What it's like to try indoor skydiving at iFLY in NYC
"Have you ever skydived before?" the manager at iFLY Queens asked as I checked in for my first indoor flight.
"No," I laughed. "Does anyone who has actually skydived before come here?"
Turns out, they do, often.
Since iFLY Queens in Long Island City (10-20 Borden Ave., 212-977-4359, iflyworld.com/queens) fully opened in July, skydivers have used the vertical wind tunnel to practice maneuvers midair. Did that make me a little nervous? Absolutely. My goal was simply to stay upright, not look like a human leaf spinning out of control.
Newsday travel writer Carissa Kellman tries indoor skydiving at iFLY Queens in Long Island City. Credit: Randee Daddona
I still did, but by my third flight, I was learning spins and turns on my own. It’s that easy, a little terrifying and absolutely worth it.
From the outside, indoor skydiving looks intimidating. Inside the tunnel, though, it feels less like falling and more like floating. With an instructor guiding you through hand signals like chin up, legs straight, legs bent and relax, you pick up the basics almost immediately. And once you do, the real fun begins.
The experience
The iFLY beginner package, which costs between $79 and $109 for two flights, starts with a short training video and a briefing from your instructor. Parking is not offered on-site. Little Man Parking (2-26 50th Ave.) nearby costs $20 for two to 10 hours if street parking is unavailable.
Once you arrive, you suit up in a jumpsuit, helmet and earplugs. Those with long hair, like me, are handed hair ties and told to braid it to prevent tangles.
Each flight lasts about 60 seconds, roughly the same as the free-fall portion of a real skydive, except there's no dropping sensation in your stomach. Instead, the tunnel's giant fans push air upward in a column, making you feel as if you are floating in midair.
The effect is powerful, but easy to settle into. Afterward, take the opportunity to sing "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked." Don't worry, no one will hear you over the wind.
My instructor, Andy Bracco, a Bayport native, stayed by my side, keeping me balanced with subtle adjustments. On my second flight, he added a "high flight," flying me up and down the tunnel in swooping arcs. It costs an extra $20, but it’s worth it. The experience was equal parts exhilarating and controlled, and the closest I will ever get to leaping out of a plane.
Andy Bracco, a Bayport native and lead flight instructor at iFLY, keeps Kellman balanced with small adjustments. Credit: Randee Daddona
"If we can get you stable and you’re able to fly on your own, we will let you go," operations manager Andrew Tercer said. "But that does not change the fact that they will be on top of you the entire time, no matter what happens."
By the third round, I was ready to go on my own, and Andy showed me how to spin in place and move forward and backward with small shifts of my arms and legs. Suddenly, I felt like I might quit my day job and become an indoor skydiving instructor like him. Almost. Instead, I added an additional flight for $20.
The verdict
Indoor skydiving can replicate the adrenaline spike of jumping out of a plane, and it delivers the physical sensation of flying, without the risk. It's fun, safe and beginner-friendly. The photos and videos they take of you midflight are a bonus, allowing you to relive the experience and laugh at yourself simultaneously.
Kellman, standing outside the tunnel in iFLY, said the experience is worth trying. Credit: Randee Daddona
Would I do it again? Probably not every weekend. But for anyone curious about skydiving or anyone who likes the idea of floating in midair without needing a parachute, it is absolutely worth trying. And the more you go, the more freedom you have to fly.
"I can teach people how to go up and down, do turns, get in and out on their own, to eventually not only get signed off to fly by themselves, but you can also learn to fly with a friend, which is pretty cool," Bracco said.
A well-Earned bite
While defying gravity, I had worked up an appetite. Luckily, Long Island City is packed with spots to refuel, relax and celebrate survival.
A spicy salmon roll and tuna mayo riceball from MogMog, a small Japanese shop selling takeout sushi rolls, bowls, and other groceries. Credit: Newsday/Carissa Kellman
MogMog (5-35 51st Ave., 516-303-9183) is a must-stop-at small Japanese shop selling takeout sushi rolls, bowls and other groceries and bento boxes just a few blocks from iFLY Queens. The store has two blue tables outside. They were not available during midday, so I picked up a cold spicy salmon roll ($6.50) and a warm tuna mayo riceball ($3) and walked a few minutes to Gantry Plaza State Park (4-44 47th Rd.), where I settled on a bench with a view of the Manhattan skyline for a simple lunch.
The view from Gantry Plaza State Park. Credit: Newsday/Carissa Kellman
If you are looking for family-friendly dining, Terrone (52-03 Center Blvd., 718-440-8249, terrone.nyc) is an Italian spot offering a range of first and second courses, from pappardelle alla Bolognese ($25) to branzino alla marinara ($26). They also offer a picky-eater-friendly kids menu, including the "I Don’t Know," which is chicken fingers and fries ($12), and "I Don’t Want That," which is rigatoni with tomato sauce or butter. Most notably, their children’s pizza-making experience costs $20, where all the ingredients are brought to the table and baked in the oven. Adults can join in too.
Indoor skydiving might be the main attraction, but the food nearby is the perfect landing spot.
