Aerodium
Industry | Entertainment, Military, Film industry |
---|---|
Founded | 1979 |
Founder | Jean Saint-Germain |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Ingus Augstkalns Uldis Baumanis Ivars Beitāns Irita Kukoja |
Services | |
Number of employees | 73 |
Website | www |
Aerodium is a designer and producer of vertical wind tunnels based in Riga, Latvia. Its core business is related to sales and rent of wind tunnels for entertainment and military industries, but it also operates different locations under franchise. A second part is connected to organizing shows and performances for brand promotion, festivals and other celebrations around the world.
History
In 1979 the
In 2003, after meeting François Saint-Germain (son of Jean Saint-Germain), the Latvian entrepreneur Ivars Beitāns decided to elaborate on the Aerodium wind tunnel concept. In summer 2005 the first wind tunnel in Eastern Europe was opened in Sigulda, Latvia.[5] Step by step improving and upgrading the technical solutions, the company started manufacturing commercial wind tunnels in Latvia under the name Aerodium Technologies.
Shows, performances, and milestones
Having a dedicated focus on open-air wind tunnels, Aerodium has over the years become the leading company to participate in different bodyflying shows and performances around the world.
A milestone in vertical wind tunnel history was the 'Wind Machine' at the
A vertical wind tunnel performance in Moscow's Red Square was shown in 2009 during the presentation of the logotype of 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.[9]
In 2010, a vertical wind tunnel was exhibited at the Latvian pavilion of
2013 saw the introduction of a new wind tunnel application when Aerodium built the world's first tunnel suited for indoor BASE jumping at the “Sirius Sport Resort” in Finland.[11] Compared to other models, skydivers could now enter the wind tunnel from the ground or jump into it from a height of 15 meters, simulating jumping down from a building.
In 2016 Aerodium presented a project called “Flying Dream”, which is a unique wind tunnel-amphitheatre. It is located in
The same year
In 2021 Aerodium launched a new type of open-air wind tunnel. Its main upgrade is the reduced noise level (65 dB), which is comparable to indoor tunnels.[15] The first tunnel of the new generation was opened for Riyadh Season in November 2022.[16]
On April 29th 2023 amidst on-going war in Ukraine, Aerodium opened a wind tunnel inside one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, the Respublika mall.[17]
Movie projects
Aerodium's outdoor wind tunnels have also gained interest from the film industry. During Expo 2010 Jackie Chan tried flying in a vertical tunnel of the Latvian pavilion. Two years later, in 2012, he spent 3 weeks training and filming in Latvia for an air fight scene for the movie "Chinese Zodiac".[18]
In 2017 Aerodium built the largest vertical wind tunnel in the world measuring 20 feet by 10 feet, which is four times the size of a typical wind tunnel. It was given the name Peryton and used by Tom Cruise while training for the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series titled "Fallout". To film one of the early scenes of the movie Tom Cruise had to perform over 100 HALO jumps. According to Neil Corbould, the special effects supervisor, “it was quite a lot, but you know, if he hadn’t had the time in the wind tunnel, it would’ve been 250.”[19]
References
- ^ It's a Bird! It's a Plane! No, It's Man Who Takes Flight in Jean St. Germain's Aerodium
- ^ A Complete History of the Vertical Wind Tunnel
- ^ US patent 4457509, Jean St-Germain, "Levitationarium for air flotation of humans", published 1984-07-03, assigned to Airflite, Inc.
- ^ US patent 5318481, Jean St-Germain, "Levitating apparatus", published 1994-06-07, assigned to Aerodium International Ltée
- ^ Ivars Beitāns: Man tauriņi vēderā ir joprojām
- ^ "Olympic Wind Machine 2006 Closing Ceremonies". Bodyflight Network Vertical Wind Tunnels. Archived from the original on 25 August 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
- ^ WINTER OLYMPICS TURIN 2006 / ON TO BEIJING
- ^ "Aerodium Technologies page "Torino Olympics closing ceremony"". Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
- ^ Wind Tunnel at the Red Square in LiveJournal
- ^ "Aerodium Technologies page "World Expo"". Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
- ^ "About Us - Aerodium Technology to Make People Fly". Aerodium.
- ^ "Aerodium Technologies page "Flying Dream"". Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (June 14, 2016). "Shanghai Disney Opens With a Distinctly Chinese Focus Amid Stiff Competition". Variety. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ Shanghai Disneyland Features Indoor Skydiving Performance
- ^ "AERODIUM open air vertical wind tunnel webinar". Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ "Saudi Tourism Authority webpage". Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ "Success amidst war". Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ ""Aerodium" tunelī uzņemtā Čana filma piedzīvo pirmizrādi".
- ^ "How Mission Impossible: Fallout led to the biggest wind tunnel in the world". Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-10.