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iFLY Perth – Intro to Kids Club

iFLY Perth Intro Kids ClubLittle superheroes all overheard the call and flocked to The Kidz Day: Intro to Kids Club event at iFLY Perth held over two days during the April school holidays!

The excitement was all in anticipation of the launch of iFLY Perth’s excitingly NEW Junior iFLYER Club which has started this school term! Kids learn to become Pro-Flyers able to do aerial tricks and even fly with others in-formation.

The days included exhilarating demonstrations from our current Junior iFLYERs Noah, Cooper and Oxana, along with out-of-the tunnel belly flying training from our coaches and instructors, while every kid had a chance to experience reverse rain within the tunnel. Yes, Reverse rain! We also had colouring-in competitions; prize giveaways and free sausage sizzle.

The club is the first of its kind in Perth, so it wasn’t a surprise that some 800 people attended over the two days!

It was a fantastic turnout and energy was running high! iFLY Perth, iFLY Downunder (Sydney West) & iFLY Gold Coast will be sure to be running many more kids events to promote the sport of indoor skydiving as a choice sport for kids with many more events planned for the future!

iFLY Perth Intro Kids ClubIndoor skydiving combines many skills together that challenges and builds coordination, body awareness, team-building and general fitness and flexibility! The Junior iFLYER Club introduces kids to the sport with a dedicated instructor that will guide them through the skills needed to master the air all within a term timetable so they can learn after school or on weekends.

iFLY has a history of HIGH achievers that started in the club including 11-year-old Amy Watson who now competes overseas in indoor skydiving events and even set a Guinness World Record, most 360 horizontal spins in a wind tunnel in one minute (individual); holding the record with 44 completed in one minute! – Read more here.

Or 13-year-old, indoor skydiving athlete, Sarah Yates who competed in the Battle of the Blades competition in Seattle USA last year placing 4th in Junior’s Freestyle!

Want to find out more about the Junior iFLYER Club and how to get your child involved? Our website has all the details – https://downunder.iflyworld.com/ifly-kids

CHECK OUT THE JUNIOR IFLYER CLUB VIDEO
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Pros And Cons Of Tunnel Flying

Written by Tunnel and Outdoor skydiver – Garnett Znidaric   (E414 – 1,400 jumps – 12 hours of tunnel)

Garnett_Znidaric4“Write a blog,” he said.

“It will be easy,” he said.

“What about?” I said.

“Why you like the tunnel,” he said.

“Hmm… okay,” I said

I have been a tunnel fan since I first saw the pictures back in the 80’s. On the other hand, I didn’t get to play in a tunnel until 2012. That was when I found out that a lot of the stuff we were teaching as B-Rel coaches back in the 80’s didn’t really work.

Since then I have flown in tunnels in Malaysia, Singapore, Eloy and of course, Sydney. Not as much as I like but enough to tell budding skydivers that it is the place to polish existing skills and develop new ones. Let me be clear though, I just do belly stuff although I have unenjoyable dabbled with the dark side of free flying.

It has often been said that knowledge you take from the sky won’t do much for you in the tunnel but what you learn in the tunnel will help you immensely in the sky. For the most part, I would emphatically agree. Here are some thoughts

Pros

-Cheap skydives-

Shared between 4 people a minute of freefall in the tunnel costs less than $10 each. Even 2 ways are an economic way of flying and when you are starting out

-No slipping and sliding-

The wall of the tunnel is unforgiving so you quickly learn whether or not you are flying sideways or backsliding. Often instructors will encourage people who have just completed their AFF course to start on their B Certificate relative work jumps. Personally, and I am not an instructor but rather someone who has watched people evolve in all aspects of skydiving for a number of decades, I would suggest that people after they complete their AFF they go straight to the tunnel and work on their basic body flight and B-Rels in the tunnel. If you still have jump numbers to build up for the A Certificate, then put the effort into canopy control as this is often the weakest skill and yet at many drop zones, a most critical one to develop due to high levels of canopy traffic.

-Time to breathe-

One great thing in the tunnel is that if you feel stress building up, as you go through drills or developing freefall comfort, you can simply stop and take the time to breathe. I can remember being in a rush to prepare for an overseas trip and I was rushing and flying far from well. Without having to worry about breakoff, spending height, I just stopped, looked across at the tunnel buddy, smiled and breathed deeply. Recommencing the routine, the docks were soother and faster.

-No climb to height or packing-

At the tunnel, the focus is all about the freefall at a terminal. This means you don’t have to worry about the ride up in the plane, canopy flight and packing. One minute of freefall can be followed by another one instantly. To me, this means that a lot of stress is removed and I and my colleagues in the tunnel can focus on flying.

-Instant debrief-

And once you get out of the tunnel, more than likely the video clip of your session is coming up on the screen in the antechamber to show you what happened. Sometimes from the side and sometimes from above. This is invaluable in identifying strengths and weaknesses and honing new skills.

Garnett_5

Cons

-Using wrong references-

The only real negative I have seen people fall into the habit of is using a reference outside of the group. While it is imperative that you get used to accurate height control and stay around the middle of the doorway about a meter above the net, it is also important that you use the other members of your belly team as a reference for outward facing positions in formations. In the sky, there are no such references as the wall or doorways.

-Walls hurt. Be honest to tunnel supervisors-

Not really a point against tunnels but rather a caution to new skydivers entering the tunnel for the first time either by themselves or to join a group. Always be honest with your organiser and the people at the tunnel about your level of experience. This way you can be helped through your progression. The sky is very forgiving in many ways. The walls of the tunnel are not. On the other hand, if you can sit still in the tunnel, then you will know you are not the one backsliding in the sky.

Exercises

-Work on smooth NOT complex-

If you haven’t done burble hops as two ways, don’t take a four way in there and expect to turn blocks involving crossovers and expect them to work. Often I have seen inexperienced groups of four in the tunnel trying some fun stuff but with inappropriate skill sets the result has been lots of hitting walls and bouncing off the net to the disgust and frustration of the person on the door of the tunnel.

-Stop and smile-

Having learnt that slow is smooth and smooth is fast, a great exercise in the tunnel is to go through your formation stuff but stop before you take the dock and wait for the person keying the moves to give the key. In this way you slow down, stop rushing and become aware of those around you.

And smile. This is meant to be fun. Also being relaxed allows for you to feel more comfortable in the air. To be relaxed and enjoy every second of being in the wind.

In Summary

The tunnel is fun and great place to learn new stuff and polish existing skills. For the most part, I have never heard a valid argument for not going to the tunnel to learn in preference to learning in the sky. A couple of hours a year in the tunnel will pay huge dividends in the sky. And you can have fun while you are learning.  – Garnett Znidaric

The best way to make the most out of your outdoor/indoor skydiving is to book a coach who will be able to guide you and really accelerate your learning.

You can arrange a coach on your schedule by emailing coaching@ifly.com.au or call 1300 366 364.

Otherwise, you can check out the Frequent iFLYER Facebook page for all upcoming training events, news and indoor skydiving tips!

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Happy 3rd Birthday iFLY Downunder

photoCelebrating 3 years worth of accomplishments!

iFLY Downunder (Syndey West) celebrated its 3rd Birthday on Wednesday,  April 26th, with a big list of achievements, not the least of which is being Australia’s FIRST indoor skydiving centre!

Since taking off, iFLY Downunder has:

  • Flown hundreds of flyers of different abilities; including minor disabilities right to amputees and quadriplegics
  • Used over 200k earplugs
  • Holds 1 x Guinness World Record Title for Most head spins in a wind tunnel in one minute; with iFLY Chief Instructor Kurmet Jaadla now holding the records of 54 in one minute
  • Won the Concierge Industry Award: New Service Provider of the Year 2014
  • Been the location for a Japanese Electronic Manufacturer commercial
  • Trained more than 50 Junior iFLYER superheroes
  • Given over 100,000 unique visitors the dream of flight
  • Team iFLY Downunder placed 9th in the world in the 2 WAY Dynamic during the World Cup, Poland
  • Hosted the 1st, 2nd, and this August will be hosting the 3rd, Australian Indoor Skydiving Championships

We look forward to sharing the dream of flying with even more in the coming years!

Here’s to another AMAZING year at iFLY Downunder!

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SAVE THE DATE! 2017 Aussie Indoor Champs!

180830_ifly_2016_offline_2.mp4.00_00_46_20.Still019Indoor Skydiving Group Australia (ISAG) have now released the highly anticipated dates for the 3rd annual Australian Indoor Skydiving Championships.

Hosted at the ISAG’s flagship facility, iFLY Downunder (Sydney West), the championships will be held over two days on the 18th and 19th August.

‘Our 2016 Championships were huge!’ comments ISA Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Brett Sheridan. ‘We had more teams, more individuals and more age groups enter than ever before, it is evident that indoor skydiving is fast becoming an incredibly popular sport for Australians’. The 2016 event had 163 individual competitors registered, making up 73 teams for 10 categories.  This year we anticipate an even bigger turnout with an increased number of categories and the competition spread over 2 days.

The Australian Indoor Skydiving Championships are free for the public to attend.

‘Our Championship is open to the public to come along and check out’ continues Sheridan ‘but I recommend people get in early, last year we were a packed house!’

180830_ifly_2016_offline_2.mp4.00_02_59_08.Still010

iFLY Indoor Skydiving has been expanding rapidly across the country with locations now open in Penrith, Perth and the Gold Coast with more venues around the country set to open soon.

‘We have been overwhelmed with how indoor skydiving has been accepted by Australians,’ comments Brett.

Indoor Skydiving was originally used for skydivers and the military to practice stunts and skills in any weather and in a safe environment, however, over the years, it has transitioned into being a competitive sport internationally.

‘It’s such a unique sport and I think that’s what captivates people. You can improve to the point where it feels like you literally defy gravity and the more people become engaged in it, the more addicted they get!’ continues Sheridan.

180830_ifly_2016_offline_2.mp4.00_04_59_16.Still018Indoor skydiving has fast become the most popular choice amongst kids and parents looking for an alternative to the typical sport or hobby, and ISA Group is impressed at how many kids have taken it up as a competitive outlet. The 2016 championships saw 11 kids entered into the Junior Freestyle event, with 2 of the competitors later that year competing internationally in Poland and Seattle.

‘We expect Indoor Skydiving to continue thriving because of its cross-generational appeal,’ says Sheridan. ‘We have teams and flyers that range from ages 3 years to 60 years, from beginners to advanced. Indoor Skydiving is a sport that is incredibly fun to watch with the flyers fast choreographed movements, we are more than sure it will stay very popular.’

The Australian Indoor Skydiving Championships will be held at iFLY Downunder located at 123 Mulgoa Road, Penrith.  Further information and registrations will be available at www.ifly.com.au/australianchampionships

Check out the video of last years Championships including all the excitement and amazing indoor skydiving performances!

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ISA Group’s Malaysian Tunnel Announced

Indoor Skydive Australia Group Limited has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of it’s first indoor skydiving facility in Malaysia. The facility is at the 1 Utama Shopping Centre, one of the largest shopping centres in the world.

The cost of the project, including internal costs, to ISA Group is estimated to be between $1.5 to $2 million. ISA Group expects to fund this from operating cashflows, supplemented by existing cash reserves and debt if appropriate.

The indoor skydiving facility is being developed as part of the extension of the 1 Utama Shopping Centre which includes access to the Bandar Utama MRT station, linking 1 Utama to the Greater Kuala Lumpur region. Construction of the extension has commenced and is scheduled for opening in December 2017. With over 30 million visitors per year, the 1 Utama shopping centre is an “all in one” complex combining retail, leisure, sporting and entertainment facilities. It is interconnect with several high-rise office towers and a 5-star luxury hotel.

The 1 Utama indoor skydiving facility will be ISA Group’s first facility outside of Australia and is the result of several years of market research and due diligence to understand the local business environment. By working with 1 Utama as a partner, ISA Group is able to mitigate risks, reduce the capital commitment required by ISA Group and leverage off 1 Utama’s local success and experience.

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ISA Group Annual Report 2014

2014 has been a remarkable year for ISA Group, punctuated by the opening of Australia’s only state of the art indoor skydive facility, iFLY Downunder.

Read the 2014 Annual report here

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Veritas Securities Ltd – May Equity Research

Veritas Securities report includes the completion and commissioning of the Penrith facility, the appointment of David Murray to the board and the announcement of the Gold Coast site.

Read the new report here.

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The Australian – ‘Wind tunnel of love for skydivers’

Written by Anthony Klan

FORMER Australian Special Air Services Regiment soldiers Danny Hogan and Wayne Jones came up with the idea to create the nation’s only indoor sky­diving facility or wind tunnel about seven years ago, but a US training mission in 2010 got them over the line.

There were about 35 modern indoor skydive facilities globally, that number rapidly increasing in line with the popularity of extreme sports, and Australia had nothing to offer.

“In the US they (wind tunnels) were being used first-hand by the military and our defence forces were using them in different countries as a training tool,” Hogan says.

He discussed it with Jones — the pair had long been friends, both having served in the same squadrons “in every major conflict Australia has been involved in recent years” — and Indoor Skydive Australia was born, floating in January last year, after raising $12 million.

The group, which operates under iFLY branding associated with similar facilities in the US, will open its first centre, iFLY Downunder, in Penrith, western Sydney, next month.

The company plans to “rapidly” expand the model, opening centres on the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

Hogan says a key component has been engaging Australia’s aviation skydiving industry, which the pair see as working in concert with the indoor centres, providing specialist ground training and opening up the industry to a far wider audience.

“There are some quite significant synergies between the two industries, some people may see them as competitive but they are nothing but complimentary,” Hogan says. “We are holding sessions with some of the largest drop zone operators, which will work with our expansion.”

And so far — from a market perspective — their calls have been spot-on.

The company was the top performing float last year, ­according to Deloitte, with the 60 million shares it issued at 20c in January rocketing to 55c by Dec­ember — a 175 per cent increase. (It was followed by Freelancer, up 156 per cent, and Brisbane-based phosphate explorer Fertoz, up 130 per cent).

This week the shares were trading at 80c, up fourfold on the listing price. “Investors, and those who have been with us from the beginning, are starting to see what we are doing and delivering on our original message,” Hogan says.

The “flight chamber” is 13 metres high, five metres in diameter and allows up to eight experienced people to fly at one time.

It is powered by four 450hp fans in the ceiling of the chamber, which draws the air up, creating lift for the user.

Hogan says the air is then recirculated, entering the tunnel again from the bottom — from below a net — having passed through two 600 kilowatt chilling units that control air temperature.

While the facility is open to anyone — beginners to experts aged “three to 103” — it is the most advanced flight chamber available and can meet the ­demands of the most advanced skydivers.

“The winds can exceed 250km an hour, which is where the skydiving market is going,” Hogan says.

He says the high speed is required to enable VFS, or vertical formation skydiving, which involves the skydiver flying head or feet down and so providing less surface area and overall lift at a given air speed. “Gone are the old belly down skydivers. Vertical formation is what it’s about at the moment,” he says.

But for Aviation ­— this journalist tested the facility this week — it was all about the belly-down action. (I tell myself it’s retro.) Frazer Smith, an internat­ional skydiving champion brought to Australia from Britain especially to train users at the facility, says it’s belly-first only for first-timers. I have precisely no problem with this.

After flailing around for a few minutes like a sea cucumber at the bottom of giant fish tank, I’m taking off and it feels exactly like that recurring dream you have where you can fly.

It feels exactly like floating; which, to be fair, is precisely what it is.

And another bonus is, it’s a great workout.

(I know this because one; Smith tells us before we start, and two, I wake up the next day feeling like I’ve been trying to tow a truck. But unlike any workout I’ve ever experienced I’d spent the entire time grinning like a manic chipmunk in a Nobby’s Nuts factory.)

David O’Hare, a friend I’ve dragged along to check out the facility, on account of his previous experience with skydiving — and because he tells me he’s been checking the progress of the facility online for months — finishes his dive similarly buzzed.

He wraps up the experience perfectly, smiling and shaking his head.

“This is awesome. Damn I’m going to spend a fortune!”

 See the video and original article here

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ETB News – iFly Downunder: Sydney’s hottest new attraction

Ever wanted to jump out of a plane, but just hate the thought of actually JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE?! Then iFLY Downunder is the answer…and it is addictive!

With the doors opening to the general public on the 26th April, Australia’s first indoor skydiving facility is already proving to be a huge success with over 500 hours of tunnel time sold in the last few months!

“We knew that indoor skydiving would be a popular attraction in Australia’ comments iFLY Downunder Chief Marketing Officer Brett Sheridan ‘but we are still absolutely overwhelmed with the support we are getting from the public.”

The iFLY Downunder indoor skydiving facility is a state of the art centre that delivers an exhilarating, thrilling and high energy experience that the whole family will want to share.

Indoor skydiving is a safe and fun adventure activity which anyone from ages 3 to 103 can enjoy.

“Our facility will allow people to get a real experience of skydiving in a fully-controlled and safe environment”, comments Brett Sheridan.

“This is the biggest and most powerful vertical wind tunnel in the southern hemisphere and we can’t wait to open our doors so everyone who has ever dreamt of flying, can now fly!”

IFLY Downunders’ parent company, Indoor Skydive Australia Group Limited (ASX:IDZ) is headed up by Ex SAS Soldiers Wayne Jones and Danny Hogan. The two hatched the idea to build the facility after experiencing similar facilities around the world.

“While we were serving and training overseas we were exposed to these indoor skydiving facilities as part of our training”, said Wayne Jones.

“The simulation is so close to the real thing that military and skydivers have been training in these facilities around the world for a number of years…and now Australia can experience flight for the first time!”

“It has been a huge journey from those initial discussions to our doors opening in a few weeks time, but the reward will be on the faces of people flying for their first time”, comments Wayne.

The facility, located in the adventure capital of Penrith, has a 5 metre wide glass flight chamber which is one of the largest and most technically advanced in the world.

The facility can comfortably hold up to 8 experienced flyers and is powered by 4 x 450 horse power fans that can achieve speeds of up to 250km per hour which is powerful enough to lift anyone into flight on a cushion of air.

iFLY Downunder is suitable for people of all skill levels, from first timers to advanced flyers.

Bookings are open now for flights available from the 26th April 2014.

View the original article.

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Daily Telegraph – IFLY Downunder indoor skydiving has officially switched on it’s wind tunnel for the first time

Written by Kristine Tarbert

The first indoor skydiving facility of its kind in Australia has switched on it’s wind tunnel for the first time in Penrith.

Excitement is building towards the grand opening of the facility next month with all involved gathered to witness the first human flight.

IFLY Downunders’ parent company, Indoor Skydive Australia Group Limited is headed up by Ex SAS Soldiers Wayne Jones and Daniel Hogan.

Chief operating officer Daniel Hogan said it all started with a one-liner back in 2007.

“It was during the 50th anniversary of the SAS regiment – that’s where we both served, and from about 2009 that’s when we really solidified the idea and came up with the plan,” Mr Hogan said.

Chief executive officer Wayne Jones said they have used similar facilities for military training overseas and they wanted to bring the same opportunity to Australia.

“Penrith is the adventure capital of NSW, of western Sydney, it’s a growing area and there’s huge opportunities here,” Mr Jones said.

“There are so many activities to do between the Blue Mountains, the Regatta Centre, Wet ‘n’ Wild and the Wake Park just behind us.

The experience is already proving to be a huge success with over 500 hours of tunnel time sold in the last few months.

“The response has been overwhelming. We can’t wait to fly the whole of Australia because that’s who can use the facility: anyone from three years old to 103 years old, boys and girls, birthday parties and corporate events,” Mr Hogan said.

“The overall one-hour experience includes training, fit out of equipment, and then you fly twice – each flight is just under a minute which is the equivalent of a flight from 14000ft,” Mr Jones added.

After the first flight both men were clearly relieved and excited for others to experience the feeling of flight.

“It was beyond expectations, that was absolutely fantastic. You hear the statement ‘a dream come true’ and you never really look at it like that, but when you get to feel it, well now I know the comment,” Mr Hogan said.

Watch the video here.