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Hang gliding in Sylmar - A hidden gem in Southern California
My thrill for flying decreased momentarily after I got pregnant and had our first baby in July 2021. Being a mom changed me but my individuality was still able to summon itself up to the surface after a few months. I wanted to go hang gliding on my birthday which was January however due to weather conditions we had to push it through till May. The moment of waiting wasn’t that bad, as this time around my husband whose birthday is in July can have his advance birthday present. We just hit two birds with one stone. Let's go!
Hang gliding is friends with paragliding but is faster and can fly in stronger conditions. When it comes to the position while flying, in Paragliding you’re sitting upright with a harness and then you pull the sides to shift directions. On the other, hang gliding is laying down in a superman position and holding on to a metal bar with an A-frame glider.
Check out my Paragliding experience in Puncak, Indonesia.
We booked with Windsports for our hang gliding experience and they were awesome - professional and reliable. Here are 3 things you need to know before hang gliding:
- Weight considerations for safety reasons during Tandem Hang Gliding: maximum weight of 220 pounds and children under 14 years of age or 90 lbs are not permitted to fly.
- Advance reservations through the website are required for all lessons.
- Weather conditions are unpredictable. Our first booking was canceled by Windsports due to the weather and they gave us full credit to reschedule our flight. For refunds, there is a 10% service fee deduction. But why ask for a refund when you’re already committed to doing this? Just be patient and email them for weather updates and book your flight experience on the right day.
After you booked your appointment here are 3 Golden Rules you need to know before Hang Gliding Flight Day:
- Call your flight instructor in the morning from 8:30 am - 8:45 am on the day of the scheduled flight.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
- Follow the company’s recommendations:
a. Wear comfortable clothes
They recommend long pants and running shoes. During the winter months, a jacket and lightweight gloves. Also, sunglasses that fit snugly.
My husband and I wore jeans, a cotton top, and training shoes. Both our sunglasses came home with us too after our flight lesson.
b. A few more recommendations from Windsports:
- Sunblock
- Bottled Water
- Snack lunch
- Camera
- Eye-wear retainer (optional: to keep glasses or contacts from falling)
- Anti-nausea medicine (for people prone to motion sickness)
- Tip for Instructor
FLIGHT DAY! THIS IS IT!
Location and Parking
How to get there: Sylmar Flight Park
Location: 12580 Gridley Street, Sylmar, CA 91342
Google coordinates: Here
Parking: Free
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Check out their “Excellent Restroom Facilities” before you go hang gliding.
The guys were so cute about this as they are very proud of their restroom. And, they should be as it was clean and spacious, and the soap dispenser along with the paper towels had motion sensors.
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Top of Kagel Mountain
We drove to the top of Kagel Mountain with our instructors and before we started our flight we had to do some important briefing. Everyone is considered a Tandem student for hang gliding and we all must read a short training manual before flying. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires all students at least to have a basic understanding of flight operations.
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After our short briefing, we're ready to suit up!
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Here's my husband goofing around to release some tension
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Looking up but not down, ahahaa
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Full battlefield armor activated!
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Afterward, we did a simple ground school with our instructor. A simple walk, run and jog exercise.
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We get to fly on top of the most famous mountain among hang gliders, the beautiful Kagel Mountain of California. We took off on top of Kagel Mountain at around 3,500 ft and soared high looking at its magnificent landscape. It was a breathtaking birds-eye view of the wonders of nature. Words are not enough to explain the joy and fear of being up there. Mixed emotions with an eye full of wonder’s and excitement filled me up. It’s like tasting ice cream for the first time and you’re lactose intolerant or going to the bathroom after holding on to your bladder during a long road trip where there’s no hint of civilization yet and it’s dark and cold outside kind of feeling.
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Together with our flight instructors: Josh and Andy
During my flight, I got to know my daring and bubbly flight instructor. Andy was his name and he has been with the company for over 30 years and is now the boss of Windsports. He found the joy of hang gliding at an early age while hanging out with friends, and he never looked back. It’s great to find people who have found their “Ikigai” at an early time in their life, as some people search for a lifetime of meaning. The word “Ikigai” means a reason for being, a Japanese concept of finding something you’re passionate about that gives you a sense of purpose and reason for living.
Andy shared with me the wonderful experience of flying the glider. I was able to hold on to the glider and somewhat pilot the glider with him shadowing and guiding me through the wind.
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We arrived at the flight park early so we were able to see how they do the landing with the other students. According to the information I received in my email we flew about two miles to the landing area during the flight.
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Happy birthday to Us!
It was the best birthday gift for my husband and me, it made us feel more alive. Our scheduled time was around 1:45 pm, we hopped into their truck at 1:30 pm, and drove 30 minutes to the top of Kagel Mountain. It was a bumpy, scenic, and exciting ride up the mountain. The flight instructors set up the glider, we signed waivers, read and watch the flight manual and after 2:30 pm we flew and soared up in the mountains. Our email confirmation mentioned that the actual "in-air" flight time is approximately between 10 and 20 minutes, and that also depends upon the winds. Afterward, we flew about two miles to the landing area below. I landed around 3:00 pm and then our flight instructors handed us our flight certificates, so let’s say a total of 2-3 hours of a fun experience.
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If you want more lessons after the Tandem Hang Gliding and to enhance your flying skills get in touch with the company.
Windsports
Phone : 818 367-2430
Fax : 818 367-5363
Office hours: Tue.-Fri. 10 am-6 pm
Contact email: fly@windsports.com
Website: https://www.windsports.com
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