Have you ever been walking or riding along and looked up and saw what appeared to be a large kite with legs? If so, you've probably seen someone hang gliding. Hang gliding is different from paragliding, which uses a parachute. In hang gliding, you are piloting what amounts to an open-air glider: no walls, windows, or landing equipment like a regular airplane glider.
Now, imagine doing that from high above New York City, looking down on the Statue of Liberty, the New York Harbor, the seashore, or wherever your flight takes you. You can do that after a few simple lessons. There are places around New York City that provide these lessons.
New York Hang GlidingThis company starts you out very carefully. You learn on "bunny" hills, which mean you'll only be a few feet off the ground on your first "flight", accompanied by an instructor who'll help you learn how to operate the equipment. Once you've mastered that, you'll go on your first "solo flight", but only about 10 or 20 feet into the air. From there, however, it's only a little bit of time before you and your instructor literally jump off a high hill on your tandem adventure.
Skydive Long IslandDon't let the name fool you, they teach hang gliding, too. You take it slow until you've mastered the basics, then you're off on your own adventure. As the name suggests, you can also learn skydiving, too. So, consider Skydive Long Island your "one-stop" shop for all your fun in the air.
Hang Gliding New YorkAn introductory lesson gives you the basic knowledge you need concerning aerodynamics and how to hang glide safely. Once you've completed that lesson, you're ready to meet with your certified instructor.
Here's where the fun starts. He'll show you how to get off the ground and get back on it safely, as well as how to control the glider yourself. All this is done from training hills, so you're not that far off the ground, but still high enough to get the hang of it. After a few of these, you're ready for your solo flights from the training hills. From there, you'll continue until you're finally ready to take the big leap.
