As we approach the vacation season, I thought I might address a few interesting flying experiences. I would like to say that I’ve done all these things, but I will settle for saying that I want to do them. Some require little more than a few hours and some money, while others require a day and a lot of money. All of them offer an experience that will be, to say the least, very memorable and exciting.
To start, I would like to look at one of the more unique opportunities. Zeppelins are amongst the rarest of airships with only 4 currently operating in the world. As such, one doesn’t often encounter the opportunity to jump behind the controls of one and take it for a spin. For the $3000 and two days, any certificated pilot can do just that. Check it out here: http://www.airshipventures.com.
I would wager that when most people think of an exciting flying experience they think of Aerobatics. From the famed media rides with the military jet teams to an introductory flight at the nearest aerobatics school, there are tons of places to go on the ride of your life. If you are a member of the media and one of the jet teams is coming to an air show in your circulation area, you might be able to get a ride with them. For those of us that aren’t nearly that connected or blessed, there are a lot of places and variations on this experience that can be had for time and money. http://www.aircombatusa.com offers a rather unique dog fighting experience where you go head to head with another aircraft. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like an absolutely spectacular way to spend the day. http://www.fightercombat.com offer a similar experience.
If there is one plane that gets my attention, it is the venerable P51 Mustang. Nothing against the modern fighters or any other aircraft, but to me nothing compares to the Mustang. Why do I bring this up? Well, I don’t have the millions that would be required to own one, but I might be able to buy an afternoon at the controls of Crazy Horse or Crazy Horse 2. That’s right, there are a pair of dual control TF-51s just waiting to give you the ride of your life. Check out: http://www.stallion51.com for more information. For a list of links to numerous similar exciting warbird flights check out http://www.warbirdalley.com/fly.htm.
A while back I posted a youtube clip of James May (of Top Gear fame) taking a trip to the edge of space in a two place U2 trainer. Needless to say, this made me incredibly jealous and I immediately tried to find a way to get my ride to the edge of space. Well, lucky me, there is a company offering rides in a Mig 31 out of Russia. It’s not exactly a U2, but you still travel to over 70,000 feet. Check it out here: http://www.incredible-adventures.com/edgeofspace.html. They offer a number of links to other spectacular experiences.
For an experience with upwards mobility, I would consider finding an aerobatics school nearby. For example, in Tennessee where I live, there are two that are just a couple hours drive: http://www.iacusn.org/schools/index.php#state_TN. After some training, it would be very easy to move into competitive aerobatics. From there you could be the next Sean D. Tucker or Patty Wagstaff.
When I graduated high school, I took a trip to Alaska. While we were there, one of the things that we were told to do was to take a flight-seeing trip. We were staying near Lake Hood, so we took a trip in a seaplane operated by a small air taxi operation. If you find yourself in that neck of the woods, I can tell you Blue Ice Aviation offers some one of a kind flight-seeing tours of some spectacular landscapes. Check out the offerings here: http://www.blueiceaviation.com
If you’re looking for warmer climes, perhaps you might consider flying to the Caribbean. There are lots of beautiful tropical locales just a short hop away and it is hard not to be attracted to flying your own plane on vacation. For a great overview and a company that can assist with all the details of such a trip check out: http://www.caribbeanflyingadventures.com. You might even get to fly over Cuba…if you want.
Now to address a few events that are definitely worth experiencing year after year. The two big fly-ins Sun ‘n Fun and Airventure draw thousands of pilots from all over the world. These two events are just so huge, that they are a must see for any aviation aficionado. While the air shows themselves are great, nothing beats the people and aircraft that show up just to hang out and camp. I missed out on Sun ‘n Fun, but I’m planning to attend Airventure. The Reno Air Races are also on my must do list. There is something about 500 mile an hour racing that puts even the best auto race to shame.
So, next time you are planning a trip or you are bored in the office, check out these experiences. They are guaranteed to provide you with memories.