If you’re looking for something different to do to surprise your Stag (Bachelor), Hen (Bachelorette), friend or family member then indoor skydiving is a great option. It would be a perfect activity to kick off a celebration weekend, helping to build a relationship across multiple different groups of friends. By putting everyone out of their comfort zone there is no social hierarchy or ego, everyone becomes truly equal and it allows new relationships to be built. It’s also an inclusive activity for anyone in the party who doesn’t want to or who are unable to take part, as viewing areas are available for non-flyers.
At iFly* indoor skydiving you can book an exclusive visit for your party, with a variety of packages that suit your needs. This provides your group with a dedicated coach and a minimum of 2 flights per person. For any stag or hen do, it’s normally a mix of friendship groups and indoor skydiving will push you outside your comfort zone and help build the relationship.
*iFly is used as an example because it is the exclusive supplier in the UK and one of the largest suppliers in the US.
Organisation
Organising a stag/hen do is never a simple task and so here are some things to help out if you choose indoor skydiving. iFly provides multiple different packages and is able to accommodate groups of various sizes. The packages below allow up to 13 people and any more than that would be covered by 2 separate flight groups. For 1 flight group (up to 13 people), it’s a half-day activity c. 2.5 – 3 hrs, which means it’s an activity that can be incorporated into a single day event or a longer weekend set of activities. For anyone attending that isn’t able to or doesn’t want to fly, they can still get involved with viewing areas for non-flyers too.
| Package | UK Price | US Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive Session | £429.99 | $864.99 | Up to 13 people, 26 flights to share (US 12 people & 24 flights) |
| VIP Exclusive | £629.99 | N/A | As above plus; high flight for each flyer, digital media (photos & video) for each flyer (only available in the UK) |
| Ultimate VIP Exclusive | £799.99 | $1,164.99 | As above plus; party room & food for 1.5 hrs |
What is indoor skydiving?
Indoor skydiving is the alternative to a full skydive, providing the opportunity to experience the feeling of freefall without the need to jump out of a plane. It requires very little training and no prior experience, which is part of what makes it a perfect party activity. Whilst there may still be a level of fear when completing an indoor skydive, this is significantly reduced due to there being no height involved. The relative lack of physical and psychological barriers allows anyone of any age to get involved.
The flight is completed inside a large wind tunnel and enables you to experience some of the feelings of skydiving without the need to get in a plane at all. It’s also a simpler and cheaper way to experience free fall, allowing people new to the sport to give it a try. There’s no specific items you need to take with you to be able to indoor skydive as a flight suit, goggles and a helmet are provided. However, you need to wear laced up shoes, avoid collared shirts and you’ll be asked to remove all loose items (watches, jewellery etc.).
If you want to know more about indoor skydiving head over to my article that explains this sport in greater detail.
Exclusive Session: What’s included?
The time before your session is really important, especially as a larger group as it will take time to get everyone checked in and all waivers completed, so leave plenty of time to get it all done. This time is also used to give you a safety briefing taking you through all the dos and don’ts of your experience.
This will be followed by a briefing which will describe the flight itself and also teach you some hand signals that your instructor will use in the tunnel. The hand signals are used to communicate with you when you’re in flight because when the wind tunnel is on it’s almost impossible to hear anyone else inside. The signals are used to improve your position in the air to help keep you nice and stable.
During the session, you will get 26 flights to be used across your flyers, and they can be split however you want across the group. Each flight will last around 90 seconds with each flyer taking it in turns. The tube itself is clear, with a waiting area right outside, so whilst waiting in between flights you are able to watch the rest of your party. If you were to split the flights evenly and each person in the party were to do 2 flights, that equates to the same freefall time as 3 full skydives. The cost of that would be c. £800 ($965) per person, which shows how cost-effective indoor skydiving can be.
Each flyer will also receive their own personalised certificate to keep, which confirms they have completed the flight and is a memento to remember their first flight.
VIP Exclusive
In the VIP Exclusive package you receive everything that is outlined above in the exclusive package, plus the added extras of a high flight for each flyer and media for each flyer.
A high flight is the opportunity to experience what flying inside the tunnel is like as a pro. iFly describes it as the equivalent of a hot lap on a track day. You become a passenger as your instructor takes control and flies you around the tunnel. There are different manoeuvres that they complete but involves fast spins as well as rapid increases and decreases in height up and down the tunnel, hence the name high flight. It is an exhilarating experience and once you’re experienced flying by yourself you will understand the level of skill required. It is also worth noting that it isn’t a guarantee that you can complete the high flight. Your instructor needs to be confident in your abilities to be able to hold a stable position, making it as easy as possible for them to manoeuvre you around the tunnel. If you do the high flight it will be during your second flight, with your first allowing you time to get used to flying in the tunnel and practice that stable skydiving position. For the safety conscious out there, not every instructor can complete high flights due to the level of skill required and the licenses are provided by an independent governing body, the International Bodyflight Association (IBA).
Included in this package is also official media including both photos and videos. The operator of the wind tunnel is able to take high-quality photos and videos whilst you are in flight. Be aware that these can include flash photography so if you have any health conditions that could be impacted, make sure to inform the team when you arrive. The camera is fixed within the tunnel but your instructor will help guide you so that you get some great action shots. These are accessed via the iFly website so each flyer can access from home.
Ultimate VIP Exclusive
With the Ultimate VIP Exclusive package, you’ll be able to do all of the above in the Exclusive and the VIP Exclusive packages as well as have access to an party room to host the remainder of your event. Party foos is also provided and that means it is ideal for kids parties where the activity and food can all be completed under one roof.