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Joie de Vivre
SkyVenture
"Free Flying"
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f you’ve ever wanted to unleash your inner superhero-- fly free and unfettered upon the winds-- now you can make that fantasy a reality at SkyVenture’s amazing vertical wind tunnel in Laval. All that’s missing is a cape! Children and adults alike can experience the ultimate high of free flight without intense aerodynamic instruction. The orientation is under an hour and the teachers are patient, expert flyers trained to aid you every step of the way, including giving handson help in the tunnel itself when needed. In our case, our flying guru was Guillaume Boileau, a bubbly young man whose enthusiasm was so intense he hardly needed a wind tunnel to levitate! After a video showing you the proper position for optimum wind capture and balance, you try it out on a practice bench. It feels impossibly awkward, but Guillaume ensures us that once you have the wind beneath your wings, the odd-angled body arc will feel perfectly natural. Then you’re off to don the supplied gear– a one-piece nylon
© Montreal SkyVenture, Laval, Qc
Unleash Your Inner Superhero!
jumpsuit, goggles, a helmet, and ear plugs. We were fortunate enough to be able to watch many experienced flyers flaunt their tricks before our attempts—zooming head-first full speed toward the bottom from a height of 45 feet and then stopping dead within an inch of the floor and simply floating–incredible! Then it was our turn. Though it took some getting used to-the tunnel can generate a 300 km per hour wall-to-wall air flow- there was no “butterflies” sensation at all. The trick is simply to adjust your body in just the right way to maintain control. We flailed around a little helplessly at first, but by the second time around, we really got the hang of it and it was truly exhilarating. It is also addictive. In fact, my companion opted to pay for another flight right on the spot! Back on terra firma, we were told that we were now officially certified “tunnelists”, and we’ll pay less next time since we won’t need any orientation. Personally, I can’t wait. Gravity has become such a drag! Visit: www.skyventuremontreal.com. SUSAN CAMPBELL
-- LuxuryReportMagazine.com