, they should
direct their request to the spotter for
the session and the spotter should
then communicate that to the driver.
Without a doubt, anyone wishing to
fly regularly should learn to identify
what speeds they normally fly and
check the flyer screen displaying
actual wind tunnel operating speed
before entering the flight chamber.
Does the wind speed change with
more people in the tunnel?
A first-time flyer flies at what speed and why?
In my experience at Indoor Skydiving Bottrop, and with my teaching style, a first-time flyer of a given body size and shape
will fly with roughly 10% less fan speed than a pro flyer of the same body size and shape. This varies from one wind tunnel
to another depending on flight suit fit and material, wind tunnel design, air quality, air properties, and instructor. There are
many reasons why, but here is my take on the matter. First-time flyers wear suits made for durability and a wide range of
body types. The durable materials commonly used for body flight in wind tunnels are known to have high drag properties.
The more drag the material has, the less wind speed is required to achieve the required drag force to lift the student.
Furthermore, the suits are made to fit a wide range of body types with a comfortable fit. A comfortably lose fit is important
for customer comfort. Without getting too technical, it also increases the amount of material exposed to the wind and
therefore increasing the drag force. Body position has a big effect as well. The body position that is taught to a first-time
flyer is a very stable and high-drag position. All in all, when talking about body flight in a wind tunnel, it is desirable that
a first-time flyer uses less (versus too much) wind speed for safety and educational reasons. With a slower wind speed,
a student’s input has less effect and the effect happens slowly (for safety). Furthermore, a novice flyer can more easily
adjust trajectory, as the slow effect gives time to think (for learning). What came first? The material choice? The safety
aspect? Was the material selected for durability or lift or because that is what was commonly used? Was it all one big
coincidence? Who knows?
52
This is a tricky question, as it varies
immensely depending on how the
control system is set up for the
tunnel. In general, after enough flyers
have entered the flight chamber,
volume flow will decrease. Flyers
oftentimes refer to a decrease
in volume flow as a perceivable
decrease in lift.
Why is flying at low speed so
important for learning for a beginner
and even advanced students?
There are many different opinions on
this matter, but subject to all critique,
here is mine. Slow speed is exactly
that; slow. Therefore, the efficiency
of one body position to another is
obvious. You can perceivably feel and
see the difference when it happens
slowly. You can also learn the
intricacies of a maneuver because
it happens slowly. If you want to
fly smooth and/or fast, prove to
yourself that it is with slow speed.
Furthermore, once a flyer attains a
certain level of awareness and safety,
slow speed is very useful to have a
range of skill levels to fly and share
the wind together. We use slow
speed at Indoor Skydiving Bottrop to
fly together pretty much every time
we staff fly. The possibilities are
endless.
Does the weather affect the wind
speed in your tunnel?
Indoor Skydiving Bottrop is a louvered
wind tunnel. Air from inside the
wind tunnel is constantly exchanged
with ambient air to maintain a
comfortable air temperature. The
ambient conditions directly affect air
characteristics. The colder and more
humid outside, the faster the tunnel
feels inside for a fixed louver setting.
Luckily, it is northern Germany. There
is a lot of cold humid air, which is
perfect for flying.
How do you measure speed in the
tunnel?
Flow velocity is measured with a
pitot-static tube by measuring static
pressure and total pressure (aka
stagnation or pitot pressure for all
the pilots out there). The difference
between these two is called dynamic
pressure. Using dynamic pressure,
wind speed can be calculated. There
are many other factors that go into
this calculation; however, this is the
simple version.
Is there anything else students
should keep in mind?
Remember, it is just flying. HAVE FUN!
Q&A
with Antonio Arias
53
Tunnel mice
TUNNEL MICE
Little Undercover Ninjas
www.tunnel-rats.com
Little Undercover Ninjas
Aidan Hanks
Age 12, Grade 6
Cole Hanks
Age 7, Grade 2
Born awesome in 2003 and 2007,
respectively, Aidan and Cole are the
sons of Dusty Hanks of SDC Core and
Holly Hanks, mom and their biggest
fan. Aidan and Cole enjoy driving
each other bonkers and flying in the
tunnel, often at the same time. They
have the world’s best and cutest
little sister, Kayla, also known as
Sweet Baby K and Princess Sassy
Pants. They also have a dog, Benny,
who is a Blue Blooded Alapaha
Bulldog, which is not only super cool
to say, but a super cool dog. Aidan
and Cole started flying in the tunnel
occasionally when they were both
around 3 years old each, then in
2014 they started flying regularly
and training as the Little Undercover
Ninjas.
Have you competed in any kids’
tunnel competitions and do you plan
to in the future?
We competed in the Battle of the
Blades at iFLY Seattle in 2015 and won
several categories. We are planning
on competing in the U.S. Team
Selection Challenge on September 4th
for a chance to represent the U.S.A.
at the 1st FAI World Championships
of Indoor Skydiving in Prague this
October.
Do you have any other hobbies or
sports?
Aidan: Chess, reading, gaming on my
iPad and the computer, Boy Scouts,
fishing, and rock climbing, and I would
love to learn to paraglide more.
Cole: I am a gymnast. (I am a Level
5 Junior Elite this year - it is my
second season competing). I love
anything crazy athletic like climbing,
playing American Ninja Warrior, and
trampolines. I also love to dance and
love drawing and painting with water
colors.
When did you start tunnel flying?
Aidan: My first times in the tunnel
were just a couple times a year for
fun from when iFLY Utah opened in
2007 up until 2012, when we started
training.
Cole: From when I was 3 until 5, I
just flew in the tunnel a few times
a year. Then in 2012 we started
training a couple hours a month and
that’s what we do now.
What is your favorite thing to do in
the tunnel?
Aidan: Flying with my dad and flying
fast to the top of the tunnel and back
down.
Cole: Trying out and practicing any
crazy freestyle thing that pops in my
head, especially flipping and twisting
a lot and using the walls.
What is your home tunnel?
iFLY Utah.
Approximately how much tunnel time
do you have?
25 hours.
What are your main disciplines in the
tunnel?
Freeflying, 2-way VFS, dynamic, and
freestyle.
What do you want to be when you
grow up?
back down and up again over and
over like a yo-yo.
Aidan: It changes all the time! I’m a
kid!
Cole: I was born awesome in 2007.
It was a dark and stormy night. No,
really. I was born almost two months
early and was only 3 pounds. My
mom says I had to fight to be here,
so pretty much nothing is as scary as
that. I love to fly fast and go big with
everything I do. I love to do crazy
freestyle stuff in the tunnel. I am
also a gymnast, so it makes doing my
gymnastics skills in the tunnel extra
fun! I love watching people when
they watch us fly and I love flying
with my dad and brother, Aidan. We
even play tag and wrestle fight in the
tunnel sometimes to help practice.
My dad is the best coach! I love
math, reading, and art and anything
crazy!
Cole: A sports medicine doctor/chef/
trainer and professional gymnast and
professional skydiver.
Do you want to skydive when you are
old enough?
Yes.
Do you have any tunnel flying goals?
Aidan: To be the best I can be and
have fun and make my dad proud.
Cole: To be awesome and do
everything my dad and the
Undercover Ninjas can do.
Is there anything else that you would
like to tell us about yourselves?
Aidan: I was born in 2003. It was a
good year. I started flying in the wind
tunnel a couple of times when I was
3, just for fun a few times a year.
Then two years ago I started training
with my little brother, Cole, and we
became the Little Undercover Ninjas.
Flying together has been super fun
because we get to spend some family
time and be a team. I just turned 12
years old and love being in the tunnel
and flying with my dad now too. I
love hanging out with my friends,
riding roller coasters, eating ice
cream, reading, and playing all kinds
of board games, especially chess.
I know lots of random trivia, love
school, and am a video game master!
I’m starting 6th grade this year and
it’s going to be awesome. My favorite
thing to do in the wind tunnel is to go
high all the way to the top and then
Q&A
with Aidan & Cole Hanks
55
DEVIN & BEN ROANE
Q&A
with Devin & Ben Roane
Devin and Ben Roane are brothers
that share a love for tunnel flying,
skydiving and coaching.
How many years have you been
skydiving and tunnel flying?
Devin: I have been skydiving for 15
years and flying in the tunnel for 8
years.
Ben: I have been tunnel flying for
about 5 years and skydiving for 4
years.
www.tunnel-rats.com
the tunnel as much as I possibly can.
I would guess over the past 8 years I
have done around 5,000 hours.
Ben: I really cannot say; more than I
can keep track of.
Did you have any skydiving freefly
experience before you became a
tunnel instructor or did you learn it all
in the tunnel?
Devin: When I became a tunnel
instructor I had around 300 skydives.
I could sit-fly in the sky, but was not
solid at it. The vast majority of my
skills have come from flying in the
tunnel.
Ben: I started fresh in the tunnel; no
prior skydiving experience. I was a
born-and-bred tunnel rat and have
been shredding the sky ever since.
How many jumps do you have?
What drew you to the tunnel?
Devin: I have around 2,000 skydives.
Devin: When a tunnel opened in my
hometown of Ogden, Utah, my friend,
Dusty Hanks, had been hired on as an
instructor, and before it opened he
invited me to watch himself and Scott
Palmer shred in it. They could not get
rid of me after that.
Ben: It is looking like I should have
about 1,000 by the end of this year.
Approximately how many tunnel
hours do you have?
Devin: That is hard to say. I get in
Ben: I had lived in Germany for a
few years, and when I moved back
to Utah they had built a tunnel in my
hometown. My older brother, Devin,
had been instructing for almost 2
years and invited me to fly when I got
home. The rest is history; the pursuit
of perfecting body flight!
What is the most difficult thing for
you to teach students in the tunnel
and do you have any tips to help
students learn it easier?
Devin: Every student is different,
but the move that tends to throw
students for a loop most often is the
first sit-to-head transition. I think
it is because it can be disorienting.
Instead of trying to use your muscles
to do a back flip, position your body
appropriately and let the wind do the
work for you.
Ben: The hardest thing in the tunnel
is to break all of the bad habits we
learn out of the wind. For example,
when we get up off the floor outside
of the tunnel, we rock forward,
pushing our chin toward our knees to
get momentum going forward so that
we can get up. In the tunnel it is the
exact opposite. We need to put our
head back and fly our shoulders and
back up to help us rotate over. Really
the mindset of how the wind works
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
and being patient
is the hardest
thing for people to
really understand.
Devin: Staying
calm and relaxed is
the key to learning
new skills quickly.
Pay attention to
what your coach
tells you, even if
it does not make
sense. Flying
in the tunnel
is sometimes
opposite of what
feels natural. It
has nothing to do
with how you flex your muscles. It is all about presenting
the right surface area to the wind.
Ben: Listen to your coach as best you can, and do not be
afraid to tell them you do not understand. If your coach
gives you a drill or a concept you do not understand, have
them explain it a different way.
Do you plan to compete in any tunnel competitions in the
future?
Ben: AntiGravity XP was my last team, which I won the
world championships with. Devin and I have a team
going right now and possibly a 4-way team in the works.
Are you sponsored by anyone?
Devin: iFLY World, Turbolenza, Vertical Suits, Tunnel Rats,
Cookie Composites, and L&B Altimeters.
Ben: I have a few sponsors that have all been awesome
to me! IFLY World, Tonfly Suits, Turbolenza, L&B
altimeters, and Tunnel Rats.
How does tunnel flight translate to the sky and how does
the sky translate to the tunnel?
Devin: Tunnel flying is a great training tool for skydiving.
How your body is pushed around in the wind is the
same in the tunnel and the sky. The tunnel allows for an
immediate reference of what body movements push you
back, forward, up, and down and allows you to create
muscle memory.
Ben: This is a tough one, and depends on the person for
sure. For me, the tunnel has almost directly translated
to the sky. I know with some people it takes a bit to
get used to switching back and forth. That being said,
the tunnel is still the best way to learn body flight hands
down.
Devin: Absolutely! I love competing.
Ben: Of course! Competition is what drives me more
than anything else.
What awards have you won?
Devin: 2010 VFS Advanced National Champion, 138-way
and 164-way Head-Down World Record holder.
Ben: 2013 D4W Voss Valhalla World Champion and 2014
D4W Knights of Prague World Champion are my latest and
greatest accomplishments.
You both have also been judges. Can you give us an
overview of how dynamic tunnel competitions are judged
and what constitutes a bust?
Devin: In dynamic flying you have to fly specific
patterns and if you do not fly the pattern correctly, that
constitutes a bust.
What happens if someone contests a decision?
Devin: You cannot contest a decision because it is live
judging.
What teams have you competed on?
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
Devin: Rockwell Airtime VFS Team.
Is there a video review or are judges’ decisions final?
Devin: Judges’ decisions are final.
56
57
DEVIN & BEN ROANE
www.tunnel-rats.com
Is it difficult being a judge when you are friends with so many of the
competitors?
Do you have a home base that you teach out of or do you
travel around to for lessons, camps, and events?
Devin: No, my friends want to win because they are the best, not because they
are friends with the judges. We hold ourselves to high standards.
Devin: Home base is Ogden, Utah. When I am not
coaching in Utah, I travel to tunnels around the world to
coach and throw down in.
Ben: Yes and no. It is hard because I want to see all my friends win. It is easy,
though, because everyone is in pretty good spirits and everyone is having fun.
What are your favorite types of events/camps to attend/work with?
Devin: Lately, my favorite events are where we are mixing head down sequential
skydives with angle flying and finishing the day off with tunnel flying in the
evening.
Ben: My favorite events are the ones where people are PUMPED about what
is going on. Even if it is not the most highly skilled, I love seeing people super
happy and excited to be flying and learning.
Ben: I do not have a “home base.” I travel full time to
coach and SHRED!
What are your future goals?
Ben: Winning those competitions in 2013 and 2014 in the
D4W category was definitely a huge goal I had put a lot of
effort and time into.
When working on new records, what can the organizers
do to have the best chance at success?
Devin: A big part of success in records is knowing the
skill level of the people on the skydive and putting them
in the right place.
Devin: I want to continue to improve my flying and
coaching skills and push the limits of tunnel flying and
skydiving.
When working on the head up/head down big ways, what
is done to make sure everyone stays safe?
Ben: My goals are to continue to push myself and others
to further this sport. Does world domination count as a
goal? But, honestly, just to have fun and keep helping
people.
Devin: At the records I have been on, safety is the
organizers’ number one goal. Safety was achieved by
lots of planning, dirt diving, set break-off altitudes, and
nothing more than a 90-hook turn on landing.
What kinds of events and camps do you host?
Devin: I host tunnel camps that accommodate a wide variety of skill levels
ranging from beginner to expert tunnel flyers. I also host skydiving events geared
toward more advanced sequential dynamic/angled flyers. I do at least one tunnel
and one skydiving event a month. Look me up on Facebook for more details.
Ben: Devin and I do all types of camps and events; from the pinnacle of tunnel
flyers looking to build routines to first-time flyers in the tunnel. We also are
hosting skydiving events at least once a month, and those are generally for the
more advanced flyers (those able to sit and fly head down). We do 2 events a
month! Look us up on Facebook!
Are there any goals that you had that you have already
achieved?
Devin: I love learning new things and pushing myself.
I am constantly creating and achieving goals. Being
stagnant is not in my nature.
What is it like to work with your family in the tunnel and skydiving world?
Devin: I really enjoy having my younger brothers in the tunnel/skydiving world.
They saw how much fun I was having and could not resist the competitive urge
to show up their older brother. We are always pushing each other.
Ben: A dream come true really. It is awesome that I get to rip around with
my brothers in the sky and tunnel. We understand each other’s strengths
and weaknesses very well and complement each other perfectly in the work
environment.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
58
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
DEVIN & BEN ROANE
59
SPACELAND LITE
www.tunnel-rats.com
Spaceland Lite is a long-standing open-class four-way team in Texas; possibly the longest continuously competing nonprofessional four-way team in the state. The team started as part of an additional training opportunity for half of the SPX8
eight-way team in 2009, and in the next three years, three of the initial five members kept competing.
We won several local competition gold medals in addition to bronze in advanced four-way in only our second year of
competition (2010) and gold in advanced four-way in year three (2011). Since winning gold, the team has competed every
year in the open class with four of the five medal-winning members from 2010 to 2011. We have also competed in several
indoor competitions such as the iFly Austin Gunslinger meet (gold in 2014), Paraclete XP Indoor Championships (multiple
years), and the first FAI World Cup of Indoor Skydiving (silver, 2014).
We would never have reached the podium, particularly in the advanced class with slot-switch blocks in what was only
the second year of four-way for some members, without a heavy training schedule in the wind tunnel. Despite not having
a tunnel in Texas until recently, the team still flew at least 10 hours in a tunnel every year in addition to several hours
apiece during our four-way 2-on-2 tunnel camps. You have to; you just can’t compete at a high level in formation skydiving
today without a significant amount of tunnel training.
Photo Credit: Samantha Schwann
THE TUNNEL GIVES US MANY BENEFITS:
1. Precision: The walls don’t lie! (And they retaliate!) If your video flyer is not perfectly stationary in the sky, it can be
tough to analyze why a certain formation is building slowly or a block is not closing well. The tunnel walls and absolutely
stationary video (ideally from top down or from the side, several feet above the team) make it very easy to analyze and
overanalyze flights to pick out what needs fixing.
2. Reps: You cannot beat the tunnel for training reps, seeing the pictures that make these formations work, and muscle
memory. This is key for learning the right way to do things from the start and also when you already have a lot of
skydives and tunnel time. It is very difficult to break habits and fly differently, whether that is learning more effective
individual flying skills or turning particular points with others. For example, early this year our coach (Thomas Hughes of
Arizona Airspeed) gave us some different ways to achieve specific individual movements. Without the thousands of reps
and drills we were able to put on these new skills this spring, these skills would not be in our automatic flying skillset for
a while.
3. Calmer, focused environment: When you take the exit and landing out of the equation, you can really put a laser
focus on individual formations and blocks you want to work on.
4. Guaranteed training: Unless there is a power outage, you will get your planned training every time you train.
All that is well and good, but at the end of the day, we are still a skydiving team rather than a tunnel team. We have
definitely learned that the tunnel can breed some bad habits as well. As much as we tell ourselves not to use the walls
for references, we do. As much as we tell ourselves we have got the pictures down, the pictures change when we exit an
airplane, take the walls away, and add 20 to 25 pounds of gear on our backs. It is physically harder to fly with rigs on, and
you cannot learn to exit or fly the hill in the tunnel, not to mention the adrenaline factor that comes with every airplane
exit and the limited time available for each dive.
The tunnel is an indispensable tool for Lite to train, but our biggest battles are fought in the sky using a combination of
tunnel and sky training. We hope to see you at Nationals this year!
FOLLOW US
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lott
TUNNEL RATS
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Issue No. 1 / Fall 2015 Edition
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