Gliding Up, Up, and Away

To fly we need power. We need to generate enough forward speed so we generate lift from beneath a wing. To do this we’ve used propellers, jet engines, even attempted to copy the actions of birds and flap our way upward.

Now, while we have been successful, somewhere in the noise of the engines we lost the connection with nature. But there are groups who keep the oldest form, the purest form of flight alive: the gliding clubs.

Once airborne – towed up by a plane or catapulted from the ground – it’s just you and the skies. No engine, no in-flight entertainment, no steward serving packaged food, just the rush of air past the cockpit and a near 360-degree view.

It’s one of the greenest ways to fly, and experienced pilots can cover more than 500 miles. And it’s not just about gliding down. Pilots fly like birds; they use thermal air currents and can even climb way up to 12,000 feet.

With gliding schools based in Phoenix and Las Vegas, you can imagine which sites will reveal themselves. The Nevada and Sonoran deserts laid out below, as you bank around peacefully to take another look – it’s got to be amazing!

A further beauty of glider flight is that it can be a shared experience. With the controls in the hands of a qualified pilot, there’s room for a couple up there.

So why not get some romantic air? A gift certificate could get you gliding over Bucks County, Pennsylvania, or enjoying the views of Trenton and Acadia national parks from above southern Maine.

And if you want to take more of a front seat, we can help here too; with one of our gift certificates you could even buy a friend their introductory gliding lesson. The sky is the limit…