Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go skydiving? Leap into iFLY’s vertical wind tunnel and you”ll experience the exhilarating and totally unique feeling of free falling from a 12,500-foot drop zone. The cylinder shaped contraption looks like something straight out of a 1980s sci-fi flick, and it”ll take your breath away.

Be prepared for some strong gales, as giant fans at the top of iFLY’s wind tunnel blow air down and suck it back up, creating a cushion of air to propel you skyward. We know what you’re thinking: Is this really safe for kids? “Safety is paramount,” says iFLY sales manager Marc Gibbons, noting that iFLY has flown more than 8,000,000 people (as young as three) in a dozen countries since launching in 1998.

Wind speed is adjusted to a flyer’s body weight, and there’s a strong, bouncy safety net, where rigorously trained flight guides stand while assisting newbies. Gibbons adds that, “Guides hold on to guests, and they won’t let a diver go until they are comfortable with them flying alone.”

iFLY’s wind tunnel is so realistic that professional skydivers and military frequent the Lone Tree site for training. Gibbons has done a few jumps, and says iFLY’s simulations are very similar to the real thing—minus the airplane, of course. iFLY’s flight guides are seasoned skydivers who have logged thousands of dives. But you hardly have to be a professional to have a good time at iFLY.

“It’s a lot easier than you”d think,” Gibbons says. He recommends starting with iFLY’s first-time flyer package, which includes a pre-flight training session, all necessary flight gear, instruction, and hands-on assistance from a certified guide, and a frame-worthy post-flight certificate, too. The experience takes an hour-and-a-half, from start to finish, and flyers who want to soar toward the top of the tunnel can add on a “high flight” for $10.

If you love flying, purchase a four-pack after your first visit, and you”ll get another four minutes of flight time, plus the option to advance to level two or beyond while learning forward and backward motions, turns, and more. Work your way up to level five, the highest level, and you”ll develop the mastery skills needed for formations. “That’s when you’re flying with somebody, and it starts getting really fun,” Gibbons says.

Speaking of fun, iFLY party packs are available for $600, and include two-dozen awesome flights for up to 12 guests. Family packs are also offered, and the organization hosts “all abilities” nights, when flyers with physical and developmental disabilities are invited into the wind tunnel at a discounted rate of $50. Whatever your flight status, don’t forget to book your experience in advance, online or over the phone.

Check it Out

9230 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree

iflyworld.com/denver

Need to know

Open daily: Mon-Thu, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pricing

Flight packages start at $60 for age three and up

Insider Secret

Weekends are a busy time at iFLY. If you’re looking for a quieter flight with your family, consider booking on a weekday.