Zero Gravity flight?
 

Has anyone or anyone you know taken a zero gravity flight? Did you do it in Florida or in Russia? Comments? Feedbacks?

I did it last year in Texas, on a charter from the outfit that normally operates out of Florida. It was pretty darned cool. After 15 cycles, I was starting to feel not so well. They give you information in advance about special medication that you can have your doctor prescribe that will prevent this from happening - I'd highly recommend you do this, even though it involves a trip to the doctor and special ordering one of the medications (since it's not stocked in normal pharmacies).

I highly recommend the experience, and would do it again in a heartbeat should the opportunity arise. It takes place on a 727 cargo aircraft that had only minor modifications made to support 0G flight. The flight is a Part 121 operation (the same as regular scheduled passenger flights) with only minor waivers granted, so the FAA at least considers it as safe as a regular passenger flight.

Here's one company that does it:

http://www.xperiencedays.com/Index.aspx

There are several such 0G operations; the "commercial" ones (such as the US 727 operator) are separate from the better-known ones operated as part of the various space programmes. There's a little known one under the latter category using an A300 in France, part of the European Space Agency.

In aircraft terms it's all straightforward stuff; the aircraft is not unduly stressed at all and well within it's normal structural operating regime. Such operations do not do many flight hours in a year, which is why they tend to use older, cheap to acquire aircraft like the 727 where fuel consumption is not an issue. If I recall correctly they need some minor mods to things like fuel/oil pumps to keep them running under sustained 0G conditions.

The 727 operator is I believe the same one that offers them to skydiving clubs for the chance of jumping out of a jet the same way that D B Cooper did it, down the rear ventral stairs that a 727 has.

parabolic flight
 

I was actually thinking of doing this next august with a group of my friends that are going in florida. I'm trying to decide if 3G's is worth it for 0G's.

I wouldn't dare do it. Don't get me wrong, I love flying. I even enjoy turbulence (especially the type you get in a light Cessna type aircraft on a bad day) but I have my limitations and one of them is that I just couldn't imagine flying in a vomit comet without the vomit!