Romania’s first indoor skydiving simulator opens near Timișoara this week

Romania’s first indoor skydiving simulator will open to the public this Friday, October 30, at the Zero Gravity Center in Ghiroda, near Timișoara. The attraction uses powerful air currents to recreate the sensation of free fall without requiring participants to jump from an aircraft.

The vertical wind tunnel has a three-meter-wide and ten-meter-high flight chamber, with air speeds reaching up to 290 km per hour. Participants are lifted roughly one meter above the ground and remain under an instructor’s supervision throughout the flight.

The experience is available to adults and children aged 4 and above, with no previous training required. Each session begins with instructions on body position and movement, followed by the provision of specialized equipment, representatives said.

“We want to change the perception that flying and the sensation of free fall are experiences reserved exclusively for skydivers or elite athletes,” said Tiberiu Rada, CEO of developer Oracle Engineering. “Anyone who wants to try something new can discover this sensation in a controlled environment.”

Prices start at RON 149 for children, while adult packages offering two, four, or six minutes of flight time start at RON 369. Family packages are also available for two adults and one child.

The center employs 12 flight instructors from Romania, Ukraine, Latvia, and the United Kingdom.

Besides recreational sessions, the tunnel can be used by skydivers and athletes to practice body control, acrobatic maneuvers, and coordinated group movements.

“In my experience, three hours of training in the wind tunnel brought progress that I consider equivalent to approximately 300 aircraft jumps from altitudes exceeding 3,000 meters,” said Mihnea Riteș, Romania’s 2026 national skydiving champion.

The simulator is part of the 3,200 sqm Zero Gravity Center, developed by Oracle Engineering through an investment of nearly EUR 9.5 million. The complex will initially also include a restaurant, fitness center, and children’s play area, while an indoor laser tag facility is scheduled to open by the end of 2026.

The developers estimated that the Zero Gravity Center will attract over 100,000 visitors annually and contribute to the local economy by creating approximately 50 jobs.