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World's Biggest Free Fall Simulator Opens in Milan

Have you ever wondered what it's like to jump out of a plane? Well now you can get the same sensation without ever leaving the good old terra firma thanks to a new free fall simulator that just opened in Milan, Italy. Welcome to Aerogravity, the world's biggest sky diving simulator, which opened its doors to customers on Saturday. All you need to do to defy gravity is to throw on a sky diving suit and helmet, then, the wide open expanse of Aerogravity will have you feeling free as a bird. Aerogravity is a 26 foot wide crystal cylinder with six turbines at the bottom which create a constant blast of air at a speed of up to 230 miles per hour. The vertical wind tunnel is able to simulate the sensation of a parachute jump from an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet. Visitors need no previous parachuting or sky diving experience to give it a go. Vertical wind tunnels have their origins in scientific wind tunnels used to test aircraft in the lab. Jack Tiffany became the first person to fly in a vertical wind tunnel in 1964 at the Wright-Patterson Airforce Base in the US. If you're wondering about the safety aspect, the floor is made of a trampoline-like netting which bounces you up if you allow yourself to fall too quickly. The glass is still fairly hard, so you want to make sure not to move to the side too quickly. Free falling in a wind tunnel can be a bit hard on your shoulders, neck, and back, so make sure to consult a doctor before you go.