HOW TO CHOOSE A TUNNEL

FLIGHT CHAMBER DIAMETER

The most underrated parameter. A 3 m tunnel is fine for solo flying, but tight as soon as you do dynamic or attempt figures with another flyer. A 4.3 m tunnel is the modern international standard — 2 people can comfortably fly. Above 5 m you enter "trophy-scale": full 4-way teams, FAI competitions, advanced indoor coaches.

• First-time (tandem experience): 3.0–4.3 m is fine. Sensation is similar.
• Licensed (completed AFF): look for 4.3 m+. It makes economic sense to invest in a decent tunnel.
• Advanced / team: 5 m minimum. Below, technical limits dominate over training.

MAX WIND SPEED

A skydiver\'s terminal velocity in belly is ~200 km/h; in freefly (sit/head-down) 250–300 km/h; in advanced track/mantis over 300. The tunnel must exceed your discipline\'s terminal velocity, otherwise it won\'t "hold" you in simulated freefall.

• Belly / RW: 200 km/h is enough for basic flying.
• Freefly (sit/head-down): look for ≥ 270 km/h.
• Dynamic / advanced head-down: ≥ 300 km/h. Below, clean flying is impossible.

Aero Gravity (370 km/h) and Bodyflight Stockholm/Gothenburg (315 km/h) sit above this threshold. Most 4.3 m tunnels range 270–300.

FLOW TYPE

Recirculating (closed-loop): most modern tunnels. Air circulates in a loop, temperature-controlled, stable wind year-round. Standard for serious training.

Open-flow (outdoor): cheaper to build, but less flow control and weather-dependent. Fine for tourist experiences; less ideal for repeatable training.

Inclined wingsuit: rarity (Stockholm, Žirovnica Slovenia). The only way to train a wingsuit in an indoor environment. If you fly wingsuit, this is a pilgrimage.

COACHES AND COMMUNITY

Technical specs = necessary but not sufficient. A 5 m tunnel without decent coaches won\'t grow you. Evaluate:

• Does the tunnel have resident FAI-level coaches?
• Does it host official competitions? (seriousness indicator)
• Which teams use it as a base?
• Does it provide video + structured briefing (not "1 flight = 1 time")?

Aero Gravity, Weembi, Windobona Vienna, Realfly Sion, Hurricane Factory Prague, Flyspot Warsaw are known for coach level and event frequency.

COSTS AND PACKAGES

Cost is measured in flight minutes (not hours). Indicative 2026 European range:

• First-time (2-4 min + instructor package): €60–120.
• Licensed block time (30 min split): €150–280.
• 1-to-1 coach rate: €60–100/h on top of flight time.
• Trophy-scale (5m+, 300+ km/h): +20–30% over 4.3m.

Tunnels always offer multi-session bundles at a discount. If you fly once a month, an annual pass or 5-hour bundle amortizes significantly.