Learning to Freefly is fun and opens up a whole new world to flying.

Flying in different body positions and learning new transitions requires a little preparation so here some hot tips for you to maximise your tunnel time.

Airkix follows the International Bodyflight Association (IBA) progression system, which helps ensure a steep learning curve while being spotted by an appropriately rated instructor for your safety.

It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the chart of the progression system below in order to get the most out of each and every visit to the tunnel.

You may also want to register on the IBA website and then ask your Instructor to keep your flyer ratings current from time to time and as you master new skills. The IBA system is recognised by all IBA tunnels and Instructors.

It’s always a good idea to arrive early for your tunnel time to brief your instructor on your goals and to make them aware of what you have been cleared to do.

Groups, coaching and advanced spotting

If you are part of a group or even organising one it’s valuable to explain to everyone how Airkix Instructors will take flyers forward.

We recommend that everyone uses the charts below in order to inform us of your requirements before you arrive, this way we can schedule the appropriate staff at the right time. As you get to flying head-down you will require advanced spotting and extra spotters for a time. We can only provide this if you tell us what you need and when. If we are not pre-warned for head-down spotting 14 days in advance we cannot guarantee this service.

Transitions

Transitions in the tunnel can be defined as movements that begin and end in stable, neutral flight and either change or pass through different body attitudes or orientations.

Transitions can be categorised in two ways, by discipline or difficulty.
The disciplines are Belly, Back Fly, Sit Fly and Head Down.
The difficulty of the transitions can be categorised as Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert. For example, as part of earning an IBA ‘Advanced Belly Fly’ rating, a flyer would have to learn the advanced, Belly Fly transition shown in the chart below.

Each transition is also rated on its complexity for an instructor to spot and is defined as a Level I (yellow), Level II (blue), Level III (green), or Level IV (purple) transition. Flyers may only learn transitions while being spotted by an appropriately rated instructor. For example, as part of earning an ‘Advanced Belly Fly’ rating, a flyer would have to learn the advanced, Belly fly transition while under the supervision of a ‘Level III Instructor’, since it is a ‘Level III Transition’. Once a flyer is signed off for a particular transition they are free to do it while under the supervision of any IBA instructor.

It’s also a good idea to be familiarise yourself with the IBA Flyer Rating Chart.