Indoor skydiving wind tunnels create a controlled vertical airflow that simulates the free-fall experience of skydiving. These tunnels use powerful fans and aerodynamic engineering to generate a consistent, upward-moving airstream, allowing participants to “float” in midair.
- Fundamental Physics of Flight in a Wind Tunnel
Wind tunnels operate on Bernoulli’s principle and Newton’s Third Law:
- Bernoulli’s principle states that faster-moving air exerts lower pressure, helping create a stable air column.
- Newton’s Third Law (“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”) means that when high-speed air is pushed upward, a flyer experiences an equal force in the opposite direction, counteracting gravity.
The goal is to maintain a laminar (smooth) airflow that can lift and sustain a person in the air.
- Components of a Vertical Wind Tunnel
A. Airflow Generation: High-Powered Fans
- Wind tunnels use large axial fans, typically located at the top or bottom of the structure.
- These fans can be electrically or hydraulically driven and range from 200 to 3,000 horsepower, depending on the tunnel size.
- The airflow speeds typically range from 80 mph (129 km/h) to 180 mph (290 km/h) to accommodate different body positions and skydiving disciplines.
B. Recirculating vs. Non-Recirculating Tunnels
There are two main types of indoor skydiving wind tunnels:
- Recirculating Wind Tunnels (Most Common)
- Air is continuously cycled through the system, improving efficiency.
- Large, curved ducts guide the airflow in a closed-loop system.
- More energy-efficient and quieter.
- Non-Recirculating (Open-Flow) Tunnels