Indoor Skydiving Facility Gives Thrill of Free Fall to Tampa

Want to skydive, but you’re afraid of heights/flying/jumping out of a plane? iFly, an indoor skydiving facility, has you covered.

Tampa is a city for the active. Our gorgeous Riverwalk, Bayshore Boulevard and well connected downtown, Channelside and Ybor areas offer a plethora of food and fun options for visitors and locals. Coast Bike Share’s strong presence in the city helped to motivate visitors to further explore what Tampa has to offer. This entertainment renaissance shows no signs of stopping — especially considering the success of the College Football National Championship festivities this year.

Whether you want to indulge your inner-child at Game Time in Ybor or swing away at Top Golf, there’s fun for everyone in the city that never stops. Thrill seekers have long made Busch Gardens their proverbial stomping grounds: Cobra’s Curse, Falcon’s Fury and SheiKra each provide their own signature rush for riders of all ages. There’s a new attraction in town ready to grant you the gift of flight.

Indoor Skydiving Facility Now Open in Tampa

iFLY Tampa, a new indoor skydiving facility opened its doors to the public in 2016. The space provides customers with the thrill of a free fall without having to jump out of a plane. iFly began in 1998 as SkyVenture, LLC and they opened their first indoor skydiving facility in 1999. Presently, iFLY has 37 locations around the world.

In order to simulate the rush of flight iFLY constructed a 1000 hp vertical wind tunnel, which creates a wall-to-wall cushion of air. How does it work?

• A vertical wind tunnel has fans at the top to draw air through the flight chamber and then push it back down the sides through Return Air Towers (RATs).
• The air is ‘turned’ from the RATs into the bottom of the tunnel (plenum) and back up toward the flight chamber through an inlet contractor.
• The inlet contractor reduces the space the air can travel in, thus compressing and speeding up the air before it reenters the flight chamber.
• The result: a smooth column of air that enables you to fly.

First time flight packages start at $59.95. The flight time is roughly 45 seconds. If you reserve a package that contains two flights, you will enjoy two sessions with an instructor that last 60 seconds each. Visit their website for more details on pricing and available packages.

The iFLY Process Equals Nearly 2 Skydives

Customers should plan to arrive an hour before their scheduled flight time. You’ll also have to complete at waiver at check-in before heading to the viewing area. A certified flight instructor assigned to your class will guide you to the classroom for full flight instruction. Instructors will also help you gear up with goggles, helmets and pads. The entire iFLY experience lasts around 2 hours and is the equivalent of 1.5 skydives.

The venue also offers packages for corporate events and children’s parties. The facility can handle catering needs and they frequently partner with local food trucks to feed famished flyers.