We had a chance to try out iFly Singapore, which is at Beach Station, just two stops away from the Rasa Sentosa. It was much more fun than I expected! Initially I was a tad apprehensive, not sure if my severe lack of psycho-motor skills would make me flounder like an awkward pelican, or if I’d sprain my creaking back.
But I actually managed to fly so decently on my own that my ‘team’ (other strangers on the same ‘flight time’) actually applauded when I exited after my first try! Almost moved to tears, haha.
Thanks to my relative’s generosity, the hubs, K and myself got to experience three flights – the last of which was with our very able and patient flight trainer, who brought us spectacularly up and down, round and round! I would never have imagined that I could fly like that!
Here’s how our experience went – after “checking in”, we watch a video that explains the basics and shows us the wonders of jumping off a plane and ‘flying’.
Then we proceed to a training studio where we watch another video on postures and take turns to practice the right posture, and learn the basic hand-signal commands (since we have ear plugs and helmets on inside the wind tunnel).
What happens in the wind tunnel is akin to a real skydive, where we get to experience true free-fall conditions. The time it takes for each skydive is like falling through the air from 12,000 to 3,000 feet, buoyed by extremely high wind speeds. Although it seems pricey at $119 for two skydives, it is actually one-fifth the cost of a tandem jump from an airplane, with much less risk involved.
6 year old B couldn’t join us since the age limit is 7 years, but she was quite content to watch us, since the videos left her a bit apprehensive. After we were done, she did say she definitely wanted to try once she turns 7!
Here’s K looking absolutely adorable in her pink flight suit. And B, who has the funniest spontaneous poses.
K was a little worried at the start, so I went first. After she saw how I survived, she gamely plunged in, and she managed to soar! I think her training in ballet helped her to be quite flexible and relaxed, so she had no issues both the first time and second, and like all of us, managed to do the highest flights and the most interesting rotations at the last instructor accompanied flight.
He obviously easily gained her trust, for she put her arm around his neck, and there they went, going up the wind tunnel, WHOOSH.
K was so pleased with the experience that she said she wanted to go again next time. Maybe next year when B is old enough to fly too. They were also very inspired by Kyra Poh, who won the gold medal in the junior freestyle category of the 2016 Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Cup of Indoor Skydiving last year in Warsaw, Poland.
Before going to iFly, we had watched her video as a family a number of times, and the stunts she executed with such elegant ease and panache were mesmerising! Highly recommended viewing, if you are considering bringing your kids to iFly Singapore, the world’s largest themed vertical wind tunnel.
Tip: If you have long hair, do bun it up or try to fit it into the helmet. The extreme wind speeds meant that even though my hair was tied up in a pony tail, many strands were still whipped into knots! Spent a good half hour untangling it as I went on my way after the flights…..
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