Have you ever heard of iFly Downunder?
Located in Penrith (about an hour’s drive from Sydney city), it offers a 5 metre wide, 13 metre tall wind tunnel where you can literally go flying. We drove past their billboard advertisement in December, and it instantly became the only thing Small Man wanted for Christmas.
It’s not a cheap experience – $89 buys you two one-minute flights on a weekday morning – but it was enormous fun. Each flight is equivalent to a freefall skydive from 14,000 feet (and a whole lot less terrifying, I’m sure). Pete wasn’t feeling 100%, so he sat this one out, but the boys and I had an absolute blast!
We were asked to arrive an hour early to check in, suit up and receive instructions. Each flyer is accompanied by an instructor for both flights, and given the option to be taken to the top of the wind tunnel on their second flight for an extra $10. Big Boy declined, but Small Man and I jumped at the opportunity! Our instructor, the ever patient Matt, put on an aerial display at the end of our session that blew us all away. (Ha! No pun intended.)
Both my sons took to this as though they’d been jumping out of planes their entire lives, especially Big Boy…
Small Man couldn’t keep the grin off his face…
Neither could I for that matter – it was the most fun I’d had in ages!
Pete sat right outside the tunnel and took videos for us – I don’t want to wipe out your broadband with multiple large downloads, so here’s just one of Small Man flying high…
This was such a wonderful experience! I’m not planning to jump out of a plane anytime soon, but we’ll certainly be heading back to Penrith for another round in the wind tunnel!
PS. iFly have indoor skydiving centres across the US, Canada, the UK and Asia. Here’s a link to their locations page!
. . . . .
iFly Downunder
Indoor Skydiving Penrith Pty Ltd
123 Mulgoa Road
Penrith NSW 2750
Ph: 1300 366 364
International: +61 2 4761 1800
info@iflydownunder.com.au
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I WANT TO DO THIS!!!!!!! I want to do this so badly I could scream….
I “think” I would scream in fact like a mad woman, but maybe only the poor instructor would suffer with it…
Celia, what a cool experience! Never heard of it, and now I cannot stop thinking about it…
Sally, it’s a US based company – here’s a list of all the places you can do this:
https://www.iflyworld.com/find-a-tunnel/
Is there one close to you? I’m crossing my fingers for you! :)
Oh, and I DID scream like a mad woman as I went up the 13 metre tunnel – with sheer joy though, not fear! The instructor said, “I could hear you – and I was wearing earplugs and a helmet!” :D
Sally, there’s one in Denver, Colorado… :)
Wow…that looks great! I don’t think I could jump out of an airplane(my husband has many times) but I’m afraid I would get a heart attack…but this is something that I would probably dare to try! :)
Laila, it wasn’t even the slightest bit frightening – I’m a bit terrified of the idea of jumping out of planes as well. Your husband is very brave! :)
Celia, you make me laugh with every post! That is awesome.
Hahaha…we had the best time ever Jo! :)
I’ve always wanted to try this. XD
I’ve just added a link to their worldwide locations – they have tunnels in Montreal and Toronto! :)
big fun :)) xx
It really was, Roni! :)
AWESOME! I would never jump out of a plane, but I would do this in a heart beat Celia! Your little man looks like he had the time of his life – so much fun :) xox
Becca, definitely worth a visit next time you guys are in Sydney! :)
Wow! I must admit I did a double take when I saw your photo on instagram! Looks like serious fun…
Hahaha…it really was, Lizzy! Small Man’s already planning his next visit!
Holy cow that looks like fun!! Imagine all of us doing it on the same day :)
Apparently when you’re experienced, you can have several people in the tunnel at the same time. I’m not sure how one GETS experienced in one minute flights at $45 each…hahaha
What a great idea. I would never jump out of a plane, but I would love to do this.
Deb, you would love this! I did! xx
What an absolute hoot! I love doing extra special things like that with the family. One year we took them to feed the lions at Monarto Zoo & they still talk about it.
Feeding lions!! That would have been very exciting! Tell me you didn’t hand feed them?
What fun! Small Man will remember that Christmas pressie forever!
Small Man now wants to drop all his savings on flying in a wind tunnel…hahaha
Celia, you make me smile. And I love your sense of adventure! I’m out there with Pete!
Nah, you’d be in there with me, Fra, I know it… ;-)
I don’t think I’ll be wiping the smile off my face for a while either! I do admit when the video showed Small Man suddenly rising to great heights that my stomache did cartwheels. I’m flat out keeping up with you Miss C. I’m still imagining receiving the note from Big Boy about the huntsman in the kitchen – the first thing that came to mind was whether the note had been written inside the kitchen or outside the kitchen – this would give an indication as to the size of the beastie. Oy phew – and pass the fudge!
Hello lovely Jan, yes it’s been a great start to the year! Hope you and Peter have been having fun too! :)
I saw these photos on twitter yesterday. Brilliant! Coincidentally, last night I watched an old episode of the Tonight Show and Jimmy fallon was also indoor skydiving. You look a lot more elegant than he does. xx
Oh you do so say the nicest things! I liked that in all the photos our instructor Matt looks like he’s teaching us ballroom dancing or something…hahaha
Looks like a blast!
It really, really was! :)
That looks like absolute fun! I wouldn’t jump out of a plane either; but the wind tunnel looks like even I could do it. I think my boys would love it too!
Manuela, they have a couple of tunnels in Canada! :)
Hmmmm I think I would have been keeping Pete company outside…..!
C’mon Nance. You KNOW you’d be in there with us! :D
I saw your title and thought you were joking! I should have known. What an experience and such a cool idea. This would be such a great gift idea for someone and you can bet I’ll be checking into it. I like the idea of it not going out the side of a plane since to me that just doesn’t sound like a great deal of fun. Absolutely love the video which was a great idea since the regular photos don’t do it justice. I see you going back again…
The photos really can’t capture the wind – the glorious, noisy wind! They have a wind tunnel in New Hampshire – is that near you?
Oh my goodness! It’s maybe a little over an hour’s drive from here. I wish I had seen that one earlier, it would have been perfect for a gift for my husband. I showed him the video & he thought it was so cool. Tim got him a gift certificate to go down to a racetrack where he can choose from a variety of cars like Ferrari’s, Maserati’s, etc. and he gets to take them out on the racetrack. (Boy I hope we don’t have to cover any damages).
Ahh! What fun. The boys must’ve been thrilled. I’m glad you gave it a go too! Oh, and fyi- my first (and last) sky diving experience was a million years ago in Cairns over the Great Barrier Reef. Never again LOL.
You daredevil you! This was great fun, but I doubt I’ll ever jump out of a plane – I actually have no great urge to anymore after this experience! :)
I have heard about it – one of my boys is dying to do this!
It’s nearly an hour’s drive from Sydney, but definitely worth it! :)
We just saw the one in Ontario last week! It looks like an amazing experience. I wanted to go sky diving for my 30th but never got around to it…maybe this is my chance!
Definitely worth trying if you ever get the chance! :)
You sure are adventurous, looks like a lot of fun!
It was huge fun! Not at all scary either, just exciting!
I have never heard of this place or indeed concept! What a great idea – it sounds like lots of fun :) And no need to jump out of a plane, which I think is a definite win!
Kari, there are a couple of tunnels close to London! :)
What fun!
It really was, Pat! :)
Oh wow, wow,wow! You look like you had an amazing time :) Almost 10 years ago to the day I was walking over Sydney Harbour Bridge with my best buddy to celebrate our 40th birthdays…maybe I should fly over again to celebrate my 50th doing this ;)
Darling, we’d love to have you, but you don’t have to come that far – they have three in the UK (two near London, one in Manchester). Here’s the info:
https://www.iflyworld.com/find-a-tunnel/ :)
Sounds like we’re almost exactly the same age! xxx
It feels like the perfect age to me right now!
Wow, the video looks like so much fun. Much better then jumping out of a plane.
Much cheaper too, I’d wager! :)
That looks amazing fun! I am so glad that you and your boys had such a good time.
We really did, thanks Kim! :)
Oh my goodness! I want to do this, it looks like wonderful fun. I’ve only flown in dreams and always wanted to sky dive (but lack the nerve). What a good time and a perfect way to start the new year.
Liz, I think there’s an iFly near you – I have friends in SF who’ve been there! :)
Holy crap Ms Celia! That made me excited beyond belief but when small man started ascending and descending it was like watching a horror movie! You are much braver than I am…who needs show rides! ;)
Fran, honestly it wasn’t the least bit scary once you got in there. I can understand how folks get addicted to the sensation of flying!
It looks terrifying from this end Celia!
I would love to do this with the boys! So glad you all had fun. There isn’t a location near us, who knows, maybe someday on vacation.
Gretchen, maybe on holidays! Your boys would love it – they cater for kids from 3yo up! :)
Wow, this experience seems so exciting! Yay for you :D
Thank you! We had a ball!
There’s no way I’d leap out of a plane voluntarily, but indoor skydiving sounds exciting… almost tempting… something fun to do with my adventurous twenty-something niece. There’s an iFly location in Tukwila/Seattle, just 20 minutes away from the house. I might need alcohol before and chocolate after.
Or maybe the other way around – chocolate first, then alcohol. Not sure you want to float in the wind tunnel under the influence! :)
Thanks for posting the video. It looks like awesome fun, very exciting.
It was huge fun! :)
im intrigued about this one, have been actual sky diving, i wonder how this compares!
Much, MUCH less scary, I’m sure! :)
Hehe I saw your pics on IG! It sounds like you had a great time Celia and it is much safer than the outdoor version! :D
Worth a visit if you ever get a chance! :)
Oh wow, now this is a MUST DO!!! Like, right now if I can. Yeah!!!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Hahaha…that was what we were like Julie! :)
What a great gift. This looks like a really fun thing to do as a family. I’m just wondering though, Celia – how long it would take me to get to Penrith! I would definitely prefer this to jumping out of a plane – that I don’t think I will ever do! xx
Oh forever, Charlie! It took us a solid hour from the inner west! :D But definitely worth the trip!
They have a facility in Virginia Beach- that is only 2 hours and a little bit more if the traffic is heavy on the Bay Bridge/Tunnel from Chincoteague and Meredith is coming home this month to be stationed on the East Coast! I’m going to see if she is interested – thanks for the idea! You are so fun and adventurous, Celia!
Heidi, it really IS great fun! Happy New Year to you and your lovely family! xxx
I got the biggest smile just watching that video! It looks like the best time!
Clare, it really was! Floating to the top was like flying! :)
We have this here in Dubai. I’ve never done it though. Maybe I should :)
Sally, I loved this – bet you would too! :)
Celia, what a blast! (And bravo for taking the plunge!) Thanks for the link, too — I see there’s one near Dallas about 4 hours away. Hmmmm… maybe 2015 will be the year to create a lil’ excitement of my own. :) Loved the video clip you shared! This post was just the “verbal & visual” fun I needed tonight. xo
Kim, there might actually be one closer – apparently there are a few companies with wind tunnels in the US! :)