BodyFlying

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VictoriaF
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BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by edge »

No, but I did watch this type of thing in person one time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9t5qOSzCU
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

edge wrote:No, but I did watch this type of thing in person one time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9t5qOSzCU
It's spectacular. I wonder if only the Swiss specialize in flying or it's available elsewhere.

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by likegarden »

Bogleheads would not do that flying in the mountains with a body suit, is too high in risks! Especially landing in rocks head first must be not so good. How can this guy figure out in that video, if he will have enough clearance at his next approach to rock groups?
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by jebmke »

likegarden wrote:Bogleheads would not do that flying in the mountains with a body suit, is too high in risks! Especially landing in rocks head first must be not so good. How can this guy figure out in that video, if he will have enough clearance at his next approach to rock groups?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/16/world ... .html?_r=0
LONDON — Mark Sutton, the stuntman who parachuted into the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London dressed as James Bond alongside a double of Queen Elizabeth II, was killed on Wednesday in a wing-diving accident in the Swiss Alps. He was 42.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

jebmke wrote:
likegarden wrote:Bogleheads would not do that flying in the mountains with a body suit, is too high in risks! Especially landing in rocks head first must be not so good. How can this guy figure out in that video, if he will have enough clearance at his next approach to rock groups?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/16/world ... .html?_r=0
LONDON — Mark Sutton, the stuntman who parachuted into the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London dressed as James Bond alongside a double of Queen Elizabeth II, was killed on Wednesday in a wing-diving accident in the Swiss Alps. He was 42.
The Alps are probably too advanced for me. I will start with this.

Victoria
Last edited by VictoriaF on Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by edge »

I think it has to do with whether the correct terrain is available. They survey the flight path extensively prior to jumping off. I guess after so many sky dives and base jumps this is the next level...
VictoriaF wrote:
edge wrote:No, but I did watch this type of thing in person one time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9t5qOSzCU
It's spectacular. I wonder if only the Swiss specialize in flying or it's available elsewhere.

Victoria
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by tacster »

VictoriaF wrote:Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
Yes I've done that. Years ago there was one of those places in Las Vegas. It was indoors, think it was called Fly Away or something like that. They wouldn't let you try flips or anything tricky until you'd been there several times. I only did it once. I think the guys in that video make those stunts look a lot easier than they really are.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by SpecialK22 »

edge wrote:No, but I did watch this type of thing in person one time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9t5qOSzCU
Very cool! I also like this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by Fallible »

tacster wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
Yes I've done that. Years ago there was one of those places in Las Vegas. It was indoors, think it was called Fly Away or something like that. They wouldn't let you try flips or anything tricky until you'd been there several times. I only did it once. I think the guys in that video make those stunts look a lot easier than they really are.
Not a flyer here, but I can tell a fair amount by watching this video that there is a lot of skill going on there, mainly to make it look easy, fun, and safe. The flyers have obvioiusly been coached beforehand and know pretty much what to expect, though viewers can't tell just how experieced they are. The safety seems mainly in the hands of the, well, the handler, who must have an expert grip and know how to change it to maneuver the flyers, especially with the change of air flow. Speaking of air flow, who handles that? Oh, and watch out for those landings. Did you see the one where the flyer lands on his/her head and neck? Ouch!

Just curious to know what your one time up cost.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

Fallible wrote:Just curious to know what your one time up cost.
The conference offers it at a group rate of 110CHF ($115-$120). I sent them a note asking for the details but have not heard back yet. Even though it's a year away, I expect this activity to fill up very quickly and don't want to miss it.

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by scouter »

Having spent lots of time with my skydiver friends, I can tell that the guy in the blue suit is a very experienced skydiver. The girl he's training/helping is probably a beginner and the first part of the video with them together is probably a typical experience for a beginner with a teacher helping. There are several of those places around the U.S., though they may use different names for the sport.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by White Coat Investor »

I've done that in a wind tunnel. I think it was $50 for two 2-minute flights with a groupon. Totally fun. Maybe someday I'll wear a squirrel suit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9t5qOSzCU
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by Tortoise »

My 12 year old son did it for his last birthday. It was just like the beginning of the video where an instructor held onto him for most of the time. He free flew for a few seconds at the end. It's fun but expensive. We had a groupon to get a more reasonable, but still expensive price.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

Tortoise wrote:My 12 year old son did it for his last birthday. It was just like the beginning of the video where an instructor held onto him for most of the time. He free flew for a few seconds at the end. It's fun but expensive. We had a groupon to get a more reasonable, but still expensive price.
Would you do it yourself?

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by halfnine »

VictoriaF wrote:Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
My wife and I did it a few years back. I think it was something like two 2 minute sessions. Everyone in the group went once and then everyone went once again. As a one-off your experience will most likely be very similar to the first person shown in the video with the instructor helping to position you and guide you throughout. And then normally as your time is coming to a close they will grab you and spend maybe the last 20 seconds taking you up/down and spinning you around.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

halfnine wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
My wife and I did it a few years back. I think it was something like two 2 minute sessions. Everyone in the group went once and then everyone went once again. As a one-off your experience will most likely be very similar to the first person shown in the video with the instructor helping to position you and guide you throughout. And then normally as your time is coming to a close they will grab you and spend maybe the last 20 seconds taking you up/down and spinning you around.
It will be a good idea to pre-order a video. They will try harder to help me fly.

Victoria
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by tacster »

Fallible wrote:
tacster wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:Has anyone done BodyFlying? Is it as easy as it looks in the video?

Victoria
Yes I've done that. Years ago there was one of those places in Las Vegas. It was indoors, think it was called Fly Away or something like that. They wouldn't let you try flips or anything tricky until you'd been there several times. I only did it once. I think the guys in that video make those stunts look a lot easier than they really are.
Just curious to know what your one time up cost.
It was a gift, I think at the time it cost around $20-$30, but this was almost three decades ago. It was fun but not enough to shell out my own money for more.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by Fallible »

VictoriaF wrote:...

It will be a good idea to pre-order a video. They will try harder to help me fly.

Victoria
Definitely a good idea! But judging from the video, it appears the real trick for them is not to help you fly since the air blower does that, but to keep you from flying away. :shock:
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

Fallible wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:...

It will be a good idea to pre-order a video. They will try harder to help me fly.

Victoria
Definitely a good idea! But judging from the video, it appears the real trick for them is not to help you fly since the air blower does that, but to keep you from flying away. :shock:
Good catch. If I arrange to star in a video, they will keep me on a leash instead of keeping me on the sidelines.

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by FoolishJumper »

I have 500 skydives and a few times in a windtunnel (the U.S. term for this BodyFlying). The girl in your video is either innately proficient or experienced (5-15 minutes in a windtunnel) - I suspect the latter. Expect your first time (which will only be 30-120 seconds long) to be you staying in one place while being held by the instructor. They will give you an opportunity to fly more/higher, but that is only if you are stable (not rocking or spinning), which is very difficult on your first or second time, as you won't even realize what you are doing, or have good enough control over your body to know if your foot is sticking out or not, or arms unsymetrical. Keep in mind that the wind is flowing past you at 100-120 mph.

That said, it is a lot of fun, so go for it! As others have said, they are quite expensive. In the US, first-timers will cost about $60-75 for 2 minutes, more experienced will be ~$100 for 5 minutes and ~$250 for 15 minutes. I would expect 100% higher in Switzerland, so your $120 makes sense for a 2 minute flight with a short classroom training beforehand. If you get more than 2 minutes, then it is a 'good price'.

Buying a video will not make your experience more or less impressive; it will look like the Youtube video someone else posted of a group of 4-5 people. The instructor will happily fly high and spin circles with you (more fun for him), but the capability is 100% on you. Don't expect anything more than simply flying in one place while the instructor stands on the ground, he will likely give you a chance to fly on your own for 5-10 seconds at the end, because the worse case is you 'fall off' the wind and land on the padded floor on the sides. It is impossible for someone to 'fly away', not even very experienced people could do so.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

FoolishJumper {wonderful name!},

If I decided to take 2-3 sessions to become more experienced and do more interesting maneuvers, can I do them all in one day? This is a 2-part question
(a) Do facilities normally offer different-level classes side-by-side? and
(b) Is enough energy left after a class for another one?

Thank you,
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by Fallible »

FoolishJumper wrote:..It is impossible for someone to 'fly away', not even very experienced people could do so.
:oops: I had mentioned flying "away" but meant it partly in jest and certainly not to the point of, say, reaching the Alps, although that's a sure fire way to become a video star. 8-)
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

FoolishJumper wrote:In the US, first-timers will cost about $60-75 for 2 minutes, more experienced will be ~$100 for 5 minutes and ~$250 for 15 minutes. I would expect 100% higher in Switzerland, so your $120 makes sense for a 2 minute flight with a short classroom training beforehand. If you get more than 2 minutes, then it is a 'good price'.
I now have more information.

The facility prices for an individual are as follows:
Single lesson: 1 flight, 1.5 hrs, CHF 100.00
Double lesson: 2 flights, 2 hrs, CHF 140.00
Sport lesson: 3 flights, 2.5 hrs, CHF 180.00
Full-day course: 5 flights, 4.5 hrs, CHF 280.00 (including DVD)

The group rates, assuming 5-person groups, are:
Single lesson: 1 flight, 1.5 hrs, CHF 400.00
Double lesson: 2 flights, 2 hrs, CHF 560.00 <-- offered through the conference
Sport lesson: 3 flights, 2.5 hrs, CHF 720.00

The price listed by the conference corresponds to 2 flights, at 560 / 5 = CHF 110 per person. If the conference has booked the entire afternoon, it will probably be impossible to get additional lessons. But I will see how it goes.

Victoria
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by reggiesimpson »

Indoors is fun.
Outdoors is fatal.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by protagonist »

reggiesimpson wrote:Indoors is fun.
Outdoors is fatal.
Yes, but it's the same risk/reward thing again. Indoors is also silly, whereas outdoors is thrilling. Climbing stairs is boring. Climbing K-2 is decidedly not.

Have you done skydiving? If not, you might start with that, since you could do a tandem jump with an instructor from the get-go, to get a feel for free-falling, and take it from there.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by protagonist »

reggiesimpson wrote:Indoors is fun.
Outdoors is fatal.
Yes, but it's the same risk/reward thing again. Indoors is also silly, whereas outdoors is thrilling. Climbing stairs is boring. Climbing K-2 is decidedly not.

Have you done skydiving? If not, you might start with that, since you could do a tandem jump with an instructor from the get-go, to get a feel for free-falling, and take it from there. You would get a serious thrill your first time.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by VictoriaF »

protagonist wrote:
reggiesimpson wrote:Indoors is fun.
Outdoors is fatal.
Yes, but it's the same risk/reward thing again. Indoors is also silly, whereas outdoors is thrilling. Climbing stairs is boring. Climbing K-2 is decidedly not.

Have you done skydiving? If not, you might start with that, since you could do a tandem jump with an instructor from the get-go, to get a feel for free-falling, and take it from there. You would get a serious thrill your first time.
Would you recommend starting with K2 before trying stairs?

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by protagonist »

VictoriaF wrote:
protagonist wrote:
reggiesimpson wrote:Indoors is fun.
Outdoors is fatal.
Yes, but it's the same risk/reward thing again. Indoors is also silly, whereas outdoors is thrilling. Climbing stairs is boring. Climbing K-2 is decidedly not.

Have you done skydiving? If not, you might start with that, since you could do a tandem jump with an instructor from the get-go, to get a feel for free-falling, and take it from there. You would get a serious thrill your first time.
Would you recommend starting with K2 before trying stairs?

Victoria
No, of course not. That statement was replying to reggiesimpson's "Indoors is fun, outdoors is fatal" post, not suggesting you should fly in the alps without indoor training.

The other statement was directed towards you. If you have never "flown" before, I was suggesting a skydive (or possibly a hang gliding session in Hatteras) would be more appropriate, and Hatteras is not too far from you . Because it WOULD be a lot of fun, it is relatively safe, and it would probably be much more thrilling than flying indoors. If you loved it, and loved the idea of body flying more than the idea of either of the above, you could move on to indoor body flying training from there. But it would be great to first experience the rush of flying outdoors from the start. JUst my approach...you may disagree.

http://www.kittyhawk.com/hang-gliding/
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Re: BodyFlying

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protagonist wrote:If you have never "flown" before, I was suggesting a skydive (or possibly a hang gliding session in Hatteras, which is not too far from you) might be a first step, because it WOULD be a lot of fun, it is relatively safe, and it would probably be much more thrilling than flying indoors. If you loved it, and loved the idea of body flying more than the idea of either of the above, you could move on to indoor body flying training from there. But it would be great to first experience the rush of flying outdoors from the start. JUst my approach...you may disagree.
I was thinking of hang gliding, but after reading about landing accidents put it aside. Indoor body flying is conveniently offered and the risks are minimal. I don't know how far I want to go (how far I want to fly) before I try it. And stepped up thrill makes sense, no?

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Re: BodyFlying

Post by protagonist »

VictoriaF wrote:
protagonist wrote:If you have never "flown" before, I was suggesting a skydive (or possibly a hang gliding session in Hatteras, which is not too far from you) might be a first step, because it WOULD be a lot of fun, it is relatively safe, and it would probably be much more thrilling than flying indoors. If you loved it, and loved the idea of body flying more than the idea of either of the above, you could move on to indoor body flying training from there. But it would be great to first experience the rush of flying outdoors from the start. JUst my approach...you may disagree.
I was thinking of hang gliding, but after reading about landing accidents put it aside. Indoor body flying is conveniently offered and the risks are minimal. I don't know how far I want to go (how far I want to fly) before I try it. And stepped up thrill makes sense, no?

Victoria
Exactly my point.

Whereas hang gliding is dangerous (though I would guess less dangerous than outdoor body flying), Kitty Hawk is probably one of the safest places to try it because of the large, soft sand dunes everywhere. The Wright Bros. didn't choose that location for nothing. I know a lot of people who tried it there, and I think that if you do it with a well-established company like Kitty Hawk Kites, it is relatively safe. You could opt for a tandem flight with an instructor.

If you are just doing it for the esperience/thrill, I think an outdoor jump or hang glide would be much more thrilling than indoor body flying (as well as beautiful). If you are doing it because you are thinking of taking up the sport of body flying and want to work up to flying outdoors, I still think it might be a better introduction.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by scouter »

I've flown hang gliders several times at Kitty Hawk, NC. (lessons at "Kitty Hawk Kites") It's pretty safe, I think they said the worst injury they'd had was a rare broken wrist or ankle, and they've taught people age 7 to 70. The #1 rule in hang gliding is "Don't fly any higher than you're willing to fall" so I never flew higher than about 20 ft. off the sand. However, you're flying down the face of a 13-story sand dune (Jockey's Ridge), and looking straight out at the ocean, it feels like you're up very high. Looking down, it feels more like sledding down a big hill, just floating above the ground. Controlling the glider is somewhat like riding a bicycle, they can tell you how to do it, but you have to actually do it a few times before you get the "feel" of it and get your balance. Landing is a little tricky, but by my 3rd flight I was doing stand-up landings every time, and I'm not particularly athletic. Highly recommended. I wouldn't fly hang gliders at high altitudes. I've known several people who died. And wing suits are even worse. One of my friends calls that a "screw-up-once" sport.
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Re: BodyFlying

Post by Rainier »

Search for Jeb Corliss crash video in South Africa.
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