Skydiving has always attracted my attention because of how daring and exciting it appears. Jumping out of planes with parachutes on my back, however, made it much less appealing and not worth the risk. Now, through IFLY, skydiving is attainable for the not so brave people. New to Kansas City, IFLY provides a place for people to skydive without any of the risks, all indoors. Although jumping into a wind tunnel doesn’t totally compare to diving out of a plane, IFLY comes awfully close to what I imagine flying feels like. If you are looking for something unique to do in the city, I highly recommend it.
I walked into the building and saw the massive wind tunnel for myself. Looking up at the 50 foot tall glass tunnel in awe, I started waving to the flyers inside. While I was waving to the lady flying around, I was introduced to my instructor, Jonathan.
He escorted our party into the “Flight School,” where we were essentially taught to fly. Jonathan introduced himself, told a little backstory of his life and then started the tutorial video. The video was very detailed, and calmed my nerves by showing little kids and elderly people flying with ease.
He took us back to the main room where we got our flight suits and helmets. The suit was like putting on a onesie made of heavy fabric. I slid in, zipped up the front of it and waited until we were escorted into the staging zone, which led to the wind tunnel. I could barely hear myself think in there, let alone talk to the people right next to me, because of the wind and music.
As soon as Jonathan told me to stand up, my stomach tightened and I got a little worried about falling on my face. He assured me the wind would catch me, and told me to just “relax.” I spread my arms and legs out, and before I knew it, I was airborne. It felt exactly as I’d envisioned flying would feel, like a bunch of powerful fans blowing on me. It made me feel like I was freefalling, without being in danger.
Each flight lasts only a minute, which seems like not nearly enough time, but it is more than you think while flying. After your minute is up, you are guided out of the tunnel and get back in line to do it one more time.
The only real negative aspects of IFLY lies in its prices and availability. Ranging from $69.95 for one person to fly twice, to $302.58 where a party of 5 can all fly twice, the high prices are bound to keep some potential flyers away.
Availability is the other component that will force customers to go elsewhere for a fun adventure. I started looking for a time slot nearly a week before my reservation, and barely snuck in on a Sunday night. The only times available were very inconvenient, even though IFLY is open everyday. Any hope of going on a weeknight or weekend is all but lost.
IFLY, aside from its few faults, is an amazing experience. Skydiving is something most people won’t do in their life because of the risk that comes along with it, but now they are given the chance to experience it. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something new to do in the city.