Flying is the only way to get close enough to a cloud to milk it or to visit your secret sky family. Break free from earthly bonds with this Groupon.
The Deal
$147 for a glider-flight package (a $245 total value)
- 30-minute ridge flight (a $195 value)
- HD video of flight with a 4GB reusable USB key (a $50 value)<p>
A certified pilot tows a two-seat glider up to 4,000 feet in the air before cutting ties and letting the craft gently float along the ridge line of the scenic Alberni Valley, soaring far above Vancouver Island’s rugged coastline. A Transport Canada–licenced pilot controls the craft from the back seat, allowing the passenger to lie back and enjoy views of the lakes, farmland, and mountains dotting the valley. An HD camera mounted in the aircraft records the entire journey, offering a plane’s-eye view or a recording of the passenger. Flights last approximately 30 minutes.<p>
Vancouver Island Soaring Centre
While man has not yet mastered a bird's ability to fly, we can approximate their effortless motion and unrivalled views through the glider airplane. Nestled in the Alberni Valley, the Vancouver Island Soaring Centre leads passengers on elevated journeys across the mountainous natural scenery. The VISC's fleet of PW-6U and PW-5 Smyk gliders are made of composite materials, making them light and ideal for sneaking up on cumulonimbus in the morning while they are still busy gluing on fresh cotton balls. In a Piper Pawnee plane, a pilot certified by Transport Canada leads each flight to a height of 2,000–6,000 feet before releasing the glider into the blue expanse. A separate certified pilot directs the craft from the back seat as the craft is kept aloft by thermal energy. Vancouver Island Soaring Centre can also record each blissful flying experience onto a take-home USB drive.