Broward, Fla., Flights to Offer No-Gravity Experience
Posted on: Tuesday, 14 September 2004, 06:00 CDT
Sep. 14--Would-be astronauts, take heed. A pair of Broward County companies today debut what they call the first commercial flight with a weightless, no-gravity experience -- similar to the flights used by NASA and by actor Ron Howard in filming Apollo 13.
Fort Lauderdale-based cargo airline Amerijet International Inc. is teaming with Dania Beach-based Zero Gravity Corp. to offer the "Zero-G Experience" set to be profiled today on a network morning TV show after filming on a flight Monday, the partners said.
The two companies have been working for more than a year to develop the venture and obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. They'll offer clients a full-day program led by a veteran astronaut and featuring "Martian, lunar and zero gravity" conditions through parabolic flight maneuvers, like a giant roller coaster in midair.
"This certification is the first of its kind ever authorized in the world," said Derry Huff, Amerijet's director of flight operations."Previously, only military or space agencies have ever conducted these types of operations."
Amerijet modified two Boeing 727-200 aircraft -- now called G-Force One -- and gave special training to pilots and crews for the unique commercial flights. The commercial service is to start Sept. 24 from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport, executives said.
Zero Gravity is charging $2,950 per flier, for the full-day program, likely to be offered mainly on weekends, said Peter H. Diamandis, a medical doctor and chairman of the company.
Fliers first will receive training at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on the future of space exploration and what it's like to walk on Mars, the moon and to feel weightless in space. Then, they'll take a two-hour flight with maneuvers in a dedicated flight space.
By ascending at a roughly 45 degree angle and then diving and ascending again as in a roller coaster, fliers first are brought to Mars-like conditions, or about one-third their weight. Next with another series of parabolas come lunar conditions, about one-sixth their weight.
"You can do back flips and front flips. You're a gold medal gymnast, everyone is," Diamandis said.
Finally comes the highlight: weightlessness or "Zero-G."
"It's the quickest weight-loss program on the planet," Diamandis joked.
After the flight, fliers return to the Hard Rock for "re-gravitation," where they also get DVDs with photos of their experience, certificates and other memorabilia.
Diamandis said his prime target for the service is corporate incentive groups. Companies can charter all 27 seats on a G-Force One flight for $80,000.
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