The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss
February 8, 2017 5:40 AM Subscribe
While regular dancing has jumps, twirls and spins, indoor skydiving allows flyers to make astonishing movements in the air.
The winning performance (FB video) (YT video) in the freestyle category of the 2017 Wind Games was by Kyra Poh who is fourteen years old. She also won gold in the solo speed category (completing a set of moves in the fastest time), despite this being her first time competing against adults.
Not to derail but this gives a sense of what an athlete like this could do in an large enclosure in orbit in a large Bigelow BEAM.
Actually, probably not much. In indoor skydiving, the athletes used the force of the upward wind to make them turn and spin. In other words, points of support againts which to work. In microgravity, the moment you let go of any fixed point, there's none. Totally different ballgame.
posted by bluefrog at 6:38 AM on February 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
Actually, probably not much. In indoor skydiving, the athletes used the force of the upward wind to make them turn and spin. In other words, points of support againts which to work. In microgravity, the moment you let go of any fixed point, there's none. Totally different ballgame.
posted by bluefrog at 6:38 AM on February 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
Kudos for the Douglas Adams reference.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 6:49 AM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by DrAstroZoom at 6:49 AM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
Her performance is truly outstanding! I also liked this one which looks more like a ballet than an acrobatic routine (via). (and which is a first link it the OT, sorry).
posted by hat_eater at 6:52 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hat_eater at 6:52 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Above all else, impressed by the exit.
posted by Kabanos at 7:01 AM on February 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Kabanos at 7:01 AM on February 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
"I am a leaf, on the wind..."
posted by Mogur at 7:07 AM on February 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Mogur at 7:07 AM on February 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
This is a hell of a sport and I continue to stand in awe of the wonderful ingenuity of these athletes. Poh's performance was masterful and showed unbelievable control, and Kuczyńska's performance was a bit wobbly in parts but had a mesmerizing grace through the rest.
posted by tclark at 7:20 AM on February 8, 2017
posted by tclark at 7:20 AM on February 8, 2017
Sadly, indoor skydiving is stupid expensive, couple hundred of dollars for 3 minutes of air time; or at least that's the going rate I've found online.
posted by fragmede at 7:24 AM on February 8, 2017
posted by fragmede at 7:24 AM on February 8, 2017
My jaw dropped watching these videos. Humans can't move like this! I think part of what makes the effect so powerful is the lack of any visible wind. There's no hair blowing or clothes pulling, just slick motion in a slipstream. Expect to see this technique show up in an arty music video in, oh, six months.
It's also exciting seeing a new sport be defined. Gymnastics and ice skating always seemed a bit goofy to me because there's this established list of moves everyone makes and they just cycle between them. (With great athleticism and grace, mind you.) I imagine no one quite knows what's possible with indoor skydiving, or at least I sure don't, and that makes it exciting.
posted by Nelson at 7:26 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's also exciting seeing a new sport be defined. Gymnastics and ice skating always seemed a bit goofy to me because there's this established list of moves everyone makes and they just cycle between them. (With great athleticism and grace, mind you.) I imagine no one quite knows what's possible with indoor skydiving, or at least I sure don't, and that makes it exciting.
posted by Nelson at 7:26 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
We just took the kids to one of these iFly places in Portland a few weeks ago (Christmas present). It's fun, more like $50 for two 1-minute flights. The instructor did a short routine when everyone was done, nothing like this though.
As a beginner it's incredibly hard just to stay steady in the air, let alone flip around.
I wonder if this girl ever wants to skydive for real. What's the age limit? (For iFly it's 3 years old.)
posted by gottabefunky at 7:41 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
As a beginner it's incredibly hard just to stay steady in the air, let alone flip around.
I wonder if this girl ever wants to skydive for real. What's the age limit? (For iFly it's 3 years old.)
posted by gottabefunky at 7:41 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
(And for an idea of how challenging it is, if you're lying flat and steady, tilting one hand just slightly to either side will make you turn.)
posted by gottabefunky at 7:45 AM on February 8, 2017
posted by gottabefunky at 7:45 AM on February 8, 2017
It isn't every day that a truly new sport emerges. That is breathtaking.
posted by umbú at 8:29 AM on February 8, 2017
posted by umbú at 8:29 AM on February 8, 2017
If I were rich I would have one of these vertical wind tunnels in my mansion and hire a personal trainer to teach me how to do this stuff.
All of my MetaFilter peeps would be invited to come play, but only after I had ben practicing long enough to show off my moves.
posted by tdismukes at 8:42 AM on February 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
All of my MetaFilter peeps would be invited to come play, but only after I had ben practicing long enough to show off my moves.
posted by tdismukes at 8:42 AM on February 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
I am the 120 mph, 1,800 hp wind beneath your wings.
posted by not_the_water at 9:47 AM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by not_the_water at 9:47 AM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
I tried the DA flying method from the top of the stairs.
It doesn't work!!
I was probably distracted.
(my cat tried to use the stairs at the same time as me, and I took a dive)
posted by Burn_IT at 11:22 AM on February 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
It doesn't work!!
I was probably distracted.
(my cat tried to use the stairs at the same time as me, and I took a dive)
posted by Burn_IT at 11:22 AM on February 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sadly, indoor skydiving is stupid expensive, couple hundred of dollars for 3 minutes of air time; or at least that's the going rate I've found online.
There are less expensive ways to book tunnel time, fragmede. The Skydiver rate is generally around $900 per hour -- less if you purchase multiple hours up front. No one is physically capable of doing an hour at time so we generally split it with four groups. Each group flies for 1 1/2 minutes at a time, then the the next group flies for 1 1/2 minutes, etc., until we've each done this 10 times and used up the hour.
The last time I was in the tunnel I was doing three-way formations in my group, so there were three of us in there at once. $900 / 4 = $225 / 3 = $75 for each of us for 15 minutes of flight time and 60 minutes hanging out in the tunnel = $5 per flight minute.
If you're new to tunnel flying you'll have to go in with a coach, not sure what that costs but I think it's between $50 - $100 for 15 minutes. So even if you go solo and have a coach 15 minutes of flight time will cost $225 + $100 = $325 which is still only $21 per minute. Best way to do his is to hook up with some local sky divers and go with them. Of course, make sure you have someone to drive you home because your first 15 minutes of tunnel flying will leave you too tired to raise your arms to the steering wheel :-)
Great videos -- tnx for posting Stark! Oh, and just for the record, the incredible stuff you see people doing in those videos? That ain't remotely what the fellah typing this does as he's old, over weight and has the flexibility of wet plywood. But tunnel flying is still fantastic fun.
posted by Dean358 at 1:31 PM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
There are less expensive ways to book tunnel time, fragmede. The Skydiver rate is generally around $900 per hour -- less if you purchase multiple hours up front. No one is physically capable of doing an hour at time so we generally split it with four groups. Each group flies for 1 1/2 minutes at a time, then the the next group flies for 1 1/2 minutes, etc., until we've each done this 10 times and used up the hour.
The last time I was in the tunnel I was doing three-way formations in my group, so there were three of us in there at once. $900 / 4 = $225 / 3 = $75 for each of us for 15 minutes of flight time and 60 minutes hanging out in the tunnel = $5 per flight minute.
If you're new to tunnel flying you'll have to go in with a coach, not sure what that costs but I think it's between $50 - $100 for 15 minutes. So even if you go solo and have a coach 15 minutes of flight time will cost $225 + $100 = $325 which is still only $21 per minute. Best way to do his is to hook up with some local sky divers and go with them. Of course, make sure you have someone to drive you home because your first 15 minutes of tunnel flying will leave you too tired to raise your arms to the steering wheel :-)
Great videos -- tnx for posting Stark! Oh, and just for the record, the incredible stuff you see people doing in those videos? That ain't remotely what the fellah typing this does as he's old, over weight and has the flexibility of wet plywood. But tunnel flying is still fantastic fun.
posted by Dean358 at 1:31 PM on February 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
It's really like some kind of supernatural beings dancing, it looks so cool. I bet Nelson's right and someone doing this will be green screened into a music video or cape movie soon.
I ended up watching a bunch of the 2017 Wind Games videos yesterday after seeing that bbc article, and it makes Kyra Poh's winning performance all the more astounding because almost everyone else is visibly steadying themselves and making corrections against the wind, whereas she looks like she's moving entirely under her own power.
posted by lucidium at 3:41 PM on February 8, 2017
I ended up watching a bunch of the 2017 Wind Games videos yesterday after seeing that bbc article, and it makes Kyra Poh's winning performance all the more astounding because almost everyone else is visibly steadying themselves and making corrections against the wind, whereas she looks like she's moving entirely under her own power.
posted by lucidium at 3:41 PM on February 8, 2017
Are those green and blue lights a visual reference to help them keep their bearings?
posted by NMcCoy at 5:16 PM on February 8, 2017
posted by NMcCoy at 5:16 PM on February 8, 2017
The little kid me who wanted nothing more in the world than to fly is *freaking out* right now. So cool. Now I just gotta win the lottery... and apparently work on my splits.
posted by vytae at 5:26 PM on February 8, 2017
posted by vytae at 5:26 PM on February 8, 2017
It's really like some kind of supernatural beings dancing, it looks so cool.
Yes, the word I keep coming back to is "otherworldly." It's almost hypnotic. I'm pretty sure nothing could ever make me jump out of plane but I would love to try this.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:27 PM on February 8, 2017
Yes, the word I keep coming back to is "otherworldly." It's almost hypnotic. I'm pretty sure nothing could ever make me jump out of plane but I would love to try this.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:27 PM on February 8, 2017
On our flight, the lights indicated you were almost done.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:28 PM on February 8, 2017
posted by gottabefunky at 10:28 PM on February 8, 2017
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