Hang Gliding Lookout Mountain.
Highway 189, Just outside Chattanooga, TN

This July, y'all wants you to go jump off a cliff. Having a set of wings might make the trip a little more enjoyable, and Lookout Mountain is one of the most popular places for hang gliding in the Southeast.

Aside from being the home of tourist-mecca Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mountain is an ideal location for hang gliding and para-sailing.

It boasts a 13 mile mountain ridge, that provides a great wind-powered updraft, has a good number of thermal lift spots, and is only a mile from the Lookout Mountain Air Field which offers glider towing services.

Lookout Mountain Flight Park and Training Center offers flights, flight training, hang gliding equipment and air-towing 364 days a year. All instructors are certified by the US Hang Gliding Association, and are experienced pilots familiar with the mountain. Beginners in search of a quick high altitude thrill can take a "tandem flight" with a trainer for about $100.

Those in pursuit of learning the art of flying can take a variety of training packages that range from $200 for a weekend "beginners special" to a $900 "Eagle Package" that offers unlimited "bunny hill" training and 5 solo flights from the mountain itself. A training glider and equipment is provided in all packages.

For more information, call the Lookout Mountain Flight Park at 1 (800) 688-5637.

Here's some y'all hang gliding links for you Southern sportsters:

• Kitty Hawk Kites offers hang gliding flights, tows, and instructions at the home of modern aviation in Kitty Hawk, NC.
  
• The Tennessee Tree Toppers Club has flight information and flying conditions covering the the Sequatchie Valley, one of the most popular hang-gliding sites in the United States.
  
• The Hang Gliding / Paragliding FAQ has most of what you need and want to know about this enticing yet potentially lethal pastime.