Photoblogs
Is Hang Gliding the perfect day trip? Probably.
By Tony RussoAugust 14, 20165 min read
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Eva holds up the string used to tether the hang glider to the tow-plane. It's tested to above 1,500 pounds.
Non-traditional hang gliding near Ocean City
Virginia Hang Gliding uses a couple of different planes that look a little like ultra-lites, to tow people up to 8,000 feet in the air. It may sound improbable and, before he got into the business, towing hang gliders to cruising altitude sounded more than a little improbable to Bill, who already had been a veteran flier. Like many of us, Bill thought of hang gliding as something that required the right wind and cliffs from which to jump. Once he saw the possibilities that came with tow hang gliding, though, he knew he had to get involved. It works like this: Every hang glider is set up for two people, a pilot and a passenger. Each gets into a black nylon apparatus that looks like a cross between a sleeping bag and overalls. The passenger is strapped in above the pilot and the two hang separately from the glider superstructure. The glider is towed along on its three-point wheels behind the plane and, after only seconds of taxiing, is airborne. I saw several take-offs and landing and never ceased to be amazed at the ease with which the whole thing occurred. Once airborne, the plane spirals upward with the hang glider in tow until it reaches the pre-agreed upon altitude. Some people go as high as 5,300 feet, some just around 2,000. Once detached the pilot guides the glider to the ground in a tightening spiral and lands in the massive field from which the excursion began. The entire flight is filmed from start to finish including what amounts to a commentary track of the banter between the pilot and the passenger.
A family hang gliding trip is the perfect way to put an exclamation point on your vacation.
A perfect family day trip
The Berlinski family had driven up for the day to knock around the Shore and to spend the morning hang gliding. They were in the middle of the safety training that accompanies every flight. Mark Frutiger, an experienced pilot and long time hand glider operator, took the family through what to expect from their flight and explained the safety protocols Virginia Hang Gliding puts in place to keep everyone safe and happy. By the time they each had taken their turn and had their photo taken in front of the hang glider, the assemblage was abuzz with stories comparing experiences. Because of its position on the peninsula, Virginia Hang Gliding can offer people the opportunity to see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay at once during the flight. It gives you a great sense of place and, even though you are thousands of feet in the air, helps solidify your connection to the nature and beauty of the Shore. It wasn't quite noon and the family had the rest of the day ahead of them. There would be lunch, probably some swimming and sightseeing. They weren't quite 20 minutes from Wallops Island and Chincoteague and could visit both and still be home in plenty of time for a nap before a late dinner. By then the adrenaline would have worn off, but the memory of the experience together is something that surely would help define their summer and spur conversation and reminiscing for decades to come. For more information about Virginia Hang Gliding visit http://www.virginiahanggliding.com/About Tony Russo
Tony Russo has worked as a print and digital journalist for the better part of the 21st century, writing for and editing regional weeklies and dailies before joining the team that produces OceanCity.com and ShoreCraftBeer.com among other destination websites. In addition to having documented everything from zoning changes to art movements on the Delmarva Peninsula, Tony has written two books on beer for the History Press. Eastern Shore Beer was published in 2014 and Delaware Beer in 2016. He lives in Delmar, Md. with his wife Kelly and the only of his four daughters who hasn't moved out. Together they keep their two dogs comfortable.
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