posted Jun 8th, 2015 - There was no "indoor" competition when I started skydiving in 1980. In fact, the first "vertical wind tunnel" for "skydiving training" opened its doors in 1998: SkyVenture Orlando. However, it still took a while until the terminology changed.

I looked it up in the archives: The National Skydiving League called the indoor training camps we were running "wind-tunnel training." Shannon Pilcher was the official head coach at that time, by the way. The name for wind-tunnel training changed in 2004, at least within the NSL environment. I found the new terminology in an article March 22, 2004:

"Aerokart, the wind tunnel in France, Paris, organized its second international indoor competition on the 28th and 29th of February 2004."

TURNING POINTS: History of Skydiving Terminology: Confusing?

It would still take a while until "indoor training" or "indoor competition" became the Sun Path Products NSL News' primary definition for wind-tunnel activities by 4-way teams and competitors. I don't remember what exactly caused the change of terminology, however, it surely sounds a lot better, and it makes it much easier and shorter to separate indoor and outdoor events. Imagine "wind-tunnel events" versus "skydiving events." Plus, quite a few tunnel operations still include the word "skydiving" in their advertising, i.e., "indoor skydiving."

There is no "indoor skydiving." Skydiving takes place in the skies, in blue skies usually, from jump planes, while indoor flying happens within a solid structure with walls and ceilings. Indoor training and indoor competition — YES. Indoor skydiving — NO.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE indoor flying, and I am doing it on a regular basis, almost weekly at iFLY Orlando. I am just questioning the terminology. So, let's continue with this train of thought and investigation.

After switching to "indoor training and competition" it was only a matter of time until the logical next step; it took a little while until "outdoor" made it into the vocabulary of the Sun Path Products NSL News. I found it in a Jan. 2, 2007, article: "Outdoors, though, each team is required to have a camera flyer."

It is probably no surprise that the article was written by a non-skydiver, Sarah Potter, who published it for the online edition of the British newspaper "The Times." It made complete sense to use the word "outdoors," as the article covered the British national team of 2007, Airkix, who were sponsored by the wind tunnel with the same name and trained there frequently.

I guess this "new" terminology caught my attention enough to give it some more thought, and it took only a few months until "outdoor" made its second appearance in the Sun Path Products NSL News in a May 3, 2007, article: "The first 2006 scores of Team Elan at an 'outdoor competition' may already appear on the NSL leaderboard this weekend. The video of the whole interview after the 'indoor competition' can be viewed by clicking here."

Yes, it still sounded a little bit awkward, as it was new, and the apostrophes show the insecurity of using new terminology. However, it was done, it made more sense, and it is still the right way how to explain we do things in two different environments.

The apostrophes never showed again, even though there was still a transitional phase where "indoor training and competition" took turns with "wind tunnel" or "tunnel" training and competition until the skyleague.com language finally settled with "indoor" and "outdoor."

This terminology is not only the easiest way for us to separate the two different worlds, it also makes a lot of sense for non-skydivers. Indoor and outdoor are not unusual words in everyday language; recreational activities especially carry this addition all the time.

Now, I am speaking only my own mind, of course, while I am also always trying to find the best ways to write for the Sun Path Products NSL News — which is challenging enough in a second language. This was just another effort to make it easier for the audience to read and understand the content.

I don't mind at all if wind tunnel operators promote their business to the non-skydiving world as "indoor skydiving" or anything similar to that. It may just sound more exciting and appealing compared to indoor flying, training or competition. Whatever brings as many people as possible to the flying chamber.

Because that's where we are all back together again-, finally: Making the "Dream of Flight" come true — for everybody. And then let's hope that as many indoor flyers as possible try the outdoor adventure as well and first make a skydive, then turn into 4-way competitors. All right all right—8-way competitors, freeflyers, wingsuiters, canopy pilots, whatever...