Aerobatic Sailplane Ride at Sky Sailing Inc. in Warner Springs, CA

One of the first awesome things that Vy and I did as a couple is to go for a sailplane ride. It is such a unique feeling soaring through the sky and knowing that your plane has NO MOTOR. However, our pilot Garret is an absolute flying machine. The only downside to the tandem sailplane ride was that Garret couldn’t do the super crazy tricks. This is partially due to the fact that all acrobatic sailplane ride requires the riders to wear a parachute. Even though we couldn’t get super crazy, Garret still put on one heck of a show as we dove down and zipped along the ridges of the mountain below.

It made such an incredible impression on us that ever since then, we vowed to go back for that aerobatic thrill ride. With Vy’s birthday coming up, I decided to surprise her with it. Below are some photos we took the first time around when we flew tandem on the more mellow ride.

 
STATS:

Where:
Sky Sailing Inc. – 31920 CA-79, Warner Springs, CA 92086

Parking: 
There is plenty of free parking right in front of the office.

Hours: 
7 days a week, 9 am – 5 pm 

Level: 
Extreme!!! This will get your heart pumping! (You can also opt for their more mellow rides.)

Estimated Completion Time: 
From 20 to 45 minutes depends on your flight choices. 

Ideal Weather:
Because of its location, from the standpoint of soaring weather, Sky Sailing has the best year-round weather in the world. Although it does get really hot in the summer. July and August can be in the ’90s, which can make it a little bit on the warmer side inside the plane. They pretty much can fly anytime, except for rainy days because of visibility or when it’s too windy (30 mph wind). The glider is fine as soon as it is in the air, however, it is dangerous to handle the glider on the ground.

Ideal Time:
The early or late part of the day seems to have the most stable air, which helps make your flight less bumpy. However, each season has different weather patterns. Feel free to call Sky Sailing if you have any questions.

ABOUT THE PLACE:

Since 1959, Sky Sailing Inc. has been a premier sailplane destination and is a world leader in the sport of soaring. Their pilots are featured every year at the Miramar Air Show, as well as competing at the highest levels of competition. They offer a sailplane ride for one or two passengers as well as lessons so that you can get up there and fly on your own!

 
Our favorite pilot, Garret, is one of the best. He made his first solo flight when he was only 14 years old. He got certified to be an instructor on his 18th birthday and has been owning the skies for the last 19 years. In addition to teaching, he is also a world-class competitor. He has claimed the US National Championship in 2009, 2013, and 2015. In 2009, he bested 2 of the top pilots in the country. His competitors’ planes had high performance far exceeding the plane that he was flying. You can see him and his family in action below:

THE ADVENTURE:

Vy didn’t know where I was taking her for her birthday, only that she had a 10 a.m. appointment that we couldn’t be late for. I was absolutely thrilled when I found out that Garret was still there and that he would be her pilot. We like to do crazy things, but there is also a level of trust that comes into play when I am sending her off on a stunt sailplane ride. However, I completely trust Garret. This guy is the real deal.

About 10 minutes from the airport, I asked her if she knew where we were going. With a cautiously optimistic grin, Vy said: “Are we going to ride in the sailplane again?” As soon as I nodded yes, her eyes lit up with excitement. I knew that I had knocked it out of the park with my birthday surprise. As we pulled into the parking lot, you could see the long row of sailplanes just sitting there, waiting to feel the breeze on their wings.

As soon as we entered the office, we were greeted with the most adorable greeters: a gray kitty named Sync and a big boy kitty named Leonard. Being cat parents, we were over the moon with our new friends. After filling out the necessary paperwork, we headed out to the back where Garret was pulling the sailplane around and centering it on the runway.

 
After helping Vy put on her parachute (a parachute is required for an aerobatic flight), Garret proceeded to sit Vy in the front seat and started to teach her how to fly the plane. Both of us kind of thought he was joking at first. We were both confused because we hadn’t read about this in the ride description. However, Vy was up for the challenge. Don’t worry, because Garret had a matching set of controls in the back seat. He can assist you if you need it. Garret will eventually take over for the aerobatic portion of the flight and during takeoff/landing.

After one final safety check, the cockpit was closed and the tow rope was attached to the glider. The next thing I knew, Garret had the tow rope stretched out across the runway and the tow plane was getting into position. As the engine on the tow plane came alive with a thunderous roar, the tow rope pulled tight and the sailplane popped upright and started to pick up speed. With an adorable little wave, Vy swiftly flew by. After Vy did her sailplane ride, I went next. So from here, we will recount our experiences together as we turned upside down, barrel-rolling in the little sailplane. 

 
Once we were up in the air, the tow plane banked to the right towards the mountain in search of thermals. Thermals are pockets of hot air that allow the sailplane to climb in altitude even though the plane has no motor. As we reached about 6900 ft, Garret instructed us to pull the lever that released the tow plane. With a good pull, we watched the rope fly away as the tow plane dived out of sight.

From here, Garret handed the control over to us. Based on his instructions on the ground, Vy and I practiced our control over the glider. Garret gave us complete control over the plane. He had such a calm, reassurance present that made you feel very comfortable and at ease as you learn to master the flying techniques. I wouldn’t say that flying the sailplane was easy since we were just doing simple flying methods. However, it was a lot easier than we thought. Flying these planes take a lot of finesse. It was reminiscent of hang gliding or indoor skydiving in the fact that small movements have great results. After about 10 minutes of flying the plane entirely by ourselves, we were feeling pretty dang cool. I mean how often does the average person get to rip across the sky at speeds nearing 130 in a plane with no motor?

 
After some time flying, suddenly from the back of the cockpit, we heard Garret asked, “are you ready for some fun?”. You could tell that he said it with a smile. I knew that things were about to get real. Of course, both of us excitedly said yes and returned control of the plane to him. He wasted no time, with a quick snap of the stick we went into our first dive. We did every trick in the book! stalls, barrel rolls, flipping upside-down to nosedive, s-turns, pretty much everything imaginable. At 130 mph, we hit 3G’s on the rolls, 5G’s on the turns. It was intense. You can feel the force of gravity pressing you against the seat. It was the weirdest feeling as your whole body felt so heavy that it made it hard to adjust the glasses on your face.

Garret took the plane upside down and did stalls for what felt like 30 seconds, then flipped back over. Everything was suspended in the air. It was a surreal feeling. He also dived, nose down, in what can only be described as a roller coaster with no tracks before swooping back up. During the stall, it feels like you were in the matrix. Everything seemed to stop. All the dirt particles were frozen in the air. Before we landed, Garret did a quick steep turn and roll, where we reached 5G’s. I looked out to the right wing tip only to see the airport. We were completely sideways. That was an extreme feeling, yet incredible at the same time.

 
It was such an amazing experience that both Vy and I can’t wait to do it again. We highly recommend you to do it, even if it’s not the extreme aerobatic sailplane ride like we did. Give the awesome people at Sky Sailing Inc. a call and tell them that That Adventure Life sent you! Maybe Garret or one of their other amazing pilots will throw in an extra flip for you!

If you’re still up for more adventures, check out Eagle Rock Hike. The trailhead is only a 5-10 minutes drive from Sky Sailing. If you feel like driving, Three Sisters Falls Hike is another good hike, depends on the time of the year. You can also head toward Anza Borrego to check out the amazing metal sculptures or hike through the Slot Canyon there. 

Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, subscribe to our Youtube channel, and sign up for our newsletter!

RECOMMEND GEAR:

Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.

•  Sunscreen:
    We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen or Sun Bum Sunscreen

•  Closed-toe shoes
   Recommended for keeping your precious little piggies safe from banging around inside the cockpit. 

•  Motion sickness medication
   If you’re prone to motion sickness, please make sure you get that taken care of before getting on the plane such as taking Dramamine and bring ginger with you.

•  Eat a small meal
  Don’t stuff yourself before the flight. Eat a small breakfast or lunch.

CAMERA GEAR:
•  Camera:
    Sony a7 III

•  Lenses:
   Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens 
   Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX   

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