Beach Flight

Since the weather in LA is so relatively nice (zero snow) I thought it might be an opportunity to continue my pilot training. Sure enough, there is a hang gliding school operating within driving distance, Windsports.

Yesterday I had a beach lesson, and took seven instructor-controlled flights (very low, they were literally hanging on to me from the ground) and two solos! Only one crash, plus one failure to launch!

I decided not to mention my two previous lessons, as it's such a tiny amount of experience that I figured it would only confuse their instruction and suck up time while they tried to figure out what I did and didn't already know. The accidental consequence was that I apparently did unusually well for a "first" lesson. That is the first time in my life that has ever happened with a physical skill, so it was gratifying albeit not exactly true. On the plus (and true) side, clearly I learned some stuff from the first two lessons!

The beach site was so much easier than the San Bernardino site. The wind blew in from the ocean, the slope was much gentler (and shorter) which enabled the instructors to physically control a flight, and no matter how far off-course you go, you're still going to be landing on sand.

The first couple flights were fun but not as exhilarating as in San Bernardino, and I couldn't figure out why until my instructor finally let go of my harness and then the I'm FLYYYYING factor instantly returned. It's interesting because I didn't realize he was going to do it and he was running behind me so I couldn't see him, so I didn't register him letting go, only that suddenly it really felt like I was flying.

I'm signing up for the full pilot package to beginner status - I should be able to do it in a month, and given that I haven't even managed to get a plumber to come to my property and take a look yet, I assume I will be here that long.

Video on Instagram.

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