From 13 to 18 March 2024, I embarked on an exciting journey to Pyhtää, Finland, with one goal in mind: to learn indoor skydiving. The reason behind this choice was the presence of the cheapest wind tunnel in Europe, a perfect place to train for my upcoming AFF course in May.
The Wind Tunnel
The wind tunnel is situated next to a highway, approximately two hours from Helsinki, in a place that can best be described as ‘in the middle of nowhere’. The current owners are two brothers around my age who managed to acquire the place at a very reasonable price after the previous operator went bankrupt.
Due to its remote location, it primarily serves as a sports flyer’s tunnel, catering to skydivers or individuals who already have plenty of hours in an indoor skydiving tunnel.
My Fellow Trainees
During my stay, I was accompanied by two other students who had come with their private instructor from England. There was also a group of 30 guys from the Latvian army, although they didn’t stay on-site like we did. Their training focused solely on belly flying, while the English students and I progressed from belly to back to sit flying.
More than Just Skydiving
In addition to indoor skydiving, the facility also offered a flow rider, which I took advantage of almost every day. The weekends were busier than weekdays, with additional skydivers from Helsinki joining us. It was fascinating to exchange words and experiences with them.
A Unique Experience
Due to the low temperatures in Finland at this time of the year, the tunnel needs to be heated up in the morning. This process involves running the wind tunnel at full power for a few minutes. My instructor therefore approached me on the last day of the camp and asked me if I want to have some fun. 🙂 ==> They allowed me to go inside durring this process and I found myself flying nearly at the roof of the tunnel at 18m while the tunnel was running at full power, which was incredibly fun.
After my final sessions, I headed back to Helsinki for a brief city tour before my flight home. I visited the Oodi library and the Helsinki Cathedral, both of which were impressive.
Conclusion
In total, I spent five hours flying in the wind tunnel during my six-day stay, four of which were coached. Having progressed all the way to sit flying, I’m thrilled with my progress and now feel prepared for my AFF course, since I also learned different transitions like the barrel roll and back-to-belly transition.
Lastly, I was quite impressed by the public transport system in Finland. Everything worked seamlessly for me, making my adventure even more enjoyable.
