SkyVenture started just like many other businesses, as an effort to improve on something already available. Bill Kitchen, the original owner of the company and designer of our first tunnel, visited another company's wind tunnels and knew there had to be a better way. He loved the ability to fly indoors but was injured in the process. He quickly set about finding a way to make this incredible new sport much safer. Bill spent the next three years designing a safer, faster, mor efficient wind tunnel, and in August of 1998, opened the first SkyVenture in Orlando, Florida.
This first new wind tunnel had several state-of-the-art features: fans downstream of the fliers, which produced smoother air in the flight chamber; wall-to-wall airflow, which eliminated the possibility of falling off of the column of air; and a stainless steel net that the staff could walk on, which allowed novice flyers to be under the constant supervision of an instructor.
Atthat time, Alan Metni was a World Champion on the U.S. National Skydiving Team, Arizona Airspeed. By hosting wind tunnel training camps for other skydivers, Airspeed became SkyVenture’s largest customer. Alan joined Bill as a partner in the company assuming the role of CEO.
Over time, Alan moved from Phoenix to Orlando and gradually became more involved in the day-to-day operation of the company. He eventually bought out Bill, moved the company to Austin, Texas and developed the recirculating wind tunnel designs for which SkyVenture is now famous.
In the following years, SkyVenture quickly became the undisputed technical and sales leader in this new and growing sport. SkyVenture’s superior technology provides the safest, most efficient and realistic freefall simulation possible. For this reason, SkyVenture has sold more vertical wind tunnels than any other company in the world.
SkyVenture is patented in the United States, Spain, Canada, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Isle of Man, British Indian Ocean Territories, South Korea, Mexico, and Japan. SkyVenture spends more than 800,000 Euros each year on research and development to continually improve this technology. The company has four other patents currently pending in various countries around the world.
SkyVenture is a privately owned company.
SkyVenture, Orlando FL
Model 1205 - Opened 1998 - Web site: www.skyventureorlando.com
SkyVenture, Genting Malaysia
Model1205 - Opened 2002
Web site: www.genting.com.my/en/themepark/signature_attractions/sky_venture/default.htm
SkyVenture, Perris CA
Model 1205 - Opened 2003 - Web site: www.skydiveperris.com/tunnel.html
SkyVenture, Eloy Arizona
Model 1404 - Opened 2005 - Web site: www.skyventureaz.com
SkyVenture/Airkix - Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Model 12R4 - Opened 2005 - Web site: www.airkix.com
SkyVenture, Denver Colorado
Model 12R4 - Opened 2006 - Web site: www.skyventurecolorado.com
SkyVenture, Nashua, NH
Model 12R4 - Opened 2006 - Web site: www.skyventurenh.com
SkyVenture Alcantarilla, Spain
Model 1404 - Opened 2006
SkyVenture, Freezone, Moscow Russia
Model 12R4 - Opened 2007 - Model 16R4 Opening 2009
Web site: www.freezonemoscow.ru
iFLY, Ogden, Utah
Model 14R4 - Opened August 2007 Web site: www.iflyutah.com
SkyVenture Goinia Brazil
Model 12R4
iFLY SF Bay
Model 12R4 – Opened September 2007 Web site: www.iflysfbay.com
SkyVenture, Paraclete XP, Raeford NC
Model 16R4 – Opened November 2007 Web site: www.paracletexp.com
iFLY, Hollywood
Model 10R2 - Opened November 2007 Web site: www.iflyhollywood.com
SkyVenture Montreal
Model 14R4 - Opened Spring 2009 Web site: www.skyventuremontreal.com
Coming Soon:
iFLY Singapore - Model 16R4 www.iflysingapore.com
SkyVenture Kansas City - Model 14R4
iFLY Xanadu Meadowlands New Jersey Model 2 @ 10R2
iFLY City Centre Mall – Dubai, UAE - Model 2 @ 10R2