This time we bring you something you may never have heard of. Flying in a wind tunnel is an alternative for anyone tired of doing the same things with their free time.
What is a wind tunnel?
It feels the same as falling — as close as you get to free fall without a parachute jump.
You might assume there is some risk in it. There is not: it is entirely safe.
It is catching on around the world. Wind tunnels started with trainee parachutists, who needed experience before their first jumps and, in order to simulate free fall , built these tubes where they could practise safely on the ground, flying in an enclosed space known as a “wind tunnel”.
They are expensive to build, so the owners opened them up to the public to help pay for them — and that is where the activity comes from.
What age can you fly in a wind tunnel?
There is barely any age limit; it works for the whole family. The minimum age is 4, so even the youngest can try it. The only thing that stops you is a physical injury.
The body is under tension throughout, so it is not for anyone with back, neck, shoulder or heart problems, or for anyone pregnant
How the simulator works
The activity itself is simple. You are prepared, the tunnel is started, and then you step in.
Beforehand the instructor gives you a set of instructions on the positions to hold inside the tunnel, how to behave and the hand signals for communicating in either direction.
You are supervised throughout. The flight usually lasts 1 to 2 minutes , during which it feels exactly like free fall.
When it is over, we are fairly sure it will rank very high on your list of the most intense things you have done.
Although it counts as an adventure sport, adults and children can both do it, under supervision throughout.
It works well for hen dos and for birthdays.
Where to fly in a wind tunnel in Spain
The two cities with the best-known wind tunnels in Spain are Barcelona and Madrid. Both have the best offers for young people and adults. There are plans to open a wind tunnel in Bilbao.
