Travel
At SkyVenture, You Can Fly Airplane-Free
A new flying facility in Tukwila lets beginners feel the thrill of free-fall, just a few feet off th
By Seattle Mag August 9, 2011
This article originally appeared in the September 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
If you’ve always contended that you’d love skydiving were it not for that part about leaping out of a plane midflight, the time has come to put your money where your mouth is. Austin–based SkyVenture has constructed an iFLY vertical wind tunnel in Tukwila for anyone (ages 3 and older) who wants to experience the thrill of free-fall without the fear of going splat.
World-champion skydiving teams use exactly such wind tunnels to hone their airborne feats, as do amateur wind wonks at iFly facilities in cities from Hollywood to Dubai. Participants hover on a column of safe, smooth air (while a bunch of people watch, awaiting their turn). Flights are fleeting—lasting just one minute—though you can increase that for a fee.
Prices vary for first-timers from $59.95 (individual; two flights) to $249.95 (group of five; 10 flights); weekdays before 4 p.m. are cheaper, and frequent flyers also get discounted rates. No experience is necessary, and training and flight gear are provided on site, so all you need to bring is moolah and chutzpah.
iFly Seattle, 349 Tukwila Pkwy.; 206.244.iFly; iflyseattle.com.