I first heard of this unique experience a couple of weeks ago when I met my best friend and her friend while they were attending a conference. Her friend brought a 16 year old son and he decided to try this out and said that it was an absolute blast.
I decided to plan a weekend around this adventure for my youngster to experience before moving on to some other activities. It was definitely a highlight.
There are people of all ages lined up including an older gentleman likely in his 60's. As long as you meet some health and weight requirements, you are good to go.
Everyone is required to watch a short video to learn about positioning your body correctly as well as understand some basic hand movements. Due to the sound of the air in the chamber, no one can speak to each other so it is vital to remember the meaning of the hand signals that the flight instructor gives the student.
The next step is getting suited up in the flight gear provided and lining up in the waiting area.
You can purchase packages and each flight lasts only 1 minute in length and it must be exhilarating as some folks sign up for additional turns.
In this photo, you can see the smiling HAPPY child. However; I witnessed a child that had a full blown panic attack. They stopped the clock and let him go outside the chamber for a few seconds to regroup. It was evident that he was not breathing due to the anxiety so it was definitely painful to witness.
Luckily, most everyone had an amazing time and most people were smiling throughout their adventure!