A wind tunnel which moves air up to a vertical column.

Although vertical wind tunnels were built for aerodynamic research, the most high profile are those used as recreational wind tunnels, often advertised as "indoor skydiving" or "body-flight", which have also become a popular tool of traiing for skydivers.

Vertical wind tunnels enable human beings to experience sensation of flying without planes or parachutes, through strong wind being generated vertically. Air moves upwards at approximately 195 km/h (120 mph or 55 m/s height, the final velocity of a falling human body belly-downwards, although this can vary from person to person. A vertical wind tunnel is frequently called 'indoor skydiving' due to popularity of vertical wind tunnels among skydivers, who report that sensation is extremely similar to skydiving. The human body 'floats' in midair to a vertical wind tunnel, replicating physics of 'body flight' or 'body flight' experienced during free fall.