Us lot at Airkix
One of the highlights of the tour this year was indoor skydiving at Airkix in Milton Keynes. This is quite something. An enormous structure which is in essence an inverted wind tunnel, circulating air through a central chamber. Jump in and you’re airborne. We received the essential lowdown from Sean, our cool and perky trainer, and then each got a go in the flight chamber with Sean helping us along. It is extraordinary, exhilarating, and SO much fun. The team there looked after us very well and what you see in the video is Coops’ edit of Airkix’s footage. We’ve spared the rest of the team from having their escapades published, as, well, you don’t look your best when you’re at it.
Attached to our helmets – by which I mean, you know, our helmets – are toy animals, flapping in the wind. Coops has a monkey, I have a vampire bat. We chose well. You’ll see my effort first, then Mr Coops, and then finally me again doing a few tricks after some more practice. OK, that last bit’s not true. Make sure you watch the last section to show what can be done – it’s the brilliant Sean and he’s a living Spiderman. Just incredible. All this has made us very enthusiastic to do a proper (ie outdoor, terrifying etc) skydive at some point, and the lovely people at The Red Devils have offered to host it. Wowzers. Expect more footage when that happens, though more likely of Coops and me wetting ourselves at so many thousand feet. Wheee!
I did wonder what that was on top of your helmets. It looks brilliant fun would love to have a go. Look forward to seeing more. x
More Superman, bloody awesome though!
That looks amazing! I am so going to MK to play!! Anyone else wanna go?
That looks like amazing fun, I really want to try it now!
OMG Derren that was Awesome !
I loved your Monkey Helmet =)))))
The “Snowman” Music made it extra special for me =D
Love N Hugs x
I want to go skydiving with you : )
I did a fixed line Parachute jump with the Red Devils when I was a lot younger and perms were the fashion try getting one of those in a helmet :), it was a fantasitic day.Having a red devil strap you into the suit was a real experience. π very exhilarating
Do it – wind tunnels are fun but don’t compare to that first time you drop out of the doorway or a plane. A couple of hundred jumps later and I can still remember my first jump – my brain froze for a second and could only entertain the simple fact that I was falling. Then reality seeps back and you can enjoy it. Take the time to have a good look around and remember to smile for the camera – it stops your face flapping in the wind! π
I watched this last night, brilliant video.
Looks like sooo much fun, I shall have to try it some time. As for a proper, scary sky dive, I shall leave that to you lot and see how you get on first. Must be amazing.
Will you do yours to raise money for the Parrot Zoo? I’m sure a lot of fans would donate generously…
Wow! That looks amazing! The instructor’s demonstration was fantastic. Good luck with the real jump – you are braver than me!
Reminds me of those gliding frogs (can’t remember species name) the way you use your arms to correct the angle. Quite wonderful to watch, even you clumsies π
that sean is amazing! but i’m so glad he’s wearing a helmet! :0 and i see jimmie likes to spin…great fer the ride, not such a hot idea when doing it fer real.
dunno about wetting yerself in an actual dive, but most likely you’ll be intrigued when snot starts running UP yer face. π
Can’t watch the video because I’m at work – but with regards to doing a skydive with the Red Devils…..go for it π I did a tandem jump with them about 8-9 years ago, and it was fantastic!! One of the best experiences of my life and one I would definately do again. The Red Devils were fun, professional and I was totally at ease – even when they were joking about whether the parachute had been packed correctly! (My response – if he’s happy jumping with that chute, I’m happy jumping with it!). Get it filmed though, as it’s a great reminder!
I was there a few weeks ago. Great fun
i got my boyfriend a go at this for xmas a few years back and he LOVED it, im so jealous that i didnt think to book myself in for a go to! it looks like the most fun ever!!!!
I caught this on You Tube last night and I thought it liked wonderful fun…..’walking in the air’ indeed!
Good luck with doing the real thing!! π
LC x
COOL! That looks awesome π Weeeeee! Flyyyyyiiiing! haha!!
I did a parachute jump with the Army a few years ago. Great fun and a little terrifying at first… bit like a Derren Brown show…. π
Jejejeje, that’s excellent, and a very impressive set of stunt skills at the end by Sean, too! I can recommend accelerated freefall. I did several jumps in Cairns at at 14000 feet you get one minute of free fall. It feels so good, like nothing else. If you open it up for sponsorship then I shall definitely put down ΓΒ£10 for a worthy cause!
Do a skydive! Do a skydive! ItΓΒ΄s a LOT of fun!
I want one of those things in my living room.
Wow! That is just amazing – I’d probably throw up though π Although I have done a couple of static line jumps which and I managed not to vomit π
lovin’ the lil monkey! it’s like he’s havin’ a wee dance on the helmet! π
oh wow!
It looks like magic! haha.
Coops is sooo light, flying everywhere!
We met him when you came down to Wimbledon Theatre :]
Wow that was amazing saw it earlier. So good I made my partner watch it too and he thought it was brilliant aswell. Good luck to all that are going to do it for real :-S. Lots of love judith xx
Ooops, I meant to say ‘I thought it looked like wonderful fun.’ Perfectionist that I am…… π
LC x
Airkix is great. I’ve done Airkix twice now and kids love it. Well done team – it looks like you had a ball.
OMG I’d just love to do that!!!! *jealous* π xxxxx
I’ve been too, with Sean our instructor too. Well worth the money and also worth paying for 2x 2min flights to start with it takes the first min to get the hang of it… 2 days later my arms were like lead!!!!
Always freakin knew you could fly you multi-talented bastard π
Little do we know the fan isn’t even turned on!
; )
I am all warm inside,it looked brilliant. (mycaptchacodeisWCLU)
I just Γ’β¬ΛsoΓ’β¬β’ want to have a go at that… it looks amazing and the real thing must be incredible. IΓ’β¬β’ll look forward to seeing that by the way…hmm ….Γ’β¬ΒDerren Brown flying through the airΓ’β¬Β……. eat your heart out Mr Blaine lol
Oh wow! That looks so much fun! Even with a bad fear of heights, I want a go. I’ll leave the sky dive to you guys though.
The instructor at the end was impressive. Loved when he flew out of the door suddenly.
Your helmets looked very impressive flapping in the wind too. π
x
Magic!
Wow. Convinced me to leave my computer and head off to the acrobatics gym (now) and try, if not flying, then at least bouncing semi-gracefully.
I was planning to flag it tonight, so this comes timely.
Good God. (or any mythical creator being of your choice)
I did not expect Sean to fly out of the door!
So nonchalant.
He must have some serious muscle to make it look so easy. (Or is it just technique?)
I get the Spiderman reference now: I have tried to hook myself into the door frame of my office using my feet, but with no success.
Thank you for sharing your fun life with us mere mortals.
ps re David Blaine – you should have stayed in the chamber for 40 days, that would have been ‘entertainment’ – or maybe not.
(Sorry David, just a joke, you are pretty amazing too… just not as sartorially accomplished as Derren)
Come and do a skydive on the coast at Bridlington,the views are awesome,and the guys who run it are awesome too.One of the ravens display team runs it so they are more than qualified to take care of you…Do it and enjoy:)
Feel like a kid when I watch this. I just want to shout “I WANT A GO!” π Plus, I love how Derren and the team all run up and press their faces to the glass when Sean’s doing his amazing tricks. Cute π
It’s abird – It’s a plane- no, wait! It’s Super Derren!
Hey, tie some helium balloons to your back and you’ll go through the roof!
i skydive’d in march – do it! honestly you will not regret it, on the plane you’ll be a little nervous but jumping out your more shocked at what you’re doing than nervous haha! i hope to do it again soon, it’s something everyone has to do at least once it’s an amazing feeling.
Yep, better than David Copperfield. No strings attached π Hope you have fun on the real thing.
please remake more scenes from Willy Wonka, please
excellent choice of tune, too
That was rather stunning. I’ll make a small confession – I made a little “squee” sound when you and Sean began spiralling upwards, together – I wasn’t quite expecting that! π
This is very near to where I live, and I’ve always been curious as to how it is. But after watching that video, I definitely want to go and have a go now! π
That looks awesome fun!! i want a shot haha
Fascinating! I wonder if you could fake this sort of thing. Not that anyone would.
Derren! I did some mind reading research and had a contest with some comedians as to who is the best at reading micro expressions. What do you think? ItΓ’β¬β’s really tough (ie, I didnΓ’β¬β’t win)
http://www.bobversus.com/2010/08/01/bob-versus-mind-reading/
Must be the hormones, but a small tear rolled down my face there. How ace is that!!!!!!
There is no doubt that as new techniques are tried and experimented with, the history of extreme sports will include many new and daring innovations.
That was so funny!!!! Well done you :o) … You REALLY need to do a real skydive. It’s a lot more of a mental, than a physical, challenge which I’m sure you’ll love. Static line jumps are o.k but no free fall so the fun bit is missing from the jump. Tandems are definately the way forward for a first time experience. I’ve done both and nothing beats the rush of the freefall. Come on Derren, man up and do it!!! Lol :o) If you watch this, please try not to laugh at me, I was very excited, it was my first time x
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXJAzIIUgn0
If you do decide to go sky divng (you should its amazing!) you can find a list of available sites on http://www.spontaneous.me.uk
Theres got to be a competitive sport in this somewhere-imagine a giant pitch like this, with hockey stick toting jocks hitting each other, and maybe scoring the odd goal or something.
Cooooooooooooollllllll, I want a go.
oh my god that looks like so much fun! awesome.