Day 3 Part 2
At the SkyVenture in Orlando, I met up with Steve Blincoe , for my wind tunnel training session. I went up there with Rob (25 jumps), Steve (my roommate and AFF buddy), Rod (JM/I) and Fudge (A rig packer with 58 jumps) Steve (Blincoe) had come up to me a couple of days before in the hanger and asked if I wanted to do any tunnel time, it'd work out to $185 for 15mins in the tunnel and $75 for his coaching. It seemed expensive, but as he's ranked 3rd in the World Freefly Championships I figured it'd be a worthy investment. Especially after my little tumble in the sky the day before.
He took me through what Zak had told him I needed (ie. Arch, Forward and Backwards movement and turning) to become more confident in the skies and to pass my AFF without having to redo any levels. After that, we went up three stories into the mid-section of the SkyVenture.
It was split off between the wind tunnel and waiting chamber, a public viewing gallery and a prep area for people about to go in. In the prep area, Steve took me through a series of moves on creepers (like a tray with wheels on the floor) and ran through what we'd do in the tunnel. As he spoke to me about 'the perfect position' and at which times I needed to extend my arms and legs a little, I felt a bit like I was asking Damon Hill how to reverse park.
A claxon went off and the great wind machine went quiet as the pressure sealed doors opened and we entered the waiting chamber. It was glass all around and looked like it'd been lifted from the set of a big-budget sci-fi movie. Steve was the first in as the giant turbines above and below roared into life sending wind rushing through the tunnel behind the glass in front of us at 120mph.
He was amazing to watch, he only did thirty seconds or so of moves but it whipped anything I've ever seen Neo or Trinity or any film character do! He spun in the air switching from head up to inverted via all manner of crazy spins and flips.
And I was about to get him to teach me how to be still. That isn't really the proper job for a man on the cover of the 'Skydiver's Instruction Manual!'
To his credit, he's such a nice down to earth bloke, every time I'd do something well, he was honestly glad and full of encouragement. After three or four of the 3 minute sessions I was getting on really well. I could hover, dock, spin 360deg, spin 90deg (which is actually harder?!?) and was thoroughly enjoying myself!
The only slight downside to the wind tunnel is the dribbling is a bit embarrasing. When you spend a while being blasted by 120mph winds and can't stop smiling, theres generally quite a lot of dribble all around your mouth and cheeks which you can't wipe off or you lose your stability! It'd be fine if it wasn't for the public viewing gallery situated on the other side of the tunnel!
Anyway, I left feeling confident and ready to dive again the next day!
(Unfortunately my poor old Sony Mavica is getting a bit tired of taking pictures everyday in different climates, different countries and combined with me using old floppy disks, its starting to play up. Its started allowing me to take a whole bunch of pictures then not let me see them. So I took these today of the Video I got with it. The others are of Fudge.)
