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It used to be that if you wanted to feel the pull of gravity and air coursing over you, you needed good weather, a parachute and an airplane. Now there are facilities, including the first Chicago location that opened in March, that put that experience under a roof. Indoor skydiving, such as the recently opened iFly location in Lincoln Park, allows people to experience the sensation of flight without venturing to an airport. The same company has locations in Naperville and Rosemont. And, unlike actual skydiving, the free fall lasts until you exit the chamber. Here is how it works:

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Pre-flight

  • Flyers arrive an hour before their flight.
  • They check-in at a kiosk near the entrance.
  • Sign a safety waiver (if under age 18), and put on a wristband.
  • First-time flyers will need pre-flight instruction, which includes proper body position and hand signals to communicate with instructor.
  • Flyers then suit up and proceed to the flight chamber.

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The gear


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  1. Jumpsuit: Typically nylon. Fits over street clothing.
  2. Earplugs: Protects hearing from the loudness of the wind passing over the body.
  3. Helmet: Can either be open-face or with an attached visor. Open-face requires goggles (pictured) but feels similar to outdoor skydiving.
  4. Goggles

How it works

A cycled column of concentrated wind is fed upward through the flight chamber and levitates the body, simulating the natural feel of free-fall skydiving.

  1. Wind turbines: Two 500-horsepower electric axial fans at the top of the facility push air down the return-air towers.
  2. Turning vanes: Fixed metal devices positioned at all corners direct the airflow down the return air towers toward the bottom of the tunnel or crawl space below ground level.
  3. Inlet contractor: This large tapered structure contracts the airflow, squeezing it like toothpaste out of a tube, which increases the speed of the air by four times.
  4. Flight chamber: The air enters the 12-foot-diameter, 38-foot-tall vertical chamber lifting the flyer. The floor is made of trampolinelike metal netting. The air speed can be set to as much as 160 mph, but usually the speeds for beginners are 60-100 mph.
  5. Diffuser: Reduces the the airflow as it leaves the chamber. It heads back up toward the fans where it is recirculated.

If you decide to go

Booking: Flights can be booked at the iFLY website, or at 779-368-4359.


Sources: iFLY, Indoor Skydiving Source, ESRI

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