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UAE: How lawyer flew for 7 hours inside a tunnel, led way for women in indoor skydiving
From studying law in Morocco to flying non-stop for over seven hours inside the world's largest wind tunnel, Hinda Salih's story is one of transformation, endurance, and breaking boundaries.
Now the Lead Instructor at CLYMB™ Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, Salih holds the distinction of being the world's first female Level 4 Indoor Skydiving Trainer — the highest level of certification recognised by the International Bodyflight Association.
'I was a lawyer,' Salih told Khaleej Times. 'I was also the captain of the national handball team and participated in all the African and Arab championships. But I wanted to try something new.'
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Her entry into indoor skydiving was a matter of chance. In 2010, she was in Morocco when recruiters from an indoor skydiving facility visited, looking for coaches for children's activities in Dubai. Although the plan was not to hire female instructors, Salih's athleticism and persistence opened a door.
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'They told me they were only looking for boys and had flown in a trained girl from America. But I said, let me try. I did 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, and 5 pull-ups. That same day, they told me, 'Congratulations, you passed the fitness test,' and I was on a plane to Dubai,' she recalled.
With no prior experience in indoor skydiving, and without even Googling it, Salih joined a course with 12 male trainees and five Level 4 instructors from the US and UK. 'I was the first one to finish the course. I was fit, thanks to my background in handball, and that helped a lot. That's when they told me: 'You are the first female instructor in the world.''
Her journey has since taken her through multiple tunnels in the UAE, including iFLY Dubai and Inflight, before joining CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi in 2019, home to the world's largest indoor skydiving wind tunnel. Her milestone didn't stop at being the first.
In 2016, Salih broke the Guinness World Record for the longest indoor freefall, flying continuously for seven hours and five seconds without touching the tunnel walls or net.
'I was doing flips — front flip, back flip, sit fly, head down, changing every time,' she said. 'It was like a marathon inside a tunnel. I didn't feel like I was inside for seven hours.' The feat was accomplished alongside an Australian male flyer. 'At one point, they asked if I could keep going. I said yes. But he couldn't. So, I told them, let's stop so both of us could share the record — first male and first female. Otherwise, I would have continued alone.'
In 2022, she earned a second Guinness title, joining a 31-person head-down vertical formation flight, a complex manoeuvre where all participants fly upside down in a synchronised pattern.
But perhaps Salih's most profound impact is as a trainer. As the only woman to hold the Level 4 Trainer certification globally, she can train and certify other trainers up to that level; a role she takes seriously, especially when encouraging more women to enter the field.
'At CLYMB, I'm proud that half the instructors are girls. That's rare. Usually, girls may do a little skydiving, get tired, and stop. This job needs dedication and resilience; with our bodies, our hormones, it's not easy for women.'
Her goal now? To become the first non-American examiner. 'All examiners now are American. But I believe we can reach that level.' Salih credits the UAE for her success. 'If I had stayed in Morocco, I would never have achieved this. There were no tunnels. No opportunities. Everything I've done, I owe it to the UAE.'
Fifteen years after stepping into a tunnel for the first time, Salih continues to fly daily, often training others and refining safety systems. 'I don't want anyone to feel the fear I felt in my first two minutes,' she said. 'So, I teach them how to relax. I always tell them if you want to fly, just think that you're floating in a swimming pool. Let the wind carry you.' Now 50, she says she will keep progressing in the field as long as her body allows her to.
