SkyVenture Opens Indoor Skydiving Attractions at Sentosa Resort, Dubai Mirdif City Centre & Seattle South Center Mall

Aug 29, 2011 Judith Rubin Uncategorized 0

SkyVenture Orlando

SENTOSA, Singapore–A group of investors led by entrepreneur Lawrence Koh has opened what is said to be the world’s largest vertical wind tunnel on Sentosa Island. iFLY Singapore safely recreates true free-fall skydiving. Since opening in May, the indoor skydiving attraction is on track to generate more than $8 million USD revenue in its first year.

The indoor skydiving equipment was designed and built by SkyVenture International, LTD and is the company’s most ambitious installation to date. iFLY Singapore boasts a flight chamber 5 meters / 16.4 feet in diameter and 17.2 meters / 56.6 feet tall with four panoramic windows making up the entire circular flight chamber. At Mr. Koh’s request, SkyVenture added 3 meters / 9 feet of transparent acrylic panels above the flight chamber, allowing spectators to see flyers high in the tube and flyers to see famous Siloso beach less than 100 meters away. The attraction also employs SkyVenture’s patented air-conditioning system.

iFLY Singapore is an efficient wind tunnel requiring on average only 450 kilowatts. The flight chamber doors can be opened during flight to exchange groups without pausing. iFLY Singapore also features SkyVenture’s patented wall-to-wall airflow, completely eliminating the risk of “falling off” the air column. It is powered by four high-efficiency axial fans mounted in the upper leg of the tunnel—the optimum location for safety, efficiency and durability.

iFLY Singapore is the newest addition to the iFLY global franchise. iFLY Singapore faces the ocean with a clear view of the South China Sea. The facility houses a snack bar and three restaurants, including a McDonald’s™. iFLY Singapore is sited within the Sentosa integrated resort, near the Universal Studios™ Theme Park, a zipline adventure park, a surfing attraction, a flying trapeze park and a marine life park. It is accessible by car, train, tram and bus.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates–With the opening of iFLY Dubai, the Majid Al Futtaim Group brings indoor skydiving to the UAE’s newest mall at Mirdif City Centre. Mirdif is one of the largest malls in the MENA region, with a gross leasable area of 196,000 square meters, over 400 stores, 75 restaurants and 7,000 parking spaces. iFLY Dubai serves as the anchor of Mirdif’s entertainment offerings that also include indoor soccer fields, a bowling alley, a 10-screen multiplex, a spa, and a fitness center with swimming pool.

iFLY Dubai boasts two 3-meter/10-foot diameter wind tunnels capable of reaching speeds of 285 kmph/177 mph. The flight chambers are each monolithic, 10-meter/32.8-feet tall single pieces of acrylic with no metal or framing to block the spectators’ view. They are mounted so that they can be seen from the open atrium of the shopping mall.

All the equipment for the tunnel was designed and built by SkyVenture International, LTD. The iFLY Dubai tunnels are the third and fourth SkyVenture tunnels in the UAE and they are outfitted with the company’s patented air-conditioning system. The tunnels also feature SkyVenture’s patented wall-to-wall airflow and multiple, high-efficiency axial fans mounted in the upper leg of the tunnel.

SEATTLE, Washington USA—iFLY Seattle brings indoor skydiving to the Emerald City with the opening an indoor skydiving facility in the Pacific Northwest. This unique amusement attraction recreates free-fall. Located adjacent to Seattle’s South Center Mall, the facility features a fourth-generation SkyVenture wind tunnel capable of speeds of up to 257 kmph/160 mph.

Bill Adams, an avid skydiver and former green-beret, realized his dream of 20 years by opening the business this August. “I just knew that if you could make this safe people would love to do it. It’s skydiving without having to worry about jumping out of a plane and pulling a chute.”

The tunnel has a 4.3-meter/14-foot diameter circular glass flight chamber with SkyVenture’s patented wall-to-wall airflow completely eliminating the risk of “falling off” the air column. It is powered by four high-efficiency axial fans mounted in the upper leg of the tunnel—the optimum location for safety, efficiency, and durability. An airlock allows the operator to exchange flyers without pausing operation. The tunnel is also outfitted with an automated, state-of-the-art photo and video recording system letting customers take their flight experience home when they leave.

“There is a pent-up demand for indoor adventure in this area,” Adams concludes. “We have a young demographic of energetic people looking for fun and exciting things to do with their families. Combined with our notoriously bad weather, it’s like a perfect storm for a vertical wind tunnel.”

About SkyVenture
SkyVenture is a leading manufacturer of vertical wind tunnels. Twenty-three SkyVenture tunnels currently operate in nine countries around the world, under the brand names SkyVenture, iFLY, Airkix and Freezone. SkyVenture’s unique designs, innovative technologies and well-known brands are patented and trademarked in over 138 countries.

Over the last decade, SkyVenture has flown over 5 million people. The company has built or is building tunnels in the US, Canada, UK, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Italy, France and Brazil. SkyVenture tunnels currently operate in some of the hottest deserts (four in UAE, one in Spain, one in Arizona), in the coldest regions (Moscow, New Hampshire & Montreal), and at some of the highest elevations (2300 meters above sea level in Malaysia) in the world.

SkyVenture franchises the equipment in North America through iFLY Franchising, LLC. SkyVenture International sells equipment and licenses the technology throughout the rest of the world. SV Finance, BVBA, offers a variety of financing options for qualified buyers.