The beauty and variability of the Czech and Moravian landscape can be seen not only from the ground, but also from the bird’s-eye view, from the board of a tourist airplane or from a balloon. The view of mountain massifs, lowlands, mirrors of water areas, the green of woods alternating picturesque villages and towns with old castles and chateaus is the best from the “bird’s perspectives”. Nearly one hundred small and sport airports through the country operate observation flights, the routes of which you can chose yourself. If you hold a pilot’s licence and are able to pilot a small motor airplane or an ultra-light aircraft, you can combine discovering of the most beautiful places of this part of Central Europe with your hobby. The airports in the Czech Republic will provide you – on the basis of previous standard arrangements – with a good basis, both if you arrive by your own plane or hire a plane on the spot. The Czech Republic belongs to the countries with a long tradition of aviation sports.
Ultra-lights
The Amateur Aviation Association of the Czech Republic groups several thousand pilots and owners of ultra-light planes. In the framework of its activity professional ultra-light plane-rentals and aviation schools will offer you their services. You can encounter them, for example, at the airports in Benešov, Hradec Králové and many other places.
Professional centres run good-quality technical facilities, which can offer you space for your private airplane and arrange accommodation and other services. In the Czech Republic take place popular meetings of ultra-light airplanes, often combined with sport disciplines and always with friendly gatherings in a pleasant aviation environment. More information on www.fantasyair.com
Flying on gliders and motor flying
One of the leading organizers of sport flying in Europe, the Aeroklub of the Czech Republic, associates several thousand pilots of gliders and motorized gliders and has its own flying schools. In cooperation with the Aeroklub there are several professional companies, which can rent you a plane and offer you the basic flying course as well as the course of acrobatic or non-engine flying.
The majority of sport airports organizes observation flights and can offer good background and space for private airplanes. Among significant centres of motorized and non-motorized flying are for example: the airport in Moravská Třebová, where operates the Centre of aviation sports of the Aeroklub of the CR and the airports in Vrchlabí, Benešov, Brno and other places.
Balloon Flying
Aviation clubs as well as private operators offer unforgettable experience during hot-air balloon observation flights. Their most frequent routes lead above Prague or famous castles, such as Karlštejn, Křivoklát or the Konopiště Chateau. Clients can be offered flights above other places with colourful sceneries and historical sights.
Paragliding and hang-gliding
The pilots of gliders and hang-gliders, organized in the Aviation Amateur Association of the Czech Republic, have their centres in Czech mountains, e.g. in the Krkonoše Mountains or in Beskydy, on the hills of Raná near Louny or the Kozákov Hill. They have a long tradition of gliding. Experienced instructors at the schools of paragliding and selected take-off points, who will be pleased to teach you paragliding or take you for a flight by a tandem glider. Although paragliding and hang-gliding belong to the “adrenaline” sports, Czech centres guarantee safe operating.
Skydiving
Parachuting is one of the sports organized by the Aeroklub of the CR. Similar to the aircraft pilots, the parachutists have their own schools and centres in the Czech Republic with professional backgrounds. The top-class instructors, among which are world champions in skydiving, offer the visitors with the licence the possibility of descents and the visitors without experience the possibility of tandem descents, including the free-fall flights.
The airports in Prague – Točná, in Mladá Boleslav, Příbram or Kunovice near Uherské Hradiště belong to the parachuting centres.
