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TECHNOLOGY |
The Aerodium vertical wind tunnel is a device, which pushes the air flow upwards in a shape of a vertical pillar. The wind tunnel is intended for active recreation and entertainment and is often referred to as the restricted parachuting or bodyflight.
The wind tunnel offers an opportunity for people to be airborne without the aircraft wings, parachute, or other aids, using only vertically directed wind force. The air flow is directed upwards with a speed of approximately 195 km/h – the usual maximum speed of a plummeting human body, falling with the abdominal side downwards (the speed can vary for each person). The vertical wind tunnel is often associated with skydiving, because this type of flying is very popular amongst the skydivers – they admit it that the feelings in the wind tunnel are very similar to those that one experiences in parachuting. In the wind tunnel, the human body floats in the air, therefore this activity is called bodyflight – a flight with the body.
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| TYPES OF VERTICAL WIND TUNNELS
OPEN AIR
This type of tunnel allows a person to fly freely allowing maximally realistic sensation of the flight. The tunnel does not have any walls around it, but for safety reason, padding of special technologies is used. It ensures safe landing in case if the flyer has lost control over the wind and has fallen out of the wind tunnel.
The open air tunnel can be both fixed and mobile. The mobile tunnels are often used in movies and various display shows, as well as rented out for mass events. These tunnels ensure an impressive effect both for the audience and flyers alike – the site of the flight can be well seen from the audience, but the flyers can freely glide in the wind, completely sensing the surrounding environment.
WALL TO WALL
These tunnels usually are capable of a higher internal air flow speed, which allows for more possibilities to the skydiver and flyer training sessions. The wind tunnel is enclosed with walls and the flying territory both from the bottom and above is restricted with steel wire nets.
THE CLOSED TUNNEL CAN BE RECIRCULATING AND NON – RECIRCULATING.
The recirculating tunnel forms an aerodynamic wind loop with the aid of propellers, and the vertical part of the air flow is used for flying. The recirculating wind tunnels are usually built in the climate zones, which are too cold for non-recirculating wind tunnels. It is much easier to control the temperature in these tunnels, because they can be operated throughout the year, including cold weather.
In the non-recirculating tunnel, the air flow is usually sucked in through openings next to the foundation of the tunnel device, led through the flying zone, and let out at the top of the device.
In the vertical wind tunnel, there are various propeller screws and turbines, which employ particularly high capacity to push the air through the tunnel. The engines can be operated both with diesel and electricity, and they ensure a vertical air flow of 6 to 16 feet wide. The control devices allow controlling the air speed, while constantly monitoring the flyers. With the adjuster, the air flow speed can be increased or decreased depending on the weight and height of the flyer, level of skills, and desires.
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