Pilots marvel at adrenaline rush of flying ultralights

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - They are an adrenaline rush, if you are the pilot, or even if you're watching from the ground.

Ultralights will fill the skies over Sun ‘n Fun this weekend. They are the simplest form of aviation, and one of the most exciting.

They call it powered paragliding. If you want a no-frills flight, this is for you.

They come in all shapes and sizes, but enthusiasts say they all have one thing in common: They make your heart skip a beat.

When Paul Czarnecki is not on the mic at Sun ‘n Fun, he is up in the air, power paragliding or teaching someone else to.

“Powered paragliding is by far the simplest form of aviation. There are no instruments, except what’s between your ears,” Czarnecki explained. “It simply is a wing that is in a bag and a motor, and it can be taught to someone in a week.”

Paul has taught kids as young as 14 to fly.

“It feels like heaven. It feels like you are in a Lazy Boy chair. You have no stresses,” Czarnecki said.

“Everything about flying is not about getting from point A to point B. A lot of these aircraft exist just to be in the air,” explained Gary Furdell, Paradise City Chair.

That seems to be the allure of any ultralight: The sense of freedom.

As they took off and landed, the crowd watched in awe.

“It is hard to believe that you can get an airplane off in such a short distance,” marveled pilot Robert Benet.

You don’t even need a license to fly a paraglider.