Once upon a time, flying in the wind tunnel was a self-contained, even clandestine process. Leaving Deland at 2am, driving 2 hours in the dark to climb a concrete tower, it was as lonely as a base jump. Perhaps you’d nod at another group as they passed on their way down but that was the nearest you’d get to a personal encounter.
Now we’re in the third generation of wind tunnels, it’s become a far more social pastime. Most tunnels host events that are designed to bring people together; to share flying, have fun, catch up with old friends and make new ones. One such event was the Tunnel Scrambles organised by Milko to lift our January gloom, described here by Kelly Spittle…
Sell-out
The inaugural tunnel scrambles hosted by Bodyflight Bedford and Skydive Langar was a resounding success. With the mid-winter skydiving blues setting in and at just £25 for 11 minutes of flying and a whole night out, places got snapped up fast, selling out in under 10 hours! The event consisted of 72 competitors making up eighteen 4-way teams competing over 4 rounds. This followed by the same jumpers in another 12 teams flying a further 2 rounds of 6-way.
Totally Scrambled!
Whether you were 16 or 58, everyone was welcome to get involved, the only requirement was to have flown 4-way in the tunnel before. Jump numbers started at as little as 30, ranging all the way up to 9,500 with competitors having anything from 1-1,000 hours of tunnel. Teams were strategically put together to have a variety of experience and wow, was there a variety! Big way world record holders, multiple-time 4 way champions and medallists, renowned load organisers, world class swoopers, CCIs, pilots, camera-flyers, freeflyers to tunnel rats… you name it, they were there.
I haven’t worn this suit for twenty years
Rules
Working time for each round was 35 seconds out of a flight time of 1 minute 30 seconds. Each round started with a star, which the teams formed first, working time beginning when they broke this to to to the next point. Some teams continued to turn points ruthlessly until the end of 90 seconds, while others took advantage of the extra time to try out some more, er, dynamic moves.
Brilliant
All in all, it was an absolutely brilliant night, full of laughs with everyone getting to make new friends, fly with different people and push their limits. Very special thanks go to Swoop and Jen for catching every moment of the action on camera, Tristan from Bodyflight for stepping in (flying in?) at the last minute to help out and of course, the ever-incredible Sian and Milko for judging and organising such a great event.
It was a night full of randomness… the most random of all being Brian Vacher
Next Time
Keep an eye on Facebook for details of the next Bodyflight Bedford Langar Scrambles event. See you there!
Kelly Spittle
“It felt like going to a well-run boogie on a school night. Nothing dispels the winter blues better than a room full of smiling skydivers laughing and teasing each other about the night’s events – even if they do try and sabotage your score!”
Laura McLelland
Tunnel Rendez-vous
Paraclete XP runs a weekly Youth League, Skyventure Arizona hosts a Huck Jam for free flyers, Liz Boniface run the Vertical FunShop monthly at Airkix Manchester, Pete Allum runs a monthly scrambles event at Windoor… what’s happening at your local tunnel?…
