Now you can go skydiving — and never leave the ground.
Almost.
Two Point Loman residents, general manager Krystal Castaneda and operations manager Brianna Cook, have opened San Diego’s first indoor skydiving wind tunnel, iFLY San Diego, at 2385 Camino Del Rio North in Mission Valley. The facility will be in its own building, near the Mission Valley Mall.
It’s a facility for the entire family, young and old, operators said.
“We fly ages 3 and up,” said Cook. “We’re really excited to be here. It’s been a long time coming.”
For those unfamiliar, iFLY is an Austin, Texas-based indoor skydiving “adventure” specializing in “freefall” skydiving. It involves use of 350-horsepower jet-engine fans placed inside Indoor 10- to 16-foot diameter tunnels, creating a recirculation of air that can be controlled according to the flyer’s size, weight and experience, lifting them and allowing them to ride a current of air.
“We simulate the freefall of a skydiver jumping out of the plane, which lasts between 30 and 45 seconds after someone jumps and pulls their parachute cord,” said Cook, noting advanced skydivers in small groups create formations and do choreographed movements she described as “beautiful.”
iFly has flown 7 million people to date.
Cook noted there are four basic body positions in freefall skydiving — bellyflying, backflying, sit-flying and head-down.
“We train skydivers in our facility to get better at those basic body postures,” she noted. “As you progress through the sport, you learn how to make aerial-type movements in the wind current.”
Experienced skydivers then learn sky docking, or grabbing hold of another flyer in the air, Cook said. She added that iFLY has turned skydiving into an indoor sport that hosts world championships across the globe. The firm has also petitioned to make skydiving an official Olympic event.
“We have flown over 6 million people around the world,” said iFLY CEO Alan Metni, who started the company in 1998. “I used to be a professional skydiver, and I can say that when I’m in the wind tunnel and close my eyes, it’s exactly like freefall skydiving.”
The cost of indoor skydiving ranges from $59.95 to $79.95, Cox said.
“The whole process takes about 1½ hours,” Cook said. “First-time flyers take a 15-minute class that teaches the basic body positions from an instructor using hand gestures instead of sound to communicate.”
Cook added iFLY also sells instruction time in 5-, 10- and 15-minute blocks for those more advanced and desiring more practice time.
“Our mission is to deliver the dream of flight to everybody, whether you’re age 3 or 103,” said Matt Ryan, iFLY president and COO. “Since 1998, customers worldwide have experienced human flight at iFLY in a variety of ways: as a fun excursion with family and friends, a student on an educational Science, Technology and Math (STEM) field trip, a professional skydiver or member of the military for training and a corporate customer looking for a unique team-building activity.”
“We are working hard to complete all the finishing touches in our newest iFLY operation here in San Diego,” said Castaneda. “My team and I are pumped to share the dream of flight at our new location. Every day is a new adventure for each and every person at the tunnel. Watching people fly for the first time is a life-changing experience for them and just wonderful for each of us helping to make dreams come true.”
All flight packages include training, flight gear and flight time with an International Bodyflight Association-certified instructor. All iFLY instructors meet or exceed International Bodyflight Association standards.
For more information about iFLY’s flight packages and prices and to book your flight time at iFLY San Diego, visit the website at iflyworld.com/san-diego. iFLY San Diego, Where: 2385 Camino del Rio North, near Mission Valley Mall
What: Indoor skydiving wind tunnel.
Cost: $79.95.
Info: iflyworld.com/san-diego