Man has daydreamed of flying since he first spied birds in the sky. Short of booking a flight on a commercial airplane, there are few opportunities for regular folks to defy gravity.
But if you know where to look here in the Northeast, there are some opportunities to get a bird's-eye view of the most magical landscapes on the planet.
Sure, you could access Google Earth and get some idea of what you'd see, but there's nothing like the elation of actual elevation.
THINGS TO KNOW
For most of us, flying, floating and gliding are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. For that reason, we've included only places where you can reserve a guided trip with all equipment provided.
Although your actual session may last only a few minutes, expect to attend a pre-flight training and safety session. Liability waivers also are standard practice. Since many flight experiences are dependent on weather and availability, you'll want to discuss cancellation and rescheduling policies with the operators before you commit to a trip.
TAKE A DIVE
Seemingly spinning and falling into oblivion, you feel the wind whipping your cheeks till, whoosh, the parachute opens and you're floating. "It's the only time in my life when I can't answer my cell phone, Facebook, Twitter - no one can contact me when I'm falling at 120 miles per hour," says avid sky diver and founder of Help A Reporter Out, Peter Shankman. "When the chute deploys and things slow down dramatically, the first thing you notice is the quiet. Your senses are heightened. The air smells cleaner."
Sky-dive The Ranch, Gardiner, N.Y., 845-255-4033, skydivetheranch.com; COST $195 for a tandem jump
The ground looks like computer circuitry beneath you as you lunge from the plane. You're in free fall from 13,500 to 6,000 feet. No worries - you've trained on the ground for 40 minutes and are attached to an expert sky diver who will pull the cord at just the right time.
Fun Sky Diving, Danielson, Conn., 860-774-5867, funskydiving.com, COST From $189
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds are now allowed to jump tandem with instructors, making this a perfect family outing for those who have those tough-to-please older teens with thrill-seeking genes.
SkyVenture Indoor Skydiving, Nashua, N.H., 603-897-0002, skyventurenh.com, COST $48 for 2 minutes to $800 for 60 minutes
For those who yearn to experience sky diving but are afraid of heights, technology has caught up with your desires. A state-of-the-art wind tunnel allows you to stay afloat and it replicates the act of free-falling so accurately, sky diving teams practice their synchronized routines here.
I'LL GET YOU, RED BARON
Back in the 1920s, teams of pilots would land near barns on rural farms and request to use fields as runways from which to stage air shows and offer plane rides. Known as barnstormers, these stuntmen would draw townsfolk to their performances, ever-perfecting the spins, dives and barrel rolls that would come to define their particular brand of entertainment. These days, you can still take a spin in a vintage biplane.
Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Rhinebeck, N.Y., 845-752-3200, oldrhinebeck.org, COST $65
The Aerodrome has been pulling not only townsfolk, but a greater number of international travelers to watch vintage biplanes in action. For a reasonable $65, you can fly from the Aerodrome's airstrip to the Hudson River and back. But even if you don't want to ascend in an open-cockpit 4-seater 1929 New Standard D-25, the Aerodrome is worth a drive to watch authentic WWI planes and barnstormers perform aerial maneuvers and mock dogfights.
Summit Scenic Flights, Lancaster, N.H., 603-915-3438, summitscenicflights.com, COST $220 for two people, 30 minutes.
Soar above the highest mountain peak in the United States - Mt. Washington - in a reproduced 1934 YMF5 WACO biplane. Wearing leather helmets and goggles fuels the fantasy that you may very well cross paths with a WWII Flying Ace.
Owl's Head Transportation Museum, Owl's Head, Maine, 207-594-4418, ohtm.org, COST $95 in '78 Piper Cub, $200 in '41 Stearman (members only).
Plumes of water smashing against the cliffs of craggy headlands pass beneath you like a moving postcard. This scenic flight is so popular, it is offered as a thank-you for museum volunteers - making it well worth the $40 membership fee to buy a ticket.
WARM AIR RISING
One of the most surprising aspects of flying in a hot-air balloon is how utterly quiet and serene it is. You expect loud rushes of wind, and instead feel a beguiling sense of calm as, unencumbered by earthly physics, you see the most stunning panoramas. Rides generally last about an hour, although inflation, landing and - in most cases - celebratory Champagne can stretch the experience to three hours.
Red Rose Balloons, Canton Center, Conn., 860-693-6903, redroseballoon.com, COST $300 a person
Romantically named after the first guest and often called upon for "proposal flights," Red Rose takes only two at a time, in a flaming red balloon, above the verdant, rolling hills of upstate Connecticut.
A&a Balloon Rides, Salem, N.H., 877-262-8441, balloonridesnh.com, COST $200 a person
Enamored of flying at a young age, but extremely sensitive to motion sickness, Andre Boucher discovered on his inaugural balloon flight 20 years ago that this form of flying did not make him ill. He was hooked enough to make flying hot-air balloons a full-time vocation and now governs the "Bearship" - a teddy-bear-adorned balloon that always elicits pointing and waving from those on terra firma.
Balloons of Vermont, Quechee, Vt., 802-291-4887, balloonsofvermont.com, COST $265 a person
Rising peacefully over Quechee Gorge, you'll thrill to white water - without getting wet - near the workshop of world-renowned glassmaker Simon Pearce.
Above Realty Inc., Jericho, Vt., 877-386-7473, balloonvermont.com, COST $265
Drift over cows grazing in lush pastures and the luminous water of Lake Champlain, nearly brushing mountainside treetops before coming in for a gentle landing.
U.S. Hot Air Balloon, Bird-in-Hand, Pa., 800-763-5987, ushotairballoon.com, COST $174 a person
Quilt-like fields and Amish farmhouses unfold below you as you float on placid breezes. Savor Amish Country from a very different perspective.
GLIDING
Towed up via noisy prop plane and then released, you'll find riding in a glider is a bit like sky diving, though you're snug in the cockpit of a plane, albeit a tiny one without engines. Here are several places to tag along with an experienced glider pilot, who will gauge your stomach for excitement and ride the thermals to your taste.
Stowe Soaring, Morrisville, Vt., 800-898-7845, stowesoaring.com, COST $99 (for a 10-minute taste) to $199 (for a 40-minute thrill)
These rare gliders can accommodate two riders in addition to the pilot. According to owner Don Post, "Besides being able to enjoy the experience with a friend, the views are fantastic - the Green Mountains, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks, and the White Mountains in New Hampshire. After the tow, gliding is quiet - just the sound of the wind - and is really an amazing experience."
Franconia Soaring, Franconia, N.H., 603-823-5034, franconiasoaring.org, COST $100 for 15 minutes, $150 for 35 minutes
Considered some of the best ridge and thermal soaring in the Northeast, this company will have you fly eye to eye with eagles and hawks as you pass over alluring mountain summits and the Appalachian Trail.
Harris Hill Soaring, Elmira, N.Y., 607-734-0641, harrishillsoaring.org, COST $70-$80
Children and 90-year-olds have chosen to fly from this popular airport that also houses the definitive Museum of Soaring. Skimming over Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake, you'll enjoy this graceful way to absorb the beauty of the Finger Lakes region.
OTHER WAYS TO FLY
Summit Air Sports, Hang Gliding, Bellefonte, Pa., 814-571-1745, summitairsports.net, COST $130 for one tandem flight
Hang gliding seems to have been devised by those who wished to cling to kites when they went aloft. Here, you'll be amply rewarded by expansive views of the Susquehanna River from a hang-gliding hangout at Hyner View State Park.
New York Trapeze School, Manhattan, 212-242-TSNY, newyork.trapezeschool.com, COST $47-$65 per class
It's all about facing fear, harnessing the power of your own body and letting go. Wizards of the swinging bars take you through your first jump - from a 23-foot perch - to the ultimately gratifying experience of release and catch. If you are like many who go just for a taste, you'll end up signing on for subsequent classes right then and there.
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