posted Apr 13th, 2007 - The NSL News goes back to the World Challenge 2007, this time to the very beginning of the event. The wind tunnel competition offered a very unique situation. Observers could be really close to the actual action in the flying chamber. The camera for the judges had the same position as the videographer in freefall. However, the bare eyes could watch the teams perform from a much closer distance and with a 3-dimensional vision.

The NSL-TV camera cannot provide the 3-dimensional vision. It could still get close enough to capture very dynamic competition action from the perspective of the work level in the tunnel. The quality of the video depended on the light in the flying chamber. It is good enough to get some impressions of the live action.

NSL-TV followed Team Fastrax from the beginning of the 35 seconds working time in the flying chamber to the point where the team members dropped first the gear and then the first round of the competition from their minds.

This procedure, from exit to returning to the team room, would take approx. 20 minutes in the real skydiving world. The NSL-TV video file has a length of two minutes and includes the 45 seconds of flying time in Bodyflight Bedford's wind tunnel.

Round 1 was Fastrax' 26-pointer for 19-O-5, which was tied by Airspeed Odyssey approx. 20 minutes later. The NSL-TV audience will get an impression with this video how the teams entered the tunnel, built the first formation and began with the actual sequence of the round.

In fact, the video also includes the short break between Fastrax leaving the flying chamber and the next team entering the tunnel. The next team was XL with Round 1. Unfortunately, NSL-TV missed XL's 27-pointer on its mission to follow Team Fastrax from the first second of working time to the team room.

The NSL-TV camera captured the Fastrax members leaving the flying chamber and passing the next teams that were waiting in line for their turns. A few seconds later, which makes it approx. a minute after the actual performance in the flying chamber, the opportunity was already there to ask the first questions.

The NSL News could not resist the temptation of using this unique opportunity. This situation was very new for the Fastrax members, as well as for the NSL News. However, the NSL-TV camera was running while the team dropped the gear and was probably already thinking of the next competition round.

It was a very new situation, and the NSL News followed up later with more attempts to capture the first impressions and reactions on NSL-TV camera. The circumstances of the tunnel competition allow the observer to be physically and time-wise so much closer to the real action and the athletes. It is almost like an interview with the golfer right after putting on the 18th hole.

The video of the latest NSL-TV mission can be viewed by clicking here.