Airkix

VisitManchester.com's Martin Bryant casts his nerves aside and tries indoor skydiving

Indoor skydiving has come to Manchester with Airkix, a new attraction close to the Trafford Centre and the Chill Factore.

Despite being chronically nervous about anything I'm not completely in control of (seriously, I didn't jump into a swimming pool until I was 11), I went along to give it a go yesterday. I can honestly say that I loved it.

After being given an introduction to skydiving, including body positions and the hand signals instructors use to help you, my group changed into our jumpsuits and headed to the wind tunnel.

Taking turns, we spent one minute each in the tunnel with the instructor. Airkix Manchester has a state-of-the-art tunnel, 14ft in diameter and 39ft high, making it the UK's biggest indoor skydiving tunnel by volume. First-time flyers keep low though, I went no higher than about 8 feet.

After about thirty seconds of getting used to it, indoor skydiving really i s fun - keep the right body position, relax and you'll have fun. Your instructor is always there to set you right if you make a mistake. Once my first turn had ended I was itching to get back in for another go.

www.airkix.com