iFly Indoor Skydiving: Fly Like an Eagle, No Parachute Required

All photos and courtesy of iFly Indoor Skydiving.

The desire to fly free of the constraints of gravity, to dive through the clouds and soar through the endless blue sky has captured man’s attention ever since he first witnessed birds in flight.

Skydiving comes closest to understanding how it might feel to fly, but jumping from a plane with nothing but a parachute might require just a little too much of a daredevil personality. What if there was a way to fly without jumping from a plane and at a fraction of the cost? No experience necessary.

iFly Indoor Skydiving gives their customers the chance to fly without the cost and risk that traditional skydiving entails. An upright indoor wind tunnel creates a blast of air that simulates the rush of air you’d feel leaping from a plane. But guess what? No leaping from a plane required.

And no flapping of your arms required either. A certified flight instructor walks you through a short class teaching you the basics on how to soar like an eagle. Afterward, you dress for flight in a parachute-type jumpsuit, outfitted with a helmet, goggles, and ear plugs and then away you go.

Enter through the mysterious tunnel door into a blasting whirlwind of air. It’s loud, and you can’t talk, but your instructor guides you onto your stomach. And then you’re doing it. You’re flying.

The first thirty seconds you spend on your belly hovering a few feet above the ground, arms outstretched in front of your eyes, elbows bent. You fight the wind but remember to relax, keep calm. Your legs are apart and also slightly bent at the knees.

During the second half of your 60-second flight, your instructor takes you by the leg and an arm. He gracefully pushes himself from the ground, and like fallen leaves caught in a tempest, you both begin to spiral upwards toward the tunnel’s top. The adrenaline rush, the thrill of adventure, the smile you can’t wipe from your face? You’re likely to become addicted.

Customers can choose from a variety of packages beginning at $70 for two 60-second flights. Purchasing multiple flight packages can bring the cost per flight down, and the flights can be shared with others. iFly makes an excellent place for birthday parties, corporate retreats, or date nights for adventure junkies. iFly Indoor Skydiving has two locations in Houston and one location each in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.