SPEED & THRILLS

Thrills Take Flight

By REDMOND CAROLIPIO

Flying around a racetrack isn’t the only way to get the blood pumping here in the Inland Empire. You also can have some fun actually flying because our region also features plenty of non-earthbound ways to eat fear for breakfast.

ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES to check out is Perris Valley Skydiving, where thrill seekers can not only tandem jump out of a plane (strapped to an instructor), but also learn the ropes in a 96-foot-tall wind tunnel.

Mary Tortomasi, flight deck manager for the indoor skydiving part of the center, said tackling the wind tunnel is about experiencing the feeling of flight, not falling.

"We’re able to simulate what we as skydivers really feel," she said. "It’s not the feeling you get from a roller coaster, it’s flying. And it’s addicting."

Tortomasi also emphasized that the feeling of taking to the air is a very real vision for a lot of people. "They achieve the dream of body flight, and that’s the truth," she said.

An instructor in the tunnel watches your back the whole time and someone controls the air flow, so you don’t have to worry about slamming into the wall or getting shot into the ceiling. If you’ve never done anything like this before, have no fear. The center offers courses for first-time flyers of all ages.

Then there’s the Jim Wallace Skydiving School, also in Perris, which handles tandem and accelerated free-fall jumps.

The school is no stranger to Hollywood, as it was involved in the recent Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman movie "The Bucket List," "Point Break," "Air Force One" and other movies. Among the stars who’ve trained there are Cameron Diaz, Sean Penn and Chuck Norris.

You also can have aerial fun at High Adventure in San Bernardino, which specializes in both hang gliding and paragliding. The flights are run by Rob and Dianne McKenzie, a husband and wife who have tons of experience (almost 9,000 flights) and a slew of awards backing them up.

Most people start with a tandem lesson and then work their way up on training hills and eventually solo lessons.

The same also goes for Inland Paraflite in Apple Valley, where you get a chance to assume control of a powered parachute (or PPC). The company’s been around since 1993 and requires extensive training since you’ll be essentially flying an aircraft. However, the true thrill is being able to really see where you are going and taking in the scenery, as opposed to blazing from one destination to another, said Phil Dietro, chief flight instructor.

If you like your excitement closer to the ground, you can exercise a little more control in Joshua Tree at the Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School, which offers courses and instruction for climbers of all levels. The school also is open to groups and family outings. You can learn the basics at one-day seminars and move your way up to four-day courses for more advanced work.

TO LEARN MORE
Perris Valley Skydiving
www.skydiveperris.com - (800) 832-8818; for the indoor skydiving school, (951) 940-4290

Jim Wallace Skydiving School
www.jimwallace-skydiving.com - (800) 795-3483

High Adventure
www.flytandem.com - (909) 883-8488

Inland Paraflite Inc.
www.paraplane.com - (760) 242-3359

Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School
www.joshuatreerockclimbing.com - (800) 890-4745