12-year-old Chase Dolan is simulating what if would feel like to jump out of a perfectly good airplane for fun and he’s winning medal after medal while he’s doing it.
Coach Harry Berning joins us in Historic Studio D as well. Chase tells us about what a typical practice for him looks like and about his most recent medal.
Chase says tunnel diving is wind in a tunnel that pushes you up to simulate skydiving. Chase’s parents own a skydiving business and since he is not old enough to skydive, he participates in the sport of tunnel diving.
Coach Harry says he is close to the family and has known them for eight years. He met them when he went skydiving for the first time. Harry is a skydive instructor and has been for many years. He also has been working as an instructor at the wind tunnel for a few years.
Chase wears a helmet and a special jumpsuit while he is in the tunnel. C
Chase competes in this sport. His most recent medal is from the National Indoor Tunnel Competition in Virginia Beach. Chase and his partner came in second place at the competition.
Harry says there are different categories they are judged on in wind tunnel competitions. Harry says participants are judged on how well they perform a set of maneuvers.
Chase says tunnel diving is fun and he enjoys it.
