Photo Credit: Randy Rauck
Look up there, it's a bird, it's a plane, no... it's you! Located just outside of Vernon, the Freedom Flight Park and Paraglide Canada have everything you need to soar above it all. Freedom Flight is located near Lumby, about a 20 minute drive, and Paraglide Canada is 10 minutes away in Coldstream.
Experience a view that goes from the Monashee to the Rocky Mountains. You'll see wildlife rambling in their natural habitat, waterfalls rushing to meet the earth and expansive green fields. It's a little cooler up there so it's a great way to escape the summer heat. Have a look at the Freedom Flight and Paraglide Canada's websites and see how much fun it can be to fly with the birds.
Bring your camera and get ready to slip the bonds of gravity. A certified instructor at Freedom Flight School or Paraglide Canada will take you up on a tandem flight that you will always remember. Let them know if you want a calm and serene sightseeing type of flight, or more of a high flying thermal catching flight.
Go it alone or hop on and go tandem. Learn to hang glideat the Freedom Flight school. Whatever your level, the certified instructors and top notch equipment will get you higher. They have large slow flying training gliders, motorized hang glider trikes and scooter tow winches for their 600m (2,000 ft.) runway. Take a one-day course or sign up for one of their more advanced courses.
Ultralights do require a permit to fly them. The Freedom Flight School can teach you how to fly them and get you an Ultralight permit. Trikes are also classified as an aircraft, so can get your lessons and permits here too.
For those of you who are well versed in soaring about the earth, the Okanagan Soaring Association has a great deal of information on their site.