As someone who regularly lives my everyday life with both feet firmly on the ground, my first experience flying with iFly Indoor Skydiving on the Gold Coast was definitely one to remember.
After arriving at the iFly building in Surfers Paradise, I was introduced to my instructor Mike who radiated an eagerness for flight that was contagious to say the least. To get prepared for what was to come, I was sent to the training room to view the safety video and then suited up, ready for flight. Admittedly, I was beginning to feel pretty confident in my blue jumpsuit and goggle combo with the training video hand signals all memorised and ready to go.
Now it was time to fly! Mike, led me over to the wind tunnel and it was time to put my skills to the test. My first freefall was dedicated to finding my horizontal equilibrium. With Mike flashing me a stream of hand signals like a game of rock, paper, scissors, I managed to find my hover after relaxing my arms, straightening my legs and arguably the most important- smiling for the camera. Once I found my balance, we made our way out of the tunnel for a quick break and debrief to prepare for the next lesson. During my break Ollie, another flying instructor, casually hopped into the tunnel to perform the most graceful solo performance with the nonchalance of a seasoned pro. Watching him flip and twirl around the glass tunnel was incredible, especially after remembering the intense concentration it took me to avoid crashing into the walls only moments ago.
Ready to get back in there, it was time to learn some new skills. With Mike’s hand-sign guidance I was able to try out some movement, turning side to side and creeping forwards and backwards. In my everyday vertical life, these simple movements would seem pretty mundane but when free falling, I felt an overwhelming burst of excitement after achieving a full spin. On the high of my achievement, Mike took my hand and we were off, zooming to the top of the tunnel in a burst of spins and turns. For a moment I thought I’d made a terrible mistake and had lost control but after opening my eyes I realised that I was being expertly guided around in my own little flight performance (although nowhere near as graceful as Ollie’s).
Again we popped out of the tunnel for another break and watched some more expert-level freestyle. On my final turn, it was time to attempt more control. The instructions were simple- hips down to move down and hips up to move up and yet my brain went into overdrive trying to implement this. It was a ridiculous and hilarious feeling to lose all sense of your body whilst up in the air but then became the most satisfying once finding control again.
I went into the experience nervous about the prospect of free falling but with the expert help of my instructor Mike and all of his supportive high-fives, I came out each time excited and buzzing to get back in there. I highly recommend iFly Indoor Skydiving to anyone with the adventure bug looking to try something unique. A flight package would make the perfect gift for adrenaline junkies and adventure seekers alike and if my experience didn’t sell you, here’s five more reasons to choose an iFly Indoor Skydiving gift voucher for your next gift purchase.
1. The chance to fly!
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No… it’s the lucky recipient of your gift! We all talk about what our ideal superpowers would be and the ability to fly comes up time and time again. A gift voucher to iFly might as well be a pass to live out all those superhero fantasies in real life. This unique experience is the chance of a lifetime to soar solo through the air in a safe and controlled environment, making it perfect for those looking to take on a new and exciting challenge.
2. Suitable for all ages and abilities
iFly was created for all flyers aged from 3 to 103 and is fully inclusive of all ability levels. The art of flight does not discriminate and is the perfect activity to prove that the sky's the limit when it comes to adventure. Whether you're looking for a gift best fit for a hyperactive 5 year old or a retiring colleague looking to take on new challenges, a iFly gift certificate will certainly bring excitement to the party.
3. A bucket list ticker
We all have a bucket list whether it's written down or floating around in our heads and it’s not difficult to guess that skydiving is somewhere nestled in most people's top five. A gift certificate to iFly would not only allow someone to cross off their skydiving dreams but would also create multiple new flight-inspired goals to add to the list after they’ve had a taste of soaring.
4. Versatile packages from first timers to pros
Whether you are looking to purchase for someone who's never even thought of skydiving or a professional who jumps from planes as a casual weekend activity, iFly has packages for all flight levels. A first-time flyer package is designed for the complete novice with comprehensive training, flying suit and one-on-one instructor assistance for the perfect introduction to indoor skydiving. For return flyers, there are packages aimed at a range of experience levels to help those looking to improve their skills with professional coaching. Regardless of skill set, the perfect package is waiting out there, sure to spark excitement.
5. A unique group activity
iFly is the ideal group activity whether it be for a birthday party, family outing or work Christmas party. Indoor skydiving is the perfect balance of challenge and thrill and sharing the experience as a group makes it even better. You’ll be surrounded by laughter, cheering and support all session, making a group session one you will definitely remember.
So what are you waiting for, check out iFly Indoor Skydiving’s range of flyer packages, I know I will be!
