hang gliding tahoe

hang gliding tahoe印象

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  GSel239

  My best friend and I go on adventures that neither of our partners would venture into; e.g., 15 days on Colorado River in the Grand Canyon etc. We had tried to hang glide near San Francisco (not enough wind) and in Southern Cal (too much). Then found this - a fantastic deal; we took the tandem flight with Paul and Bob - definitely worth it. Soaring over the mountains, touching the edge of clouds, then swooping down through a river channel, watching your friend sail by, maybe over or under you above the fields...it is fabulous. (FWIW, I fly alot for business, used to mountain climb, really don't love small private planes, love helicopters... and now have vertigo). Unless you are terrified of heights - I mean bone deep scared - this is absolutely one of the most fun, easy, gorgeous things to do. After 3-5 minutes, I was relaxed and lovin' it.We were not sure about it, so only booked an hour. Big fun and a mistake. You'll see alot, but since you're doing this, go for the longer flight so you can really enjoy the lake. As others have said, Paul and his team are real pros. They make you feel safe and comfortable without hovering over you; always tell you what's coming up and ask if you're OK before offering a thrill. It's hard to describe how beautiful and awe inspiring it is to fly over the tops of lightly dusted fir trees, see the sun rays through the clouds and relax in the joy of flying.Big fun. Do this. You will be thrilled! Don't wait - book it!

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  westburyd

  I wanted to give my son (15) and daughter (13) an experience that they would not forget and I think we did that with the powered hang glider ride/lesson over Lake Tahoe. They took off out of the Carson City airport, each on their own 45 minute ride. They flew over the mountains and over the edge of Lake Tahoe for some amazing views. Since it was a lesson Paul (the instructor) taught them a lot and allowed them to fly the hang glider at times as well. They were very excited and talkative about the experience. Thanks Paul, GREAT JOB!!

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  noodles2000

  We booked a 1 hour Full standard flight for my wife and I with the "Fly Together" option. I am actually a very nervous flyer normally but Paul's excellent guidance made it an absolute pleasure to be in the air, it's hard to put into words the incredible feeling that you get the moment that you take off and realise the freedom that you suddenly have. At all times we felt 100% safe and I learn't a lot about how these amazing machines work - I can't recommend this enough, it's a life changing experience for sure ! Thank you Paul, you were amazing !!

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  911kellya

  This was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I have never written a review before, but will try to describe how incredible this flight was if it is even possible. I was very nervous to do this at all. It is not something I would typically do but I wanted to explore new things and do something unique on my vacation. When I booked the flight with Paul on the phone he suggested the earliest time in the morning would be best so the air would be the most calm. I booked for the 7:00 AM first flight. When I arrived I got fitted up in a stylish flight suite. I always like to be stylish no matter what so already off to a good start. We went through a safety briefing, climbed in the aircraft and Paul fitted me up with headphones so we could talk with each other. We headed out to the runway and parked in a spot to do a checklist of safety items…and then came the moment of truth. Paul told me it might be overwhelming at first as we accelerated and lifted off. He was so right there is no description for how exciting it was to lift off with nothing on either side of me. We climbing up much more quickly than I expected, but that was part of the thrill. I am slightly afraid of heights but for some reason it didn't bother me I felt comfortable with Paul as he calmly explaining what was happening as we climbed. Okay I was a little nervous in the beginning, but I am a bit of a wimp at times which is why I wanted to do something I wouldn't normally do I couldn't believe how quickly I relaxed and just enjoyed the moment. It was amazing, breathtaking, and spiritual. .Okay back to the details. We headed towards Lake Tahoe, which we could not see until we climbed above the mountains. I never imagined how incredible Lake Tahoe would look from this viewpoint.Paul kept asking me if I wanted to fly the aircraft. I refused at first of coarse the wimp in me didn't want to let go. Paul has a way of making you feel safe even as we climbed to about 9000 feet. After quizzing him on how many years he has been hang gliding, which was over 20 years I think, I put my hands on the controls and Paul showed me how to fly it. I never thought I would want to take the controls, but I did. So glad he talked me into it I felt comfortable flying it myself. Only because I knew Paul was right there if I needed him. What an amazing experience having that kind of control. From 10,000 feet the view of Lake Tahoe was even more incredible.. We took a bunch of pictures and Paul warned me he was going to cut the engine and glide down like a hang glider. Suddenly the engine went quiet and we were gliding just like an unpowered hang glider. It was very quiet and so surreal. Paul started the engine and we speeded up for our glide down. We got out over the valley and he asked if I wanted to do a stall. What the heck by this time I trusted Paul completely so I said OK. So glad I did. He took the controls and said he would do a mild one to start. The nose went up and we slowed, than the nose came down and we were weightless (the wimp in me screamed at this point, but she loved it at the same time) as we dived to the ground and picked up speed really quick. He pulled it out and the force was intense as we came out of the dive back to normal speed. It was like being on a rollercoaster. Paul asked if I wanted to do a more dramatic stall. I could not imagine anything more dramatic, but I said OK. This went on for 4 stalls as they got more dramatic until it was just too much for me and I said I’d had enough. What a thrill ride! We than started doing some steep turns to lose altitude and I was looking straight down as we turned sharply and the G forces kept increasing. We pulled out and resumed normal flight. We flew normal as we kept descending down to another lake. Paul told me it was Washoe Lake. We got really low and skimmed along the ground at high speed. It seemed we were just inches off the ground. This felt like the Star Wars movie where the flying motorcycles fly high speed low to the ground. The sensation was amazing. We climbed up and headed back to the airport. The anticipation of landing was scary as we were coming in but we slowed and touched down more gently than I ever expected. Hopefully this detailed account helped, hope it wasn't too much I personally like as much information as I can get to help me decide. I’m so glad I went for the pictures they turned out great, and worth every penny. I can show them to the friends that know me best, and would never believe I did something like that. This experience was the highlight of my vacation. If I ever get back to Lake Tahoe Paul is the only one I would trust to fly with.

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  MichiganWallace

  This flight exceeded our expectations! Not only was the scenery breathtakingly beautiful the ride was such a thrill!! We felt completely safe and at ease with our pilots. They were knowledgable and humorous! I cant wait to come back and go again! I highly recommend this flight!!

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  BirdiOakland

  My check-it-off-our-bucket-list buddy and I got the tandem package and went flying with Paul and Bob the morning after the season's first snowfall. Bracing and beautiful beyond words. The wheeled, winged and propelled lawn chair approach to hang gliding is MUCH better than the jump off a cliff version. Got up high over the mountains and lake and dropped low to zoom just feet above the river. So much fun. Paul and Bob are good teachers, tour guides and early morning conversationalists. Check!

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  skampyspride

  One of the best rides I have ever had! I love being in the sky - I am a student pilot, I have done sky diving, paragliding, sailplane rides and this flight with Paul did not disappoint. First Paul is a skilled, knowledgeable pilot that really loves flying and sharing that passion with others. Second, what is not to love about what looks like a trike motorcycle attached to a hang glider? I loved every bit of the flight!We flew up to Lake Tahoe, the views were amazing! Paul pointed out lakes, summits, ski areas and other points of interest. I also had the delight of controlling the aircraft for a good part of the flight. Then we flew over a meadow with wild Mustangs (really cool!), and over a shallow pond. We flew fast and slow, high and low. One my favorites was when he asked if I would want him to do a stall - HECK YEAH!! That was awesome... you know the feeling - like a roller coaster but without the rails! I would definitely recommend this flight! I just wish I was close enough to take lessons from Paul.

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  ENSDrRich4BNA

  What an amazing adrenaline rush!! On a whim I drove over from South Lake Tahoe on my vacation in August 2011 and this was definitely one of the best things I have ever done in all of my travels to the West Coast. If you are afraid of heights or flying, this is probably not for you but nothing can beat the open air experience of soaring over the Sierras and the breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe from its eastern side. Flight instructor Paul Hamilton wrote the book on this type of flying and a trip with him is an unforgettable experience. Be sure you arrive on time and anticipate a morning trip as afternoons are sometimes unpredictable with weather and wind conditions. I recommend a minimum of an hour ride so you can get the altitude to appreciate the spectacular views. A photo DVD is available for purchase after the flght - trust me, you'll want those photos (even if you don't think you look good in a flight suit).

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  989HowardL

  I'll start with the good parts and state my complaints towards the second half of this review.I gave the instructor (Paul) very short notice (24 hours) that I wanted to fly, so his willingness to fit me into his busy schedule gave me a good first impression of the company. (Or maybe he just really wanted my money, but regardless of the reason, I got the chance to fly, so I'm satisfied)The other reviews are on point. I never knew that motorized hang gliding existed until I learned about this company, and it's definitely worth a try. The aircraft is more sturdy than it appears, and the flight instructor will not let you make any wrong steering motions. (Yes, you actually get the opportunity to steer the glider!)Wear something warm because the temperature gets significantly colder at 10,000 feet. I flew in the late spring, so I didn't fear that I would be overly cold. But there are thick boots and jackets provided if you choose to fly during a colder time of year. COMPLAINT 1:After we landed, Paul processed the photographs (which cost an additional $80- more on that later) and my credit card was charged. There was a huge tip jar in the office that I thought was a sneaky, yet genius move on his part. Any customer who visits the room cannot help but notice the large container filled only with $20 bills. I don't think anyone will have the cojones to not tip, so the psychological pressure of the money in the tip jar means that you have to put at least a $20 bill in it. Otherwise, you'll look like a jerk. (And I'll bet that any bills smaller than $20 are taken out of the jar before a new customer enters the office)The reason this tip jar really irritated me was that on online polls, the plurality of people state that tipping a hang gliding instructor is not necessary. I would have tipped Paul regardless, but the presence of the jar really turned me off. COMPLAINT 2: When being charged $80 for pictures, I expected them to at least show clearly the person who is in the aircraft. The camera doesn't have enough megapixels and is not zoomed in enough to clearly depict who is flying. Also, I think if there was a way to capture some video, the $80 would have been worth it. Besides that, I completely regret purchasing the pictures. COMPLAINT 3:I purchased the package that included "50 to 60 minutes of flight time" according to the website. I did not receive what was advertised. On the aircraft, there was a visible stopwatch that showed how much time has elapsed. The moment I sat down, Paul started the stopwatch. The vehicle didn't start moving until around the 3 minute mark and didn't lift off the ground until around the 9 minute mark. I was extremely caught off guard when Paul took control of the aircraft and decided to land it at around the 42 minute mark. We touched ground at the 45 minute mark, and the aircraft stopped moving a little after the 46 minute mark.So, if you consider "flight time" to be time above the ground, in total I received only about 36 minutes of "flight time", even though I should have received a minimum of 50- less than 75% of what was promised. This may seem a little bit petty, but if you're as broke as I am and only treat yourself to something this expensive very infrequently, the few minutes of flight time that were not provided really make a huge impact on the satisfaction with the company. So with all these factors, I'd like to rate the experience a 3.5 out of 5, but since only whole numbers are allowed, I'll be nice and round up to 4.

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  CCR2015

  So glad I could provide your son with this new adventure. Look forward to taking him for that Summer experience!