Flying is a lot like having a staring contest: even with utter concentration, you’ll never be better at it than birds. Go toe-to-beak with our winged companions with today's Groupon: for $49, you get a one-hour introductory flight lesson at Paragon Flight Training (a $99 value).

Paragon Flight Training, an FAA-certified private flight school, guides amateur aviators to the skies inside sleek modern aircraft. Before bounding cloudward, a CFI-rated instructor introduces pilot to plane through a firm wingshake and a 20-minute overview of airplane anatomy. Take control of the cockpit as you soar around the coastline and practice basic maneuvers including how to slice through a cloud to harvest its nougat center. As a certified Cessna Pilot Center, Paragon Flight Training is part of an exclusive global network of pilot-training facilities devoted to elite educational standards.