Flying the AT

[Waumbek]

Mark Warner, 68, a wildlife photographer, flew the AT in Piper Cubs that he restored (a '47 and '59). He took a series of aerial shots of the trail from vantage point of 500 to 2000' above the ground. He studied maps beforehand and used a GPS to get the shots he wanted. To get just the right shots--angles, light, etc--he thinks he logged more than 20,000 miles flying. There's a review in today's print Union Leader, but not the online version. Here's a link to the book itself. I went "flight-seeing" once. It was fabulous to see mountains from this perspective.

 

[Grumpy]

Flying "low and slow" in a light airplane is a wonderful way to see the countryside. Highly recommended. I've never done it in the mountains, though, which is something I may have to fix one of these days.

G.

 

[sierra]

flying

On thing I regret never doing, is taking one of those glider rides over the Presi's. I dont know if they still offer these rides, they where based out of Gorham, I believe, I enjoyed the sound they made soaring over the ridgeline.

 

[Waumbek]

Don't know about the Presidentials but I suspect that there are glider rides from Gorham. There's a glider port on Rt 116 across from the Franconia Inn with rides over the Kinsman Ridge in the summer.

 

[Boots]

Yup

We did N Kinsman for flags across th 48 and were buzzed by several gliders while lounging on the summit. It was rally cool and they do make a really cool noise.

 

[Orphic Seth]

http://soarfranconia.org/

Good group of guys, call them up (especially summertime, not a lot of soaring ops. in the winter) and ask for an intro. flight. They should be able to hook you up. There are other clubs that use Franconia, I think Greater Boston Soaring Club is another.

Be warned! You may get hooked!

There's another great group over in Warren, VT, near Sugarbush. Morrisville, VT too. All great people.

Edit: To keep up with the theme of the thread: This truly is a great way to see all those places you've been hiking. Such a different perspective not only makes you appreciate the beauty of the Northeast, but will change your own inner mental-map of the areas you hike. It's good stuff.

 

[jethro]

As a commercial pilot, I took up hiking after learning to fly, and can unequivocally say the views you see on foot blow away anything you see from the air - even at low altitude.

Having said this, I think anyone with a little money (and a cooperative wife helps) should pursue a pilot's license. Any flight school will take you up for a "demo" flight for around $50 and even let you play with the controls - that's all it took for me to get hooked.

Any other pilots on here?

 

[Orphic Seth]

I don't necessarily agree with the your opinion on the views, but I do see where you are coming from. I think they can both be great depending on what you're looking for, they compliment each other if you will... but to each his own! (Skimming along the tops, sunrises, sunsets, CB's--from a distance, the night sky... man... what a great career!)

And yes, everyone should get an intro flight! You may never ever look back!