Come on, you know I'm not talking about actually flying, right? We all know that it’s a feeling none of us can truly understand, however determined the researcher may be. Nevertheless, there is an experience that is, in my humble opinion, as close as one can get to authentic flight. The activity I'm talking about is none other than hang gliding!
I did this many, many years ago, but it left such an impression on me, I remember every sensation acutely. The experience proved to be invaluable when I needed to imagine what it would be like for my characters to fly (and not so bad should I wish to close my eyes and picture myself flying).
For the equipment, all one needs is a glider and a harness. Oh – and you must be with someone who knows what they’re doing, of course! If you don’t have a treeless hill to launch from, all you need is a flat field and a fast-pulling winch (which follows the same concept as someone running with a kite). As the towline whips the little glider forward, wheels on the base of the handlebar bump over the uneven ground at breakneck speed—or so it seems, as the ground is only inches below the flyer. When you’re going fast enough, then zoom, you lift into the air. In the space of a breath, you’re going from a rattle-your-bones bumpy ride, to smooth silence. The lift-off is remarkable.
In our case, once we’d gained sufficient altitude, we unhooked our tow lines, and we were free. The instructor I was with pointed out some hawks circling nearby—a sure sign of a thermal updraft—and we banked to join them. The moment we were beneath the circling birds, the thermal caught us. What a rush! The altimeter began beeping with increasing speed as I watched the ground whoosh away from us. Yet the world around me was remarkably silent. As we soared, all I could feel was the wind, and there was nothing beneath my body but air. The experience was surreal, and against all expectations, it wasn’t the least bit frightening. Instead, I truly felt like I had joined those circling hawks, flying through the sky like I belonged there.
There was an unexpected thing I learned from this: When soaring, it isn’t thrilling. It’s peaceful.
I am so thankful I could have this incredible experience. Not only is it something I’ll never forget, I was also fortunate to gain some insight that I could draw upon when writing. Though I may never truly take to the skies under my own power, hang gliding gifted me the closest thing to wings—and for a moment, I knew exactly what it felt like to fly.
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