DAYSOUT
GET OUT INTO THE Elements cont.
FLYING
Getting up, up and away into the clouds above Kent is a dream for many, and when it comes to experiencing the true power of the elements, this is certainly one way to do it in style. Flying takes skill and focus, and there are a number of different places across the Garden of England that can start to teach you what to do – or where you can sit back and watch the professionals at work.
TG Aviation // Lydd At TG Aviation you can take your pick of the flights and experiences on offer. From flight training that takes you all the way to being a fully qualified pilot to oneoff experience days in some of their extraordinary flying machines( including the vintage Boeing Stearman), the highly qualified and experienced pilots will guide you through everything you need to know. www. tg-aviation. com
EFG Flying School // Biggin Hill EFG Flying School at the well known Biggin Hill Airport has a mixed fleet on Piper and Cessna aircraft, allowing for the most wide-ranging experience for veteran or first-time flyers. There are various different qualifications that you can achieve through this flying school, including nighttime flying and a full private pilot’ s license. No matter what you want from your lesson, the highly qualified instructors will be able to help you. www. flyegf. co. uk
SKYDIVING
Skydiving isn’ t for everyone, but there is no other( safe) way to feel the air rush against your body and experience its true power. If you do want to try this popular bucket-list activity, here are the places to do it.
Skyjumping // Maidstone When skydiving, you can reach speeds of around 120 miles per hour, and you’ ll be 10,000-15,000 feet in the air – it’ s a rush in more ways than one when you start to freefall, but there is nothing to worry about. At Skyjumping in Maidstone, there are experts on hand to give you all the training and information you need before making that first great leap into the unknown. www. skyjumping. co. uk
Skydive Headcorn Over 70,000 skydivers have jumped from planes 12,000 feet up in the air at Headcorn and when you see the kinds of view you’ ll get when your parachute deploys it’ s not hard to see why. On a clear day, you can see all the way across the France, and of course there are some exceptional views to be taken in of county icons such as Leeds Castle and the Weald. Skydive Headcorn offers a variety of different types of skydive, from tandem to accelerated freefall( AFF) training. www. headcorn. com
PARAGLIDING
Somewhere in between flying and parachuting, you have paragliding. Paragliding is the sport of attaching a wide canopy – a bit like an elongated parachute via harness to the body so that, when launched from a height, it can glide through the air. Quiet, beautiful, aweinspiring and offering the most gorgeous views, paragliding is one of the least taken up hobbies, but a very gratifying hobby to take up.
Fly High Sky Sports // Barming Since the equipment you need for paragliding can all fit into one rucksack, it’ s one of the more portable flying sports, and since – even though there is no engine involved – you can soar for hours at a time, it’ s one of the most cost effective too. The ethos of value for money, entertainment ad pure thrills is what can be found behind Fly High Sky Sports in Barming, Maidstone. Everything from taster lessons to EPPA pilot accreditation is on offer. www. flyhighskysports. com
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