I like the suggestion by Stratus that is in my view a very cool approach to the issue. These days you can learn to paraglide in the Sussex downs and a number of other locations around the UK.
When I was camping in Yosemite National Park many many years ago each day these brightly coloured hang gliders drifted high over my head along the valley the camp site was in. It looked so effortless as they slowly moved across a clear blue sky. I was transfixed by it. I thought it was just the coolest thing I had ever seen. Needless to say when I finally decided to do more than just read about flying I made tracks for the nearest hang gliding school.
Here I came into contact with the difference between the image and reality of flying. After sliding down a few hills on my rear end whilst strapped into a large heavy kite like machine I realised the true benefits of having an engine at the front. Clearly there was a lot more to hang gliding close up and personal than when admired from a distance. I promptly started visiting local flying schools to find out a bit more about the pleasures of powered flight and what a PPL (A) entailed.
Last edited by Stephen Furner; 19th Dec 2010 at 12:27.