Comparing Indoor Skydiving Experiences: Paraclete vs iFly

Not into the idea of throwing yourself out of an airplane but still want to know what it feels like to fly? Let’s talk about indoor skydiving for a minute. It’s a great option for a lot of people who might not be ready to leave an airplane mid-flight, or even people who want to supplement their high flying sky antics with some near-the-ground training. 

If you’re someone who’s considering iFly Atlanta or iFly Charlotte for your vertical wind tunnel experience, take a second to include Paraclete in your list of options. 

We all have that favorite guilty pleasure big box store. It’s where we get all of our gift cards from on holidays, where we go to do some retail therapy, and where we treat ourselves when we have something to celebrate. We know what to expect: the good old trademarked consumer formula. In and out, no frills. 

But what about the personal touch? Where do we go when we want to feel community, when we want to find a shop owner who is as geeked about the merchandise as we are? For that, we need to turn to our passionate neighbors.

And that’s exactly the experience that Paraclete offers with our tunnel. There are many reasons to go local when it comes to meaningful experiences, and location (we’ll talk about that later) is only one of them. 

Whether you’re looking for indoor skydiving in Atlanta, Charlotte, or anywhere in the North Carolina area, here are some of the (many) reasons you should consider the tunnel at Paraclete for your body flight adventure!

Price and Value

This one’s no contest! Paraclete is the cheaper option all around. 

Whether you’re a seasoned skydiver looking to train or a first-time-flyer craving a new experience, the minutes in our tunnel come out at a lower price than the national chain. And the more people you bring along, the better it gets! 

Our individual prices are already a great deal, but our group pricing comes in at about a third less than what iFly charges. And when you’re talking about a group of five, that’s a lot of dough! 

We even offer birthday parties! Sure, iFly birthday parties are fun, but how much does a birthday party at iFly cost? You guessed it, more than ours! 

Pro tip: that leaves more money for birthday presents and fancy cake. 

Okay, that’s all well and good, but how long does an iFly session last? If they cost more, they’re probably longer. More for your money, right? Nope! These price comparisons are minute for minute, meaning that our flights are the same duration as the ones at iFly, but cost less!

Hate Making Phone Calls?

We have an incredibly easy-to-use online booking system that works for first time flyers AND experienced skydivers. iFly’s online booking does just fine for first timers, but doesn’t accommodate experienced jumpers or AFF students. 

That means talking on the phone to a stranger. In this day and age? We’ll stick to our online bookings and a hand shake when we arrive, thank you very much.

Size: Does it Matter?

When it comes to wind tunnels, we sure think it does! And Paraclete’s tunnel is a mammoth no matter how you measure it. The physical size of our windy tube is larger than the one at iFly, and our maximum wind speed is higher. 

That’s a lot of words to say that Paraclete’s tunnel is like the La-Z Boy of wind tunnels. Experienced skydivers and tunnel flyers enjoy the space because it means that they can train with larger groups. But newbies benefit, too! 

Having more room to move means a larger margin of error and less worrying about how close you are to that solid wall. It takes some of the stress out of learning and lets you focus on your body and having fun instead! 

Party Trivia: What is the biggest indoor skydiving tunnel in the US? Well, it’s ours! At 16.5 feet in diameter and 53 feet tall, Paraclete’s tunnel is currently the largest in the country and one of the biggest in the world! 

Speaking of size, what about the size of the flyer? Weight limit is a question people often have about both indoor and outdoor skydiving. The indoor skydiving weight limit is 250lbs, but exceptions can be made on a case by case basis. Give us a call to discuss if you have any questions!

Location, Location, Location

Indoor skydiving might not be about the views, but the location is still important! And it impacts a lot more than just drive time. 

Both iFly Atlanta and iFly Charlotte are close to bigger cities, which is reflected in their prices. Everything from the price of the flight to the cost of gas, car rentals, hotels, and food is higher the closer you are to the city. If you’re traveling from a distance to make your tunnel flight, that’s going to add up! 

Paraclete’s tunnel is located in a rural location that allows for our lower costs and makes the entire experience more affordable. We’re also super close to Skydive Paraclete XP, which means that you can do both in one day if you’re so inclined! Or if skydiving still isn’t your thing, there’s a ton of other fun activities just a hop, skip, and a jump (get it?) from our tunnel. 

When searching for “wind tunnels near me,” make sure you take into consideration what else those wind tunnels are near! 

Whether you’re interested in real skydiving or the vertical wind tunnel, Paraclete will give you an experience you’ll never forget!