Our collection of manuals is designed to help tunnel flyers and instructors improve their skills safely and efficiently. Learn essential techniques, best practices, and safety procedures to progress with confidence in wind tunnel flying.
The Tunnel Instructor Book is free for you to download on this website, and is intended as a learning tool for both tunnel flyers and instructors, aiming to make the fast growing sport more safe and enjoyable.
The book is a collection of manuals, describing and explaining a flyer’s progression from basic flying skills to advanced freefly moves, as well as offering best practice in training and safety methods for tunnel instructors. The book is written with the aid input of some of Europe’s most renowned players in the field of wind tunnels, and is the result of many years of combined experience not only in flying and instructing, but also in organization & development, daily operations and safety management.
This initiative is a work in progress, and will continuously be updated and supplemented with further details and improved quality of the illustrations. As the Organization is non-profit and solely based on the goodwill and passion for the sport of the people involved, resources have been limited for the making of this first edition. The website will keep you informed about revised editions and will always have the latest updates available for you online.
Throughout the manuals, the flyer will be referred to as “he”. Please note that no gender discrimination is intended in any way.
Roles Description
Driver
The driver’s primary role is to control the wind speed for the flyers that are in the tunnel. As a driver you are also required to control the manifest, tunnel clock and photo and video system.
Class A Flyer
To be rated as a Class A Flyer, you have to be able to perform all the moves as described in the “Class A Flyer – Static” manual in a safe and controlled manner, without the need for assistance. Class A Flyers possess basic belly flying and back flying skills on lower wind speeds and are able to safely enter and exit the wind stream without any help.
Class B Flyer
To be rated as a Class B Flyer, you have to be able to perform all the moves as described in all the written flyer manuals and online flyer videos, i.e. both static AND dynamic, in a safe and controlled manner, without the need for assistance. Class B Flyers possess advanced freefly skills on higher wind speeds.
Instructor/Spotter
As a tunnel instructor or spotter your main role is to provide safety support for the flyers and/or coaches that are in the tunnel.
Rated Class A Spotters are signed off to work with first time flyers, teach Class A Flyers or assist coaches with safety while teaching basic belly and back flying skills. As a Class A Spotter, you have to at least possess Class A Flyer skills.
Rated Class A+ Spotters are signed off to work with first time flyers, teach Class A Flyers or assist coaches with safety while teaching basic belly and back flying skills. On top of that, Class A+ Spotters are signed off to perform “taxi flying” with first time students, an advanced student handling technique which requires experience as a Class A Spotter over a consolidation period. As a Class A+ Spotter, you have to at least possess Class A Flyer skills.
Rated Class B Spotters are signed off to work with first time flyers, teach Class A and Class B Flyers or assist coaches with safety while teaching more advanced flying skills on higher wind speeds. As a Class B Spotter, you have to at least possess Class A Flyer skills.
Trainer
To become a Trainer, you have to run all spotter courses under the supervision of an Examiner. Once rated as a Trainer you can teach and sign off all flyer levels and independently provide spotter courses for tunnel instructors, but you can NOT sign off instructors on any level. Signing off instructor statuses is done by Examiners or Chief Examiners of the Organization only. Trainers have to be signed off for all spotter ratings over a consolidation period, and have to possess Class B Flyer skills.
Examiner
To become an Examiner, you have to run all spotter courses under the supervision of a Chief Examiner. The Chief examiner will then make a recommendation for promotion which must be approved by two organisation board members.
Chief Examiner
The highest ranking within the Organization is the status of Chief Examiner. Chief Examiners can teach and sign off all flyer and instructor levels, and have the right to revoke any flyer or instructor rating below their own at any point in time, in case the rated person doesn’t meet the necessary safety requirements.
Chief examiners are selected from the examiner network to proportionally represent geographic areas and tunnels.
TI Star Rating System
As you progress through your instructor training you will be awarded with the relevant rating. Below is laid out the progression and the rating you will receive as each training section is completed.
As you can see there are no star ratings for the flyer statuses. This is because flyer skills are separate to those of being a spotter. Please visit the flyer rating section for further details.
Who can do what?
Who can teach who?
Who can sign off who?
Instructing
Being a tunnel instructor means being part of an exciting, fun and dynamic working environment. But the job also implies enduring hard physical work for relatively long periods of time, working irregular hours and long shifts. Tunnel instructors should act as strong team players and the job requires skill, dedication and a necessary portion of social intelligence, guaranteeing safety and good customer service at all times.
Tunnel operations and air flow dynamics
As a tunnel instructor, you will without a doubt get customer questions about the more technical aspects of tunnel flying and tunnel operations. Without being an expert on the matter, you have to be able to explain the basics about the tunnel’s construction and airflow dynamics.
You also have to be able to perform safety inspections, start-up procedures and basic tunnel maintenance such as exchanging worn or damaged cables of the net as a part of your everyday routine. Any proper instructor course will cover these basic daily wind tunnel operations, so you are capable of checking and running the tunnel and its systems.
Tunnel time management
Tunnel time management is a key concept on the job. Respecting strict time frames and customer cycles is important, not only from a customer service point of view but also for peak efficiency and thereby business economics. Tunnels sell valuable minutes!
A typical “customer cycle” includes:
Welcoming customers
Orientation about the building’s facilities, a rough explanation of the experience they are about to embark on and an explanation of the time frame
Filling out waiver forms
Gearing up
Briefing
Flying
Debriefing
Handing out flight videos and/or photos
Saying goodbye to the customers
Gearing up customers
Proper gear is essential for safety and comfort during flight. Make sure your customers remove all loose items and provide them with a jumpsuit, goggles, a helmet and ear protection and check if they are wearing appropriate shoes. All gear must fit properly and be in good condition. Always check for wear and tear and need for repair and take damaged or improper gear out of circulation straight away.
You’ll assist your customers with de-gearing after flight and make sure all equipment is retrieved and put back in place. To be time efficient, you can give feedback to your customers about their performance while doing so. Remember that many first time flyers come for an exciting and one-time-only experience – encouragement and compliments will send them home with pride and smiles, spreading a good word about the facilities. Focus on positive feedback rather than what they could have done better. Everybody can fly.
Classroom procedures
Before flying, you will give your customers a thorough briefing about what they are about to experience, and inform them about their own responsibilities during the process. This improves the safety of everybody involved, but is also key to the customer’s enjoyment and the sense of being taken care of. Keep tunnel time management in mind. Instructing a class should not take longer than 30 minutes.
Classroom teaching requires skill and social intelligence, and as an instructor you will without a doubt get better and more efficient with practice and experience. Displaying confidence in your own abilities and always maintaining a friendly and professional attitude, even throughout a long and busy day, are some of the most important features to project at all times.
Control room duties
Tunnel instructors have to be able to take shifts as an air flow controller. This position is just as critical to safe tunnel operations as being an instructor. Air flow controllers have to continuously observe the instructor and the flyers as to intervene in an appropriate manner, while at the same time monitoring the tunnel machinery.
It is very important to work closely together with the instructor or coach inside the tunnel, use clear and efficient communication and make sure all flyers have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Hand Signals
You can find the hand signals on pp. 5 – 10 of The Tunnel Book.
Due to the amount of noise, hand signals are the primary means of communication while inside the flight chamber. Hand signals can be used to ask questions, give directions or feedback and facilitate the teaching of flyers. Any tunnel instructor should have a good understanding of the need for signals, when to use them and where to place them.
For first-time flyers, hand signals should be limited to those that help obtain and maintain a stable and relaxed, neutral belly flying position. In order to make this communication successful, briefing prior to flight is key to avoid confusion. There is no need for great detail, and more than often first-time flyers perform better when they’re not overwhelmed with too much information. Instructors should try to limit the hand signals for first-timers to those displayed on a blue background as shown below.
For interaction with more experienced flyers, a wider range of hand signals can be used to teach more advanced flying techniques. Experienced flyers will be more relaxed and will have a better awareness for a greater number of signals, and might even react properly to improvised communication that was not briefed beforehand.
Communication with the air flow controller will mainly be about setting the desired wind speed.
The hand signals as shown on this website and in The Tunnel Instructor Book are the ones that are most commonly used in tunnels across Europe. Some tunnels might use slightly different signals or even create their own. The most important thing is to agree internally on how to communicate clearly as to guarantee safety and efficiency.
Fitness Test
All rated instructors should be able to perform the fitness test before their initial training, and a follow-up of any instructor’s physical condition should be done with regular intervals, preferably showing measurable improvements over time. The better shape an instructor is in, the less likely accidents will occur and instructors or flyers will get hurt. You can watch the video of the fitness test by clicking on the link below.
Fitness Test
6 pull-ups overhand
Jogging on the spot 45 seconds
25 sit-ups in 40 seconds
25 press-ups in 40 seconds
Touch toes for 25 seconds
Move 50 kg 10 meters
Class A Flyer – Static
Class A Flyer Static: pp. 17 – 34 of The Tunnel Book
Belly Flying
Neutral position
Entrance
Forwards
Backwards
Forwards and backwards
360 turns
Up
Down
Up and down
Side slide
Exit
Back Flying
Neutral position
Entrance
Forwards
Backwards
360 turns
Up
Down
Up and down
Side slide
Exit
Transitions
Barrel roll – belly to back
Barrel roll – back to belly
Barrel roll – belly to belly
Barrel roll – back to back (coming soon)
Belly to stand
Stand to belly
Stand to back
Back to stand
Belly to back
Back to belly
Front layout
Combination of Moves
Class A Flyer – Dynamic
Class A Flyer – Dynamic: pp. 35 – 36 of The Tunnel Book
Head Up:
Back to belly – long transition
Belly to back – long transition
Head up inface carving
Head up inface carving changing directions
Head up outface carving
Head up outface carving changing directions
Head up outface carving into head up inface carving
Head up inface carving into head up outface carving
Head Down:
Head down inface carving
Head down inface carving changing directions
Head down outface carving
Head down outface carving changing directions
Head Up and Head Down:
Head up inface carving into head down inface carving
Head up outface carving into head down outface carving
Back layout
Back layout into head down outface carving
Front layout into head down inface carving
Head down inface carving into layout
Stalls
Stalls into layout
Head down inface carving into head down outface carving
Head down outface carving into head down inface carving
Transitions:
Belly to belly – front flip
Belly to belly – back flip
Back to back – front flip
Back to back – back flip
Combination of Moves
Class A – Spotter
Class A Spotter: pp. 37 – 79 of The Tunnel Book
Part 1: Walking
Forwards
Backwards
Sideways
Inface carving
Outface carving
Inface and outface
On the spot switch
Pylons
Rotating in place
Rotating in the direction of movement
Practice drills
Stability Drills
Range of motion
Kneeling to fix the net
Non-contact stability drill
Contact stability drill
Clean Air Awareness
Following the flyer
Passing under the flyer centre point
Passing under the flyer centre point with movement
Passing under the flyer supporting the legs
Primary and Secondary Grips
Moving the flyer to the centre of the tunnel
Picking the flyer up from the net
Flyer moving to the wall
Instructor being pushed into the wall
Stopping the flyer from rolling over at the wall
Controllability
Hip to hip
Hip to hip using hand signals
Hip to hip using the wall
Peeling the flyer off the wall waist height
Peeling the flyer off the wall descending flyer
Peeling the flyer off the wall switch towards the head
Hook and block
Working around the body
Rolling the flyer around – static
Rolling the flyer around – changing place
Rolling the flyer around – heading change
Pop-up hybrid
Descending the flyer with hand signals
Descending the flyer with a burble
Cross control
Instructor on the net
In front of the student
Student Entries and Exits
Normal entry
In controllability
In controllability with the help of the wall
Normal exit
Back sliding
Part 2: Recovering the Flyer
Recovering the flyer from his back
Recovering the flyer from a kneeling position
Back tracking through the centre
Back tracking against the wall
Back Spots
In the middle of the tunnel
Against the wall
Forward drive
Backward drive
Spinning
Stand Up Spots
Student standing up on the net
Hips to the centre
Hips angled
Head Down Spots
Rolling on the wall
Coming off the wall
Coming down the wall inface
Coming down the wall outface
Static
Back flip in the middle of the tunnel
Front flip in the middle of the tunnel
Head down exit
Mix Up Skydivers
Normal entry
Assisted entry
Forward drive entry
Flyer jumping up
Popping up in the door frame
Flyer not prepared
Instructor between flyers
Recovering unstable flyer
Recovering flyer whilst obstructed
Protecting unstable flyer
Controlling flyers
Normal exit
Assisted exit
Head down exit
Class A – Trainer
Being a Class A Trainer means you can train other people to become Class A or Class A+ Spotters. Trainers, however, can NOT sign off any of these instructor ratings. The instructors you train will have to pass an official test supervised by an Examiner or Chief Examiner of the Organization, who will then sign them off.
To become a Class A Trainer:
You have to be signed off for all Spotter and Flyer ratings over a consolidation period.
You should be seen over a period of time to continually use the correct techniques in all aspects of your work.
You should show a high level of understanding of all the Organization’s manuals, and be able to demonstrate and explain all aspects of the Class A and Class A+ Spotter syllabus.
You must display a correct attitude towards training other people.
You must always practice what you are expected to preach – to maintain the Organization’s high standards of safety and best practice techniques, the use and/or teaching of your “own techniques” is unacceptable.
To get a Class A Trainer rating, you have to competently run a Class A and Class A+ Spotter course under the supervision of a (Chief) Examiner who can then sign you off, if your teaching skills and spotting techniques are considered to be up to standard. Once rated, you will be able to run Class A and Class A+ Spotter courses independently.
Class A+ Flying with Flyers
Class A+ Flying with Flyers: pp. 81 – 92 of The Tunnel Book
Solo Drills:
Belly to stand and back to belly
Knee to net drills alternating legs
Descending knee drills alternating legs
Descending knee drills both knees together
Knee turns and side slides
Wall kick drills
Stand ups on the wall either side
Walking on the wall
Forwards and backwards alternative methods
Flying with Flyers:
The instructor should NEVER get above the flyer or release the upper shoulder grip
Upper and lower grip
Perform stand to belly drills, and back to stand while in control of the flyer
Controlling the flyer up and down
Controlling the flyer’s side slide
Controlling the flyer forwards and backwards
Going up and down with the flyer by changing his body position as well as your own
Use flyer’s momentum to avoid strike
Stand ups on the wall with a rolling flyer
Wall kick drills with a flyer
Spots:
Pushing the flyer to his back through the legs
Pushing the flyer to his back through the head
Saving an out of control spin by rolling the flyer onto his back
Mix up
Class B Flyer – Static
Class B Flyer – Static: pp. 93 – 114 of The Tunnel Book
Sit Flying:
Neutral position
Entrance
Forwards
Backwards
Forwards and backwards
360 turns
Up
Down
Up and down
Side slide
Exit
Head Down Flying:
Neutral position
Entrance
Forwards
Backwards
360 turns
Up
Down
Up and down
Side slide
Exit
Transitions:
Back to sit
Sit to back
Back to belly
Sit to belly
Belly to sit
Sit to sit – front flip
Sit to sit – back flip
Sit to sit – cartwheel
Back to head down
Head down to back
Sit to head – back flip
Head to sit through the back
Sit to head – front flip
Head to sit through the belly
Head to sit – cartwheel
Sit to head – cartwheel
Head to head through the back
Head to head through the belly
Head to head – cartwheel
Class B Flyer – Dynamic
Class B Flyer – Dynamic: pp. 115 – 116 of The Tunnel Book
Head Up:
Back to belly – long transition
Belly to back – long transition
Head up inface carving
Head up inface carving changing directions
Head up outface carving
Head up outface carving changing directions
Head up inface carving into head up outface carving
Head up outface carving into head up inface carving
Head Down:
Head down inface carving
Head down inface carving changing directions
Head down outface carving
Head down outface carving changing directions
Head Up and Head Down:
Head up inface carving into head down inface carving
Head up outface carving into head down outface carving
Back layout
Back layout into head down outface carving
Front layout into head down inface carving
Head down inface carving into layout
Stalls
Stalls into layout
Head down inface carving into head down outface carving
Head down outface carving into head down inface carving
Transitions:
Belly to belly – front flip
Belly to belly – back flip
Back to back – front flip
Back to back – back flip
Combination of Moves
Class B – Spotter
Class B Spotter: pages 117 – 137 of The Tunnel Book
Spotting for a Class A Flyer – Static
Barrel roll – belly to back
Barrel roll – back to belly
Barrel roll – belly to belly
Belly to stand
Stand to belly
Stand to back
Back to stand
Walking
Belly to back
Back to belly
Front layout
Back layout
Inface carving
Outface carving
Spotting for a Class B Flyer – Static Sitfly
Back to sit
Sit to back
Controlling sit flyer
Sit to sit – front flip
Sit to sit – back flip
Sit to sit – cartwheel
Head Down:
Head down on the net with grips
Head down on the net stabilising the flyer
Changing place to avoid burbling the leg
Head down on the net bailing the flyer
Head down on the net assisting the flyer
Recovering unassisted flyer
Head through net recovery
Sit to head down – back flip
Head down to sit through the back
Sit to head down through the belly
Head down to sit through the belly
Sit to head down – cartwheel
Class B – Trainer
Being a Class B Trainer means you can train other people to become Class A, Class A+, or Class B Spotters. Trainers, however, can NOT sign off any of these instructor ratings. The instructors you train will have to pass an official test supervised by an Examiner or Chief Examiner of the Organization, who will then sign them off.
To become a Class B Trainer:
You have to be signed off for all Spotter and Flyer ratings over a consolidation period.
You should be seen over a period of time to continually use the correct techniques in all aspects of your work.
You should show a high level of understanding of all the Organization’s manuals, and be able to demonstrate and explain all aspects of the Class A, Class A+ and Class B Spotter syllabus.
You must display a correct attitude towards training other people.
You must always practice what you are expected to preach – to maintain the Organization’s high standards of safety and best practice techniques, the use and/or teaching of your “own techniques” is unacceptable.
To get a Class B Trainer rating, you have to competently run all spotter courses under the supervision of a (Chief) Examiner who can then sign you off, if your teaching skills and spotting techniques are considered to be up to standard. Once rated, you will be able to run spotter courses independently.
Becoming a Trainer
Being signed off as a Trainer implies that you can teach all spotter courses and train/spot both Class A and Class B Flyers.
To become a Trainer, you have to shadow and assist an Examiner on each of the three spotter courses. Only an Examiner or Chief Examiner from the organization can then sign you off as a Trainer if you performed successfully.
A Trainer is then allowed to train tunnel instructors of all levels, but is not allowed to sign them off as such. This will again be done by an Examiner or Chief Examiner when they successfully pass a final test.
Becoming an Examiner
Examiners have been on an official course under the supervision of at least one of the organization’s Chief Examiners. A Chief Examiner can then make a formal recommendation for the Instructor to be promoted to Examiner.
With the approval of two organization board members, the promotion will be made.
Examiners are reviewed annually. To maintain Examiner status, an Instructor must stay up to date with training materials and actively be working in the training and supervision of others.
Tunnel Instructor is built on the quality of its members, and our Examiners are at the forefront of maintaining these high standards.
