Accessible Skydiving with iFly on the Gold Coast

If you love the idea of skydiving but aren’t so keen on jumping out of a plane, indoor skydiving is the perfect activity to get the rush, minus the risk. Safe, fun and accessible for people of any ability, iFLY Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise provides a thrilling experience that’s also highly addictive. 

During a single session at iFLY, flyers get two flights that last 50 seconds each – the same length of time as the free fall part of a skydive from 14,000 feet! And while that might not sound very long, when you’re in the tunnel hovering in mid-air the wind rushing up past your body and the adrenaline pumping, it feels like a lot longer.  

In the 365 degree perspex wind tunnel an instructor will assist you to maneuver through the air while your friends and family watch and cheer you on from front row seats. All packages include pre-flight training, flight suit, helmet and goggle hire, one-on-one assistance as you fly, and a flight certificate.

Accessible Gold Coast Attraction

iFLY Gold Coast is one of the city's most highly regarded accessible attractions and their aim is to empower people to soar above their own expectations. Anyone with a disability who comes to iFLY will be assisted by specially trained flight instructors and have their specific needs accommodated for.  They offer a 20% discount* to people with disabilities and hold monthly meet ups. The All Abilities events at iFLY Gold Coast are held on the last Thursday of every month, and have been custom designed to create an environment of support and inclusion.

iFLY Gold Coast has a number of All Abilities Ambassadors - people with different disabilities who fly regularly at the facility and spread the word to their community about this brilliant activity, which they might (incorrectly) believe is not an option for them. Peter Pellegrini is an above-the-knee amputee who has been an All Abilities Ambassador at Surfers Paradise for four years. He turned to the sport as an alternative form of physical therapy and cardio exercise. 

“I was unable to do aqua-therapy because of the risk of infection but indoor skydiving worked better in helping me build strength in my muscles. It also helped with the cardio aspect of exercise which I couldn’t get from other training methods due to my mobility limitations,” says Pete.

“Indoor Skydiving has not only taught me to fly all over again, but has taught me how to live all over again,” he continues. “I want to meet other all-ability people, share my story with them and hopefully encourage them to think, ‘I can do that too!’ I’m extremely proud to push a mandate that promotes all-abilities in sports instead of segregating us from the mainstream. iFLY Indoor Skydiving approaches it with an all-inclusive  attitude which is so rare for people like me. To be included as an equal is important and what iFLY is doing for the community is awe-inspiring.”

Pete is a huge fan of the All Abilities monthly catch ups, for the social factor and peer support it provides people in the disabled community. “It’s such an adventurous activity and you get such an adrenaline rush, it’s awesome to be able to share it with others and see them doing something they never thought they’d be able to do,” he says. “It’s impressive to see the large number of people living with a disability who attend, including amputees, paraplegics, those with cerebral palsy, autism and many other complex conditions. It still amazes me how accessible iFLY really is!” 

Get in touch to book a flight or talk to one of the staff members about any questions you may have. But give it a go, because once you take flight, you’ll never want to come back to earth. iFLY Gold Coast is open seven days a week and located 3084 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise.

*People with a disability can use code ICANFLY when booking online (or mention over the phone) for 20% off full priced packages.

Find out more about accessible experiences, tours and attractions on the Gold Coast.