Austin Paramotor, Austin

Imagine piloting a personal plane through the sky—then the walls gently dissolve while you remain airborne, soaring along with nothing but a motor and the cool breeze on your face. That's pretty close to what it's like in one of Austin Paramotor's powered paragliders. The concept is simple: just a harness, a parachute wing, and a backpack-mounted motor with a propeller pushing the whole contraption through the air. But if it still seems complicated, Austin Paramotor's USPPA-rated certified trainers are ready to guide first-timers through the entire process, providing instruction on how to take-off and maneuver so that, in time, students can fly solo. What's more is that the center also offers tandem paramotor flights, during which an instructor will operate the flying machine so that passengers can concentrate on more important tasks, such as taking in the view or networking with birds.