Incredible Air Sports to Try in Australia

Want to enjoy the beach, but bored of soaking up the sun from the deckchair? Skydive Melbourne may have just the solution for you. A session with their tandem skydive team will enable you to experience up to seven minutes of breath-taking bird’s-eye views of St Kilda and the surrounding Port Phillip Bay. There is one catch… participants will have to free-fall from 4267.2 metres high (14,000 feet), for 60 seconds, in order to do so. With current deals ranging from just AU$329 (UK£189), this is a unique, affordable way to tick off one of the ultimate bucket list items. Take the plunge and you will reap the rewards.

The Sydney Hang Gliding Centre is a perfect choice for those that want to survey the Australian landscape from above, but a prefer a slightly smoother alternative. For the premium price of AU$275 (UK£158), groups can opt to fly from world-renowned hang-gliding site ‘Bald Hill’ Stanwell Park from 7.30am onwards, any day of the week. The flight time is approximately 30 minutes, giving you ample time to take in the picturesque Illawarra coast. First-time fliers will be relieved to know that the experience is well supervised and quite literally hands-on. Each session involves a lesson, and even a chance to help the instructor assemble the hang-glider.

Still too extreme? Why not try Hot Air, Australia’s most popular balloon operator. Based in several locations across the state of Queensland, Hot Air boasts the country’s largest team of professional pilots, a daily service throughout the year, ‘door to door transfers from all Surfers Paradise accommodation’ and two flight-length options (30 minutes and 60 minutes). There’s even a ‘luxury option’ for the extravagant – because who wouldn’t want a ‘delicious vineyard champagne breakfast’ before a chauffeured private transfer to a balloon of your choice? Whatever your inclination, Hot Air will provide an unforgettable experience.

Time to raise the tempo again. While Matt Hall races the world’s best at break-neck speed in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, his team are putting self-proclaimed daredevils through their paces, in what their website calls ‘the ride of your life’. Although a typical session lasts an hour, there is just 10 minutes of flight time. However, do not let this fool you. It should be stressed that this particular activity is NOT for the faint-hearted. Corkscrews, loops and extremely high G-forces await those willing to prove their worth. Good luck.

Suffer from a severe case of vertigo? If so, there is actually a way to experience the excitement of flight, without ever leaving the ground. Drone Racing Australia provides corporate firms and clients with events that give a small taste of one of the fastest growing e-sports in the world. The entertainment on offer includes a tutorial in how to fly a ‘First Person View’ (FPV) drone, use an FPV drone racing simulator and watch professional drone pilots as they navigate a challenging course. After attending the Microsoft Ignite 2017 event on the Gold Coast earlier this year, the company are confident they can continue to build drone racing’s ever-increasing profile.