Does ISG sell or rent mobile units, Outdoor Facilities or Open-Flows?
No. Our company is specialized on the manufacture and sales of closed recirculating vertical windtunnel systems ("Recirculators").
How much does the construction of a vertical windtunnel cost?
Depending on the size of the tunnel, the location and the individual demands on the service building, a windtunnel project requires an estimated total investment of EUR 3.5 to 6.5 million. This budget includes the purchase and installation of the technical equipment, construction costs for tunnel and service building and start-up expenses such as instructor training, launch marketing etc.
Note that this price range will apply to any recirculating system no matter whether the technical equipment is delivered by ISG or any of its competitors. About half of this budget allocates to the technical equipment, the remainder to construction costs and start-up expenses.
In the context of the broad investment range from EUR 3.5 to 6.5 million please take into account, that apart from the tunnel size, the construction costs largely depend on your local cost level, your location and your individual desires for the size, design, interior and exterior of the service building.
How much does an ISG Vertical Windtunnel cost?
The purchase price for an ISG Vertical Windtunnel depends on the customer's choice of model (ISG 12.800, ISG 14.1200 or ISG 17.1600) and service level (Standard I – IV). Sales brochures and price lists are directly available from
ISG.
We hope for your understanding, that our sales material may contain confidential information and we may thus ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
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Customer-Mix: Who can fly in a vertical windtunnel?
ISG Vertical Windtunnels were equally developed for the entertainment industry, professional skydiving and military education and simulation.
For the entertainment operations, we recommend to adhere to the following criteria:
- Customers should have a normal physical condition and fitness level.
- Firsttime-Flyers should be aged four years and above.
- Pregnancy, shoulder-, back- and spinal disc pain or frailty as well as alcohol and drug abuse forbid participation in indoor skydiving. The same applies to persons with serious cardiovascular problems, cardiac pacemakers and acute diseases or injuries.
For further information on entertainment operations and professional flyer business, we recommend visiting the website of our reference facility in Bottrop, Germany at www.indoor-skydiving.com.
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What do I have to consider building and operating a vertical windtunnel?
Planning to build and operate a vertical windtunnel, the following should be considered:
- Location and infrastructure
- Customer-Mix (entertainment, skydivers, military)
- Tunnel size (12, 14 or 17ft.)
- Service level (Standard I, II, III, IV)
- Financing
- Construction and operating permit (inter alia including construction height limitations, local noise levels)
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What is the building size for an ISG Vertical Windtunnel?
The building size for an ISG Vertical Windtunnel depends on the individual tunnel model. Following, please find the size measurements for the tunnel building (excluding service building) and the recommended construction depth:
ISG
tunnel model |
Measures (L*W*H)
in meter (m)
|
Recommended
construction depth
in meter (m)
|
| ISG 12.800 |
6,55*15,88*27,48 |
4 - 6 m |
| ISG 14.1200 |
7,65*18,54*32,08 |
5 - 8 m |
| ISG 17.1600 |
9,29*22,50*38,94 |
6 - 10 m |
ISG customers are free regarding the individual size and design of the interior and exterior of the service building.
For the reference facility in Bottrop, Germany, ISG chose a compact service building of 350 sqm. The company further decided for an integrated design and embedded the tunnel in the service building, resulting in a total built-up area of only 550 sqm.
Which services do you offer?
ISG offers four different service levels from sole delivery of the ISG Technical Equipment ("Standard I") to turn-key projects ("Standard IV") for each tunnel model.
Any service level includes the mechanical installation of the ISG Technical Equipment. In addition, ISG shares the delivery expenses up to a maximum limit.
ISG offers "just-in-time" delivery for all components of the ISG Technical Equipment. Customers receive the mostly bulky and to a significant extent valuable and costly components in accordance with the individual progress of the construction site, thus saving customers the costly and cumbersome local storage of the goods.
How long does it take to build the windtunnel facility?
The erection time of a windtunnel facility to the inauguration date of the windtunnel strongly depends on the local conditions, the duration of required approval procedures and issuance of permits as well as the integration of individual customer preferences and requests.
At service level "Standard IV" ISG offers the turn-key installation of its windtunnels and, as a rule of thumb, calculates with a two to three months planning phase upon signing of the supply agreement and a nine to ten months construction phase following the planning phase.
Can I operate the tunnel 24/7?
The operating permit of a windtunnel facility strongly depends on the individual location, in particular local noise level restrictions. Our reference facility in Bottrop, Germany, has a 24/7 operating permit. Our reference facility was examined by a state certified noise expert in the context of the public approval procedure for the construction and operating permit. The expert opinion on noise levels is available to customers for inspection.
How much personnel do I need to operate a windtunnel facility?
The number of personnel depends on the tunnel size, the utilization capacity ratio and the customer mix (entertainment, skydiver, military). Operations usually require personnel of 15 to 20 employees (including full- and part-time).
Can I operate the ISG Vertical Windtunnel year round?
Yes. Closed recirculating vertical windtunnel systems may operate year round and weather independent.
For tropical climates ISG offers an additional cooling system against surcharge. The cooling system was registered with the German and European Patent Office. The patent is currently pending.
Does the purchase of an ISG Vertical Windtunnel include franchise obligations?
No. Our customers may freely operate their windtunnel. Depending on the individually agreed payment terms, ISG receives a margin for the sale of the ISG Technical Equipment and the transfer of corresponding intellectual property rights as either (i) a one time margin payment, (ii) a licence fee or (iii) a mix of margin and license payment. The customer undertakes to pay royalties only in the event he wants to reduce the intital financing costs of the project (licence instead of a one-time margin).
Does the purchase of an ISG Vertical Windtunnel require future royalty payments?
No. Our customers are free to chose their individual payment terms and may decide for a one-time margin payment.
In addition, ISG allows for greatest financing flexibility by offering customers at their choice to reduce the initial financing costs of a vertical windtunnel through payment of a license fee instead of a one-time margin or a mix thereof.
Is the maintenance of an ISG Vertical Windtunnel free of charge?
Yes. During the statutory warranty period, ISG offers the cost free repair and maintenance of the vertical windtunnel in case of faults. ISG further holds spare parts in stock as required by the law.
Customers may order spare parts with ISG or third party suppliers. ISG gives a warranty on any spare part to the extent delivered by ISG. ISG is not liable for any faults and consequential damages caused by third party maintenance and repair work or spare parts delivered by third party suppliers.
Does ISG grant exclusivity for my tunnel location?
Yes. ISG grants exclusivity for a certain tunnel location upon signing of a supply agreement for an ISG Vertical Windtunnel by the customer.
Are ISG Vertical Windtunnels safe?
Yes. ISG Vertical Windtunnels comply with the highest standards of German engineering and stand for quality and safety. ISG Vertical Windtunnels are CE certified (Conformité Européenne). The CE-certificate confirms the compliance of the ISG Technical Equipment with the regulations of the European Union and the conformity with primary safety standards. Further information on the CE-certificate is available on the websites of the European Union, inter alia:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/glossary/index_de.htm.
Does ISG plan further owner-operator windtunnels?
Yes. ISG is currently projecting tunnel locations in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg.
Is the ISG technology patented?
ISG applied for the registration of an international patent regarding certain components of ISG Vertical Windtunnels. The international research report by the European Patent Office dated spring 2010 confirmed the patentability of all 26 patent claims in relation to freefall simulation in form of a vertical windtunnel. Independent information on the pending patent is available online at the European Patent Office at:
http://ep.espacenet.com, keyword"indoor skydiving".
A vertical windtunnel in its entirety is not a new invention and thus not patentable. First patents on vertical windtunnels were already registered in the early thirties of the last century. As a consequence, to date only certain components of vertical windtunnels may be successfully registered as patented new inventions. To the extent permitted, ISG applied for international registration of its windtunnel components.
I heard ISG infringes competitor patents. Is that true?
No. ISG does not infringe competitor patents.
According rumours in the market have come to our attention and we regret such false statements (mainly fueled by competitors). We aim to inform our customers on a timely and comprehensive basis on our patents and pending or completed patent proceedings. You will find current information by ISG here. In addition, information from an independent source is online available on the website of the European Patent Office at http://ep.espacenet.com, keyword "indoor skydiving".
Does ISG offer instructor training?
Yes. ISG offers instructor training for any experience level. Customers are, however, free in chosing their individual training provider and may also order instructor training with third party providers.
Instructor training is included in service level "Standard IV" and may optionally added to any other service level against surcharge.
Details on the instructor training will be determined together with the customer and in accordance with the customer needs in the individual supply agreement.
Can I visit an ISG Vertical Windtunnel?
Yes. You are welcome to visit our reference facility in Bottrop, Germany. Bottrop is located about 30 car minutes from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS), 45 minutes from Weeze Airport (NRN) and about 2.5 hours from Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
For further information on flight time booking and driving directions please visit the website of our reference facility at www.indoor-skydiving.com.
How can I get further information on ISG Vertical Windtunnels?
Further information on our products and services is available on our website
www.isg-group.de. Please direct any inquiries to
info@isg-group.de. We hope for your understanding that our sales material may include confidential information and we may thus ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to receiveing sales brochures.
