How does it work?

A FreeFly Tunnel Camp takes place over 4 or 5 days for a duration of 2H30 or 3H flight.

At the end of this article, we will explain how to better understand this hierarchy of flyers, instructors and coaches.

  • With an experienced Coach (+100H of flight and +150H of coaching), a 3H pack allows 80% of the flyers to finish their Camp by mastering back flying + a head up flight initiation.
  • With an International level Coach (+250H of flight and +500H of coaching), a 3H pack allows 80% of the flyers to finish their Camp flying upside down + an initiation upside down.

For the less sporty: a pack of 2H30 over 5 days with 30′ of flight per day.

For the more sporty: the pack of 3H00 over 5 days with 40′ of flight per day with the exception of the 3rd day (day of fatigue) where you will only fly 20′ in the afternoon.
For the very sporty: the pack of 3H30 over 5 days with 45′ of flight per day with the exception of the 3rd day (day of fatigue) where you will only fly 30′ in the afternoon.

These packs of 2H30 to 3H30 are the most economical formulas. Flying per session of 1H or 1H30 makes you progress and assimilate more slowly and in the end, costs more.
Ideally, you will be 3 flyers on sessions of 30′ to fly only 10′ in 5 sessions of 2′. This is ideal on your first 9 hours. This allows you to see your session right after you've done it and in addition to resting for 2 minutes and mentalizing the next session. The assimilation is much better.

Our progress:
the flight stages proposed by Airwax Freefly

1st CAMP - Approximately 3H experience

(Average cost 690€/H, because "1 to 1" at 95%)

  • Belly flight - 1/Neutral stance - 2/Advance, Back and turn -3/Walk to net
  • Back flight - 1/Neutral position - 2/Advance, Reverse and turn
  • Seated flight - 1/Neutral position - 2/take-off
  • Transitions - In no particular order: Back to Seat "intermediate wind", 2 Half-Loops "flat to back or back to flat", 2 Half-Loops "flat to back or back to flat".
  • Sitting flight - 1/Neutral stance - 2/Advance, Reverse and Turn - 3/Reverse to Sit - 4/Front Loop 5/Rear Loop
  • Initiation to beginner's dynamic flight (legs bent): the 2 belly carves "Head Up and Head Down", the 2 back carves "Head Up and Head Down".
  • Head Down Flight", Initiation on one or two transitions. Then set up at the net and fast take-off, single or double spotting depending on the flyers. Objective Feel in the airflow the sensations of the Neutral position.

2nd CAMP - About 7H experience

(Average cost 650€/H, because "1 to 1" at 85%)

  • 1- Revalidation of prior learning... 10′ to 20′ are necessary.
  • 2- Alternating between
  • * HIGH SPEED : Head up flight in High Level 2 ("advanced": Eagle, Carve, Grips, etc...) and head down flight - take off by yourself - Forward, Backward and turn.
  • * LOW SPEED : The 4 Carves + Half loop transitions

3rd CAMP - Experience of about 10H

(Average cost 620€/H, because "1 to 1" at 80%)

  • 1- Revalidation of prior learning... 10′ to 20′ are necessary.
  • 2- Alternating between
  • * HIGH SPEED : Head Up Flight Level 3 (Eagle + tricks, Carve on one leg and Carve OutFace introduction, etc...) and Head Down Flight Level 2 - Flying on your own with ease -
    HIGH SPEED :the Head Up to Head Down Transition from the back
    When the Head Down Flight is mastered as well as the Head Up to Head Down Transition,
    integration of the "Back Lay Out" in the LOW SPEED
    HIGH SPEED :the Head Up to Head Down transition from the front
    When the Head Up to Head Down transition from the front is mastered,
    integration of the "Back Lay Out" in the LOW SPEED

4th CAMP - Experience of about 14H

(Average cost 590€/H, because "1 to 1" at 70%)

  • 1- Revalidation of prior learning... 10′ to 20′ are necessary.
  • 2- Alternating between
  • * HIGH SPEED: Going HU to HD front Way to HD to HU back Way
    VRV beginner 
  • FreeFly Medium Speed Flight with all Half Eagles and all Carves except the Head Down Outface 
  • 3/ Carve HD Outface specifically from Low Speed to Medium Speed
  • * LOW SPEED: The 4 Carves + Transitions

This progression over 5 CAMPS is the Optimal configuration.
Only 1 person out of 5 will be able to reach this progression in only 14H.
The average cost of these 14H in Western Europe is about 8 500€. 14H of flight time would be equivalent to the fall time of 1000 airplane jumps at 4000 meters.

5th and 6th CAMP - Approximately 20H experience

(Average cost 560€/H, because "1 to 1" at 60%)

  • In alternation or in a specific camp, but of course we advise you to alternate :
  • * HIGH SPEED : High Speed Dynamics: Full flight with alternating Carves and Eagles.
  • * LOW SPEED: The 4 Carves with stretched legs or with more wind - Introduction of Fronts lay Out and Back lay Out in dynamic flight.
    This progression over 5 CAMPS is the Optimal configuration.

7th and 8th CAMP - Approximately 30H experience

(Average cost 525€/H, because "1 to 1" at 50%)

  • In alternation or in a specific camp, but of course we advise you to alternate :
  • * HIGH SPEED: Full flight with alternating Carves and Eagles. Slowly fly the Carves and transitions, but not tense!
  • * MEDIUM SPEED: Full flight with alternating Carves and Eagles. Flying normally the Carves and the transitions, almost tense position.
  • * LOW SPEED: All 4 Carves with legs outstretched + Introduction of Fronts lay Out and Back lay Out stretched. Flying fast Carves and transitions, almost stretched position.

Mastering the skills in Low Speed (Horizontal Flight) and High Speed (Vertical Flight) is only the beginning. It takes a lot of hours afterwards to make the two worlds meet.

9th and 12th CAMP - Experience between 40H and 50H

(Average cost 525€/H, because "1 to 1" at 50%)

  • * HIGH SPEED: Full flight with alternating Carves and Eagles. Slowly fly the Carves and the transitions, "tight position". 
  • * MEDIUM SPEED: Full flight with alternating Carves and Eagles. Flying normally the Carves and the transitions, "stretched position". 
  • * LOW SPEED: All 4 Carves with legs outstretched + Introduction of Fronts lay Out and Back lay Out stretched. Flying fast Carves and transitions, "stretched position". 



This progression out of 12 CAMPS is the Optimal configuration.
Only 1 person out of 5 will be able to reach this progression in only 50H. This is the minimum flying time to become a "Pro Flyer".

The average cost of these 50 hours in Western Europe is about 29 000€. 50H of flight time would be equivalent to the time it takes to fall from 3500 airplane jumps at 4000 meters.

The full High Speed level is reached by 80% of the flyers in 25H.
(This is the I.B.A STATIC LEVEL 4 or T.I.O CLASS B FLYER - STATIC)

The full Low Speed level is reached by 80% of the flyers in 40H.
The full Low Speed level often requires 100H of flying time, especially the Carve OutFace Head Down and OutFace Head up positions
(This is the I.B.A DYNAMIC LEVEL 3 and 4 or T.I.O CLASS A FLYER - DYNAMIC)

The complete PRO FLYER level, reached by 20% of the flyers in 50H, is the level :

" I.B.A DYNAMIC & STATIC PRO " 

or 

" T.I.O CLASS B FLYER - STATIC & DYNAMIC "

The Pro Flyer is able to demo a movement or a sequence on all wind speeds.

"The progression that is proposed to you today is the result of hundreds of hours of observations and numerous updates made thanks to the 110 Tunnel camps organized in the 54 wind tunnels around the world and the 530 flyers that participated, and the 4 Coaches and 6 instructors trained since 2010".

Greg Crozier 1900H - Tunnel Trainer and IBA I4

Bonus tips: Would you like to get a good foundation and a solid flying level quickly?

Make sure you are in good physical condition:

  • Be able to run for at least 15 minutes
  • Be able to do at least 10 push-ups
  • Be able to perform at least 3 pull-ups.
  • Be able to perform at least 10 knee-bends.

Follow at least 4 Camps (10H minimum):

  • Before you start flying two or three people without a coach.
  • Before going from 40′ flying to 50′ per day!

Pay attention to the order of the learning modules. Some transitions built in at the beginning of the learning process may delay your progress.

  • Make sure you understand the Head Up posture before attacking the half loops: Flat to Back and Back to Flat. This is an easier transition for a Sit Flyer!
  • Reach the Head Down flight level and the HU to HD transition before working on the Back Lay Out. This is an easier transition for a Head Down Flyer!
  • Have a solid FreeFly flight in High Speed (the 4 transitions: Head Up to Head Down from back and front and Head Down to Head Up from back and front + Head Up Carve and Head Down Carve) before following specific Dynamic Flight CAMPS.

Information on qualifications and coaching awards

By agreement, the services of the Wind Tunnel Coaches until 2015 followed this rather logical evolution:

  • 100€/H when he has between 0H and 150H of Coaching
  • 150€/H when he has between 150H and 500H of Coaching
  • 200€/H from 500H of Coaching, or if he is also Instructor 4 or Class B or High Level Wind Tunnel competitor.

Today, all coaches are 200€/H, so don't choose your coach based on price, as everyone is the same price.
200€/H is expensive?! Not really...
Be aware that the best coaches can only organize 10 CAMPS per year compared to the "indoor" practice seasons, that is to say about 200H max per year. You should also know that on a 3H flight pack for example, there are between 4H and 6H additional hours that include the organization and booking of flights, briefings, debriefings. Therefore, the coach does not earn 200€/H (including tax) but rather 70€/H over 2 to 3 months of work per year. Moreover, as you may have seen, they don't drive a Porsche.
Finally, you should know that their level is really expensive.
The Instructor training is 15.000€, and 100 hours of flight at least 50.000€!
If your Coach has passed all the Coach and Instructor trainings, is also a competitor and has several hundred hours of Flight, have quickly reached flight and skill levels equivalent to several hundred thousand Euros.

In summary

What is a coach?

It is a Pro Flyer Expert who has at least 50H of flight time, who is IBA Flyer 4 or STATIC and DYNAMIC B and who has shown a Trainer that he masters all static and dynamic flight postures. Thus, he can brief, unbridle and make demos of all types of flight to his students so that they can also pass their flight levels at IBA or Tunnel Instructor. He is conscious of his placement so as not to interfere with the instructor's interventions.

What is an instructor?

It is a person who has learned and mastered all the safety and rescue conditions of wind tunnel flight rescue. He is competent to provide a flight or coaching session but depending on his level, he may not know how to fly and therefore not know how to coach. He is obliged to follow a progression designed for his progression as an Instructor and which takes into account the limits of these skills.

Ask about the Coaches to find the one that suits you best.
Being all at the same price, choose according to your affinity with them, their experience, skills and professional qualifications and especially with their students. This is often the most important thing.
So how do you go about it and what do you need to know and check?

  • The Flyers. You need 50 hours to become a "Pro Flyer". That's when you can start coaching. What's that for? Because a Pro Flyer knows how to fly the 4 Static postures, the 4 Dynamic postures in all wind forces. So he can do a demo and accompany almost any flyer less experienced than him.
  • The Wind Tunnel Coaches. The "beginner" Coach has a minimum of 50 hours of flight and maybe only a few hours of coaching, the "intermediate" Coach has 100 hours of flight and at least 50 hours of coaching, and the "advanced" Coach has 100 hours of flight and at least 150 hours of coaching.
  • Instructors. You need between 2 and 3 weeks to be an instructor1st level to frame and spot the Belly and Back flyers and between 6 months and 2 years to be an instructor last level to frame and spot the flyers in Head Down. Having a coach who is also an instructor saves a considerable amount of time since he will take you through each step very quickly.
  • Skydiving Coaches. The Skydiving Coach is a beginner if he has only a few years of practice and considered as confirmed if he has more than 3 or 4 years of experience, but the big difference in level will be seen if he practices competition and if coaching is his job. Simply because in both cases, he practices at least 400 jumps per year specific to the discipline he teaches.