What it's like to fly?
Hang Gliding at Dockweiler Beach
By Greg Aragon
July 3, 2002 Pasadena Independent
I looked down the 25 foot sandy slope, eyed my target some 50 yards away, took a deep breath and galloped forward. In a few steps, the earth gave way, gravity released its hold and something wonderful happened. Like the Wright Brothers before me, and David, the guy from Ohio next to me, I had achieved flight. For fifteen glorious seconds I was a condor, soaring over the beach.
My adventure began on the powdery bluffs of Dockweiler State Beach near LAX. Here I met Windsports‚ flight instructor Paul Thornbury, a skilled pro who has been teaching the sport since 1985. I was a little nervous at first, but after a brief orientation on the basics of flight and a few key instructions, Paul put my mind at ease with a demonstration flight. It was now my turn. I put on a harness, a helmet and then strapped into a modern, Condor 330 hang glider. After locking in and grabbing the triangle-shaped control bars, I balanced the "bird"and prepared for takeoff. Instantly, I felt the tug of the wind; the glider wanted to fly itself.
With Paul running along side, I headed down the slope. Before I could say Kitty Hawk, I was airborne, sailing toward the water.
I pushed out on the bar and the glider rose. I pulled it in and the glider descended. I climbed to about ten feet and soared nearly 50 yards before touching down like a feather on the sand. I was ready to go again.
After one more pass on the baby slope, we moved to a larger bluff and set the target farther away. With Paul again running along side, I took off, caught a breeze, and glided twenty second - the length of a football field.
By my fourth jump, on the second largest hill, I did something rare for a beginner - I actually steered the craft. My target was a windsock, a hundred yards away. As I approached it, the left wing tilted down. But before Paul could yell instructions, I pulled into the right and leveled her off. By the end of the day, after ten jumps, I did feel like I had the hang of it. It was great fun and a lot easier than I expected. Although I don‚t plan to jump off any mountains, I do plan to return with some friends.
The 25-foot bluffs are the perfect size for beginners or anyone interested in sampling this thrilling sport.
Windsports Flight Training Center is located at Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo.
They offer lesson packages from $120. For those who prefer a higher altitude, Windsports also offers a 3,500 feet tandem-mountain experience at their Sylmar Flight Park in Sylmar. For more information, call 818 367-2430 or visit www.windsports.com
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