After taking a [sort-of] dive into the ocean, why not [sort-of] dive into the skies?
Though S.E.A. World and iFly are located at different stations, they are both in Sentosa and are roughly 7 minutes apart by
tram. iFly requires flyers to take a short class before actually stepping
inside a tunnel that simulates free-fall diving, but anything other than that, all you have to worry about is to have fun!
They would teach "flyers" proper body positioning and hand signs to be used for communication once
inside the tunnel. You don’t really need to bring anything. The facility
provides for jumpsuits, helmets, goggles, and earplugs, which are inclusive of
the fee, but you do have to wear closed shoes (preferably rubber shoes) if you
don’t want to spend the extra dollars on purchasing socks. Also, I’m not sure
if this applies to Singaporean residents, but we were asked to bring out our
passports (where I think they used it to encoded our names and place of residence in a database). They will, of
course, also make you sign waivers of consent before being briefed.
What does it feel like to "fly"?
I can’t imagine riding
airplanes to be the same as really soaring out in the horizon. I can’t
justify falling in a tunnel, chest first, to be the same either; but I could
imagine it to be close. I was skeptical at first. Their advertisements were all
geared towards how man has always yearned for flight and how it is one of the
many things man was destined for (very dramatic). I thought to myself
“If man was made to fly, we’d have wings”;
I have always been the "see-it-to-believe-it" type. Anyway, I thought it would've been falling, with style (Buzz
Lightyear, 1995), at best. Or being like a man-sized kite, minus the string.
So here I was, all geared up, with a helmet on my head and everything, waiting for my turn inside the tunnel. I have to say, even though you know it's not really as dangerous as jumping off of a plane, you'll still get your heart racing! Then, when you realize it's already your turn inside the tunnel, you step inside, and it's as if the wind just blows everything away.
Right then and there, where I was actually off of the ground and the wind's just blowing me away (literally and figuratively), I actually believed it to be close to what flying would be like (minus the
wings). To be able to hover over nothing but air beneath your body, experiencing it for yourself, not just stories or science, it’s definitely
something special. And I’m sure
a lot of physicists and physics-enthusiasts out there would be able to explain how
you could float out of thin air... but for that moment, that instance, you'll actually believe in the magic of flight.
I have to admit, this attraction is
a bit pricey and because of that, it is really not for everybody, especially
those tourists that are on a budget. But then again, attractions such as
the iFly require state-of-the-art facilities and personnel. Maintaining the
giant tunnel that bursts out more than 120 kmph of wind alone is costly!
However, if you do want to try out something new for summer, or if you’ve
always thought about jumping off of an airplane with a parachute on your back
but haven’t had the guts to do so yet, or if you’re looking for a new hobby and
you have extra cash to spend, then I think that trying out the iFly is not
one to miss out in Singapore. Besides, there are only few countries that have such a high-end facility all over the world.
Talk to you next time!
it’s JACLYN
*PS: I'm not totally sure, but if you're worrying about being too light or too heavy to try this, worry not because I don't think they have a weight restriction. In fact, I saw them adjusting the wind speed so that beginners won't be caught off guard and that the instructor can get you to fly! :).
