Extreme Alternative In Air Travel

Flying is something that I do pretty much every few weeks these days and I have to admit, it is pretty monotonous and dull. I mean from the tedious cab rides to the airport, the intensely annoying security screenings, and the usual delays, flying has become somewhat of a chore than an enjoyment when I travel.

Fortunately on a recent trip to Spokane, Washington I was able to take to the air in a much more enjoyable and care free manner. The company behind the alternative to airplanes is called Backcountry Aerosports Incorporated and they were cool enough to show me around their great facility, which is located in Cheney, Washington (about 15-minutes outside Spokane) and allow me to go up in the air (with a co-pilot of course) on one of their trikes.

Nicknamed “flying weedeaters”, trikes average a speed of about 40-60 mph and have cruised upwards of 12,000 feet!  But at Backcountry Aerosports they prefer “low and slow,” so expect to be 50′-300′ above the great state of Washington when you fly with them.

A trike needs about only 300-400 feet of space to get off the ground and to land, but some riskier flyers have used as little as 80 feet for both going up and coming down!

When I got prepped by owner Denny Reed, you could tell that not only was flying trikes an enjoyable way to make a living, but he was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about it. He came off as someone well trained, extremely professional, and at times a bit snarky (which as a New Yorker is always a good trait).

Getting my extra large Irish potato head strapped in before take off.

After going through an instructional video and getting suited up for flying, it was time to take to the skies. The weather could not have been more perfect. It was 6am, not a cloud in the sky, winds were calm, and the sun was creeping up onto Prosser Butte.

After getting suited and onto the trike safely, Denny and I were ready to roll.

Before taking off, Denny checked to make sure everything was safe, secure, and ready for takeoff. He truly knows what he is doing and I felt extremely safe flying with him. So after informing him that I am not full insured, we took to the skies.

Once we took off, which was pretty damn quick, it was smooth sailing…er flying. From the time we left the ground until we came in for landing about 25 minutes later, I never felt like I was in danger. I was secured into the trike with a seat belt and the trike rarely felt too shaky or rocky as we darted through the air. At one point Denny even let me take control of the trike and move it left and right as well as up and down. I’m not going to lie when I tell you that it was a truly awesome experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat and highly suggest you thrill seekers check it out at least once.

In the air over Cheney and loving every minute of it.

Backcountry Aerosports provides training courses to assist you in getting the proper certification you will need in order to whiz around the air on your own. Classes will run you about $2,800 and take anywhere from 8-12 hours to become skilled in using a a single seat “Ultralight” and 15 hours of training plus 5 hours of supervised solo time in order to master the art of flying a two-seat “Light Sport Aircraft.”

Unsure if this is something you want to invest much time and cash into? Then don’t fret, as Backcountry Aerosports also provides introductory and recreational flights as well. For as little as $40 plus fuel, you can be an airborne beginner. But if your experience is anything like my experience, than I expect you will probably upgrade to more time in the sky and maybe just maybe wind up getting a trike of your own. If so, feel free to fly by Brooklyn and pick me up.

For more information about Backcountry Aerosports Incorporated and to get more information on how to get flying, check out their website www.trikeschool.com.