Little Hiccups has been back to iFly in Manchester to once again take to the skies. iFly is where those dreams of flight become a reality. Our families were suspended in a column of air which totally reproduces the feeling of freefall. It was super safe, super fun, super cool and anyone over the age of 4 was able to have a go if they wanted.
It isn’t for everyone. Indoor Skydiving is an incredible sensory experience but for some it may be too much. Consequently on the day we had some children back out which is absolutely fine. We’re just proud of them for giving it a go! And who knows – next time might be better and they might get a little bit further. We like to think that this is partly what Little Hiccups is about. #NoLimits sometimes means going out of your comfort zone but its absolutely fine if you want to go straight back into it! Our job is to provide the opportunities. We think every child deserves the right to have that at least.
The instructors on the day were fantastic. They were patient, understanding and incredibly helpful. We’d asked parents and carers beforehand if they thought that their child might have required a little bit extra support in the air tunnel and if two instructors were needed. Whenever this was the case they were always pleasant and willing to help out. Flyers were taught hand signals to better help them fly but the all important one was thumbs down. If the instructor saw you do this one they took you straight out with no hesitation. I know of one child with sensory issues who was very nervous about flying who used this his first time in the tunnel and that was a big step in earning his trust so that he felt able to give it another go. Super proud of his willingness to keep going! And I’ve got to admit – I also used this hand signal the first time I was in. I found the wind in my face a bit
overpowering and struggled to catch my breath. I did the thumbs down and was out in seconds. Couldn’t fault them at all! And just in case you are wondering – I also went back in and loved it the second time now I knew what to expect. I even successfully achieved the High-Fly where you go to the top of the wind tunnel. I’ve not looked at the photo of me in the tunnel though – not sure I’m brave enough for that! And for those of you that are like me and not a fan of wind in your face, I did notice that they can provide a full face helmet instead of just goggles for a small extra cost. I think I’ll be going down that route next time!
We’d also like to thank the on site Italian cafe for providing all the food on the day. It was, I think, definitely the cherry on the cake for a fantastic day.
Till next time!
Website: www.airkix.com/plan/manchester.aspx
“We had the best time. Thank you so much, still on a high now.”
“Feeling very proud of my little man for doing it. Exhausted though.”
“Had a brilliant time!!”
“We are all on an adrenaline come down”
“Omg it was awesome xx”
“Still buzzingxxx”
