iFLY Brisbane, the newest and most thrilling attraction to come to Chermside and Brisbane’s first indoor skydiving centre is now open!
Nir Davidson, iFLY Australia – General Manager, is no stranger to taking risks. The former freestyle skydiving champion dropped out of medical school in his 20’s to open his own skydiving centre, using two credit cards and a whole lot of faith and determination.
From there, he went on to invest in US-based iFly and pitched to open its Australian arm. After franchises in the Gold Coast, Perth and Penrith, iFly has now landed in the Brisbane area, with its Westfield Chermside location being iFly Australia’s first company-managed facility.
The Chermside location is the result of a six-year search for a suitable location. Happily, it is also quite near Wavell State High School, a place Mr Davidson holds in fond regard.
At Westfield Chermside, iFLY’s $15-million Indoor Skydiving facility simulates the skydiving experience inside a state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnel (VWT) that generates wind from the top, then channels it down the sides and pushes it back up through the floor. This recirculating action creates a steady cushion of air on which the participants float.
It offers a safe way to experience the thrill of bodyflight to participants aged three years and older, and all physical ability; no parachute needed and no need to jump out of a plane.
“This is a completely new experience for the Brisbane market,” Davidson said. “The ability to deliver that dream of flight to everyone – regardless of their age or physical dexterity – is a key vision for us as an organisation. Additionally, the advanced technology used by iFly enables us to operate to the highest safety standards and maintain an immaculate safety record.”
Two iFLY-certified instructors supervise the first-time participants during the experience: one will assist the participant inside the tunnel whilst the other controls the air speed.
Each flight is equivalent to an outdoor freefall skydiving from 14,000 feet and is about one minute long but not shorter than 50 seconds. The minimum package for first-time flyers offers 2 flights equivalent to 3 tandem skydiving freefalls from 12,000 feet.
Do you want to be an indoor skydiving pro? iFly instructors can also design a suitable training program for you, so you can advance your flying skills and maybe someday participate in indoor skydiving competitions.
Flying High
Barely a month after opening, iFLY has started looking into a second Brisbane site. Demand has been very high at Westfield Chermside and the company has had to extend trading hours to accommodate bookings, which now need to be made several days in advance. Plans are also being made to open company-managed centres in Sydney and Melbourne.
iFLy Brisbane is open Monday to Sunday from 9am to 10pm. Participants are advised to arrive an hour before the flight to check in and go through a comprehensive pre-flight briefing.
For available packages and prices, you may check here.