FlyBox makes flying a reality for all Israelis who dream to soar

The wind tunnel was founded by a team of partners that have been taking part flying in the wind tunnel and outdoor skydiving world for over 20 years.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
FLYBOX RISHON LEZION (photo credit: ELAD NISIM/COURTESY)
FLYBOX RISHON LEZION
(photo credit: ELAD NISIM/COURTESY)
Have you ever dreamed of flying? Well, now you can.
FlyBox Rishon Lezion is the first wind tunnel complex in Israel. It provides an exciting, thrilling and unforgettable indoor-skydiving experience.
As explained by one of the founders of the facility, Tom Atias, FlyBox is a safe and fun experience unlike any other in Israel, accessible to anyone of all ages, from as young as four to as old as 104.
“This is a visual and spectacular sport, which contains a mix of various worlds, such as dance, yoga, and even cross-fit. There’s a reason why it attracts a wide audience of viewers to watch and experiment,” Atias told The Jerusalem Post.
Indoor skydiving has gained popularity worldwide over the past few years, both for fun and as a sporting competition, and is even being projected as a future Olympic sport.
Israel is aiming to send a two-man team to compete in the upcoming Norway national competition in the hopes of qualifying for the world championships. They have started a Headstart fundraising campaing to help get the 50,000 shekels necessary for training and competing.
“This has been a passion of mine for a long time,” said Atias. “The exhilarating feeling that I get flying in the wind tunnel is truly unparalleled, and now me and my teammate Gal hope to take our passion and skill to the next level representing our country.”
Atias has been involved in flying for more than a decade. He spent most of his time specializing in competitive flying sports, doing a lot of training camps abroad both in skydiving and in wind tunnels.
He is one of the best flyers currently in Israel and sees flying as a lifestyle.
His teammate, Gal Peled, has been in the field of skydiving for more than a decade. He has devoted the last five years to compete in skydiving and has represented Israel in two World Championships, three European Championships and three skydiving World Cups. At his peak, he reached No. 5 in the World Cup and European Championship and sixth in the World Championship.
Both Atias’s and Peled’s main occupation today is teaching flying in the FlyBox wind tunnel in Rishon Lezion as well as acting as skydiving instructors at Paradive school.
“We see this competition in Norway as a big and significant first step as part of a larger journey to be part of the top world flyers and stand on the podium,” said Atias.
“It is our way of being ambassadors for Israel to the entire sector of extreme sports fans.”
The wind tunnel complex was established to fulfill a personal dream of anyone who wants to fly. FlyBox provides a safe, fun and exciting experience, accessible to everyone.
“We believe that personal desires can become realities every day,” said Atias. “FlyBox is a manifestation of dreams coming true.”
The complex provides a family experience, unique and full of adrenaline. Designed in an innovative way and considered among the world’s leading and advanced commercial wind tunnels, at FlyBox the experience of body-flight is accompanied by close supervision by a team of experienced instructors. It also operates according to extremely high safety standards.
“Thank God, we take all the precautions possible and have never had a serious injury at FlyBox. All you need is the bodysuit and helmet we provide and a willingness to expand your horizons,” said Atias.
FlyBox hosts and organizes all kinds of events: birthday parties and bar mitzvas, conferences, corporate team-building events and more. For less than 300 shekels anyone with the desire can realize their dream of flying.
The wind tunnel was founded by a team of partners that have been taking part flying in the wind tunnel and outdoor skydiving world for over 20 years.
In 1998 iFLY opened to the public the first vertical wind tunnel for human flight in closed space in Orlando, Florida. Over the last decade, following advanced technology development, there were over 80 wind tunnels built around the world. The tunnels were initially used for military training and professional parachutist training, but slowly began to develop a new sport called “body flight” and there are currently over seven million people who have already experienced worldwide indoor flying Leagues are held in a wind tunnel, local and international competitions for all ages and all levels. The sports of body flight is in a tremendous growth period worldwide, and has now arrived in Israel. Flying under the close supervision of an experienced instructor certified by the International Bodyflight Association, you no longer have to jump out of a plane for flying experience.
How does it work? A vertical wind tunnel has fans at the top to draw air through the flight chamber and then push it back down the sides through Return Air Towers (RAT s). The air is turned from the RAT s into the bottom of the tunnel (plenum) and back up toward the flight chamber through an inlet contractor. The inlet contractor reduces the space the air can travel in, thus compressing and speeding up the air before it reenters the flight chamber. The result: a smooth column of air that enables you to fly.
The flight chamber in the wind tunnel is 4.3 meters in diameter and 14 meters flying height. The glass surrounding the cell airport reaches a height 5.5 meters and can fly through a tunnel at the maximum speed of 270 kilometers per hour.
For further information on FlyBox and to book your own flying experience please visit www.flybox.co.il To help Tom and Gal reach their goal of representing Israel at the Norway championships, please visit their fundraising page at www.headstart.co.il/ project.aspx?id=25961&lan=en-US