![]() ![]() ![]() Dima smiles and explains that with every maneuver, the air is your partner, you are “dancing with the wind.” When talking to Dima about paragliding and the freedom it provides, you notice why he has a passion for it. At this elevation, gliders go sightseeing at the nearby Cascades waterfall and to the Dark Sky Observatory in Purlear, as well as gain a bird’s eye view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. To go higher, he says, will give you a view of just the treetops. Once in the air, Dima and his tandem partner lift to about 3,800 to 4,300 feet. When conditions are right, the tandem paragliding experience is worth the wait. He provides a two-week window to interested flyers, then a two-day notice once conditions look good for flight. With the ever-changing weather conditions, Dima and his crew fly just shy of 100 tandem flights a year. For a “butter smooth” safe tandem flight, a steady south to southwest wind is ideal. Located at 3,300 feet, an engine isn’t needed for flight here, just patience (or “para-waiting,” as Dima quips). Owners Dima and Merin Sazinas have traveled all over the world as professional ballroom dancers and paragliders, but, thanks to Google Earth, found a home overlooking the Blue Ridge valley where their passion for paragliding (and dancing) could be shared. Thermals also fuel the fun north of Wilkesboro at the Sky Retreat’s Blue Ridge Paragliding Center ( or 70). “It feels just like flying in your dreams … an unforgettable, dynamic experience.”Īerotow hang gliding is “a way families can share a memorable experience and walk away with a positive feeling for hang gliding,” Laura says. The flight can range up to a mile high and lasts on average 10–35 minutes, before descending and landing on the runway like an airplane. Passengers also learn basic controls of the glider. The quiet is punctured by just the wind and fun chit-chat with the pilot (and a few loud “woo-hoos”). The 360-degree scenery of the mountains and foothills stretches to a view of the downtown Charlotte skyline on clear days. ![]() At about 1,500 feet, the tow rope is released, freeing the glider to swerve and move up and down with the wind and thermals as fuel. The tandem hang glider is towed into the air behind a light aircraft. After a 15-minute ground school session on flight expectations, then helmet and safety glasses fittings, the passenger on this tandem ride slips into a body hammock nestled under the glider’s canopy and above the pilot. Owners Craig and Laura Pearson want to share their joy of free flight with the public, and hope some participants catch the flying bug and return for advanced training to become solo pilots. At Thermal Valley Hang Gliding ( or 82), situated between Morganton and Lenoir, the pilot for the tandem hang-gliding experience knows exactly where those thermal columns push up, leading to an exciting flight. In the mountains, thermals - rising, heated air - serve as your passage for flight. Dancing with the wind Aerotow hang gliding and paragliding No prior hang gliding experience necessary!Ī big thank you to Alex Perry and the Currituck Visitors Bureau for their help with the 360 film!ģ60 of Hang Gliding in Currituck Outer Banks from Alex Perry.Paragliding near Wilkesboro. An ultralight plane tows you to altitude, the glider is released, then you and your instructor glide back to the airport where you land like a plane. The glider is designed specifically for tandems with a larger wing area for more lift and tricycle landing gear to simplify takeoffs and landings. In tandem hang gliding, the student and instructor are hooked into the glider together. ![]() These elements, combined with stalls, dives, and turns are sure to make tandem hang gliding the most exciting and memorable experience of your stay on the Outer Banks. Once released from the tow plane, the only sounds are from you, the instructor, and the wind flowing around you. The views of Currituck Sound, the ocean, and the surrounding countryside are breathtaking from these altitudes. Inshore Excursions: Crabbing, Fishing & Island ExplorationĬotton Gin Flight Flight Park || April – Septemberįly to altitudes of 2,000 feet or higher with a certified instructor from our Currituck County flight park.Vineyard Voyage & Sunset Boat Cruises – Duck, NC.Nags Head Dolphin Watch – Dolphin Tours. ![]()
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