iFly
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Client: Vickery Corporate Services (Chicago, IL)
Architect: Larson & Darby Group (Rockford, IL)
Description: General Contractor for the ground-up construction of iFly’s Indoor SkyDiving center. Scope included sitework, infrastructure, and construction of the 8,589 sf, four-story building and two 99-foot-tall precast return air towers. The building set on a cast-in-place foundation/crawl space that houses the air flow to support the 30-foot-tall flight chamber. From the first floor to the penthouse, the main building is constructed of structural steel with an EFIS exterior. KBE oversaw installation of all HVAC systems as well as the flying simulation mechanical systems. The two air return towers house four large (350+hp) motors to power computer-controlled fans that support flight within the two-story flight chamber in the main building. Wind velocity is changed to vary the flight experience making each “skydive” a unique event. A chiller, chilled water pumps and piping systems condition the air delivered to the dive simulator.