RIDES

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The Mile High Flight Our best ride! This flight has everything. You'll tow to 5,280 feet above airport elevation, deep into the mountains West of Boulder, with a great view of the 14,000-foot snow-capped peaks of the Continental Divide. After soaring free near Gross Reservoir or Nugget Ridge, you may wish to have your pilot burn up extra altitude flying roller-coaster maneuvers, or let you handle the controls for a portion of the flight. This is definitely an experience you'll remember forever! $179 for one passenger; $219 for two passengers under 300 lb riding together. (about 40 minutes) You may extend this ride to an hour of flight time for $259 for a single passenger; $299 for the two passengers riding together.

The Mountain Flight (to the Foothills) One of our most popular flights begins with a tow to 3,500 feet above Boulder's mile-high elevation. You'll be towed West from the airport towards the foothills, near the Flatirons or Left Hand Canyon. After soaring briefly along the ridges, you'll silently glide all the way back across town and campus. $139 for one passenger; $179 for two passengers under 300 lb riding together. (about 25 minutes)

The City Flight A 2,000-foot tow above the City of Boulder puts you in a perfect position to enjoy views of downtown and the University of Colorado, with the Rocky Mountains in the background. $79 for one passenger; $99 for two passengers under 300 lb riding together. (about 15 minutes)

Scenic Ride Constraints, Guidelines, and Hints
No flight training is required, just a brief pre-flight orientation on where and how to sit. The double ride in the SGS 2-32 works best for two small adults or an adult and child: Maximum combined weight of passengers is about 300 lb. and shoulder room is limited. Also, the passenger-cockpit control stick is removed for doubles, so that trial flying is not possible. The sailplane has neither heater or air conditioner and though outside air temperature may be up to 15 deg. F cooler at altitude, the Plexiglas canopy which blocks the relative wind also warms by greenhouse effect, so the feel is about the same as on the ground. Accordingly, dress for being outdoors in season. Photographs turn out well through the canopy - cameras and small camcorders are welcome (hold firmly for takeoff-landing-turbulence). Anyone susceptible to motion sickness will easily avoid discomfort by looking at distant vistas instead of nearby objects (e.g. viewfinders or cockpit).

Aerobatic Flight Imagine being introduced to some of the maneuvers familiar to fighter pilots and airshow performers! After towing to an altitude of 4,500 feet above the ground, you will pull up to 4 gees as your pilot demonstrates roller-coasters, wing-overs, and even loops on the way back to the airport. We don't recommend this as a first flight, but if you're in good health and have no fear, you'll love it! We provide parachutes, as required by FAA regulations for all aerobatic flights. $169 for one passenger; not available for two passengers riding together. (about 20 minutes)

[ Most of the ride images shown have been televised on the Channel 4 "Colorado Getaways" program ]

Introductory Lesson Package
The best way to find out what it's like to learn to fly! The package includes up to an hour's use of a simple and forgiving Schweizer 2-33 training glider with flight instructor, plus ground instruction and up to 9,000 feet of aerotow spread over one to three tows. We will coach you in basic stick-and-rudder skills as opposed to air traffic, navigation, communication. We'll even include a glider pilot logbook in which to keep an official record of your training flights! $199 for one student; not available for two people flying together. (about 2 hours at the gliderport)

Five-Day Course
An intensive course of thirty flights, normally three in the morning and three more in the afternoon, for five consecutive days. Price is based on an average tow height of 2,500' and average duration of 20 minutes, and includes up to 10 hours Schweizer 2-33 rental, 10 hours flight instruction and 10 hours ground instruction. Extra long or higher performance sailplane flights may incurr a surcharge. Frequently sufficient to take the average individual with no flying experience to the solo stage, or from solo to the practical test for license. Also, often sufficient preparation for an experienced airplane pilot to add a glider rating. $2,100 for one student; not available for two people flying together.

[ See more detail on training at our "Lessons" page, from navigation button at top of page ]

Gift Certificates
All our rides can be purchased for your family and/or friends in the form of our convenient Gift Certificates. They are valid for one year from the date of purchase. You can order Gift Certificates online and pay for them through PayPal or provide payment information by phone. We will send your Certificate and brochures by US mail. Overnight express is an extra charge. We can even send a proof JPEG image by email if you wish. Sorry, we do not accept Gift Certificates from national franchises like GASA.

Bookings
We are open 7 days a week, year-round, 9AM to 5PM, weather permitting. High winds (>30mph), low ceilings (<2,000' AGL), or extreme cold may be reason for us to cancel for your best pleasure, but sailplane flying is fairly tolerant of weather. We recommend calling a week ahead to schedule your flight but if you can't wait, give us a call. We'll do our best to get you flying as soon as possible. Prepayment will best hold the reservation. Morning is usually best for smooth air, afternoon for sampling soaring currents. Note that an appointment for an 11:00AM ride slot is not setting an 11:00AM "departure time". It means that we plan to deliver a nominally 40 min. "Mile High" ride during the following hour, or a nominally 15 min. "City" ride during the following half-hour. The excess time accomodates variations in ride length and towplane availability, and the seating and briefing of new passengers.

For immediate questions and to schedule Rides, Lessons, or Rentals, please call (303)527-1122 9-5 MT. Read About Us. Write or visit us at 5534 Independence Rd., Boulder, CO 80301. You may also e-mail , or submit our online form.

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Copyright © 2002, Mile High Gliding, Inc. All Rights Reserved.