My boyfriend and I took a hang gliding lesson with Mike bright and early on a Saturday morning (we arrived ~8am) and had a LOT of fun! There were 2 other attendees other than my boyfriend and myself, so our class was a total of 4 people, all of us beginners. One person had taken classes before, but was doing more lessons in order to get his hang 1 license. Mike starts the class by introducing himself and teaching us some safety lessons. We put together the hang glide together as a group, and he teaches us the different parts of the hang glide and how they work together. Then, we roll the glider up a small hill and he gives us some pointers on how to approach the lesson and what to do what we start running and once the glider starts taking off! The lesson was from about 8am to noon. Mike REALLY works for the money he makes during these lessons - he is running up and down the hill, and coordinating to make sure that everyone gets plenty of time on the hang glide. His passion for this sport is palpable, and it's clear he is friends with all the other folks at the area / park that morning who are regular hang gliders. This is a really fun activity to do on a weekend morning, not to mention the VIEWS are amazing. Attaching some photos as proof! Overall I had a GREAT time and would certainly consider taking more classes with Mike! read more

I found Eric to be an excellent instructor. His patients and willingness to restate his instructions, many times over, drives home the needed understanding for the skills he is describing. On those occasions when I was not getting the instructions, he restated them framed differently. His vast knowledge and experience was demonstrated through his patients and confidence. With his guidance I learned very quickly. I have no hesitation recommending Eric for hang gliding instructions. I would have no hesitation if I were starting over asking his support and training. Thank you Eric, for all your help and assuring I learned the skills needed to be a safe pilot! Mikee Bowen read more

Mike of Bay Area Hang Gliding is the best! My 19 year old asked for a hang gliding lesson on their Birthday. Mike is an excellent teacher, organized and very patient. The morning of hang gliding was so much more than we had expected. My 19 year old actually got up in the air and flew! Without hesitation, I highly recommend hang gliding lessons with Mike. read more

Mike was awesome. I'm glad I went with bay area for my lesson because I got way more launches and one on one instructions than the other school. Thanks Mike read more

I agree with other previous reviews. My lesson with Bay Area Hang Gliding was a lot of fun and something I'll always remember. Although the address says Santa Clara, my beginner lesson was at Ed Levin County Park in Milpitas. I arrived at 8:00 am for the lesson, then filled out some forms and later helped set up the hang glider. Then we began taking launches (takeoffs) from a small hill. After a few launches, you slowly get used to running with the hang glider and landing with it. For beginners, you don't get high off the ground. I'd say no more than 15 feet off the ground. And initially, the first few runs, you're no more than 5 feet off the ground. The fun part of the experience is just the feeling of flight and being free. You feel like a bird. Similar to surfing, hang gliding involves waiting for the right conditions. Sometimes, you'll have to wait for more than 10 minutes for the right wind conditions. If there's no wind, it's harder to get lift and takeoff. Eric, the instructor, is a great guy. He's laid back and easy going, but also cares a lot about safety. He doesn't push people too hard and makes them feel comfortable. read more

The best thing I ever did on any birthday ever, I just did last Sunday - hang gliding! Imagine soaring over a gorgeous green grassy mountain or along the beach in a tandem hang glider, in the air for 45 minutes, looking down at the hovering hawks, accompanied by an experienced pilot who's having as much fun as you are. It's an astonishingly beautiful experience to fly, really fly, with no care in the world except to soak up every second of the joy of finally doing what you've been doing for years in your dreams! I'm soooo glad my first hang gliding experience was with Mike Jefferson of Bay Area Hang Gliding, and all future ones will also be with him, because he's an excellent pilot, a really nice guy who's easy to talk to, he has at least ten years of hang gliding experience, and he makes you feel comfortable, safe, and at ease. And since he's independent, his prices are about 25% lower than the other hang gliding places. Also very important, at least to me, is that he listens to you and he tailors your hang gliding experience to what and where and how and how long you want. Ask him for a wing roll to the left and you get a wing roll to the left. Ditto to the right. Ask him to fly by the launch area so you can scream hello at your envious boyfriend, and he will. And his price is so right. He mounted a camera to the glider and made a video of our entire flight and is going to send it to me. I can't wait to see it and relive the unbelievable experience of flight. Mike is such an alright guy, he even took my boyfriend up for a flight that same afternoon! I heart Mike and Bay Area Hang Gliding! read more

I tried a tandem flight with Bay Area Hang Gliding back in June of 2008 and I was HOOKED from the first flight. I immediately began my training with them to become a hang gliding pilot myself and have loved every minute of it. Mike, their lead instructor is amazing. When you take a tandem ride with him, he has a way of making a person feel relaxed and confident in his expertise. I used to have a debilitating fear of heights, but he helped me relax so I could go flying with him. I've gone on 4 tandem flights with him now and he became my hang gliding instructor...teaching me so I can fly my own glider. My fear of heights is miniscule now. Every time I went up with him or flew under his tutelage my fear got smaller and smaller. I can't adequately express how much I'm enjoying flying. The closest I can come is to say that I'm addicted and it's one of the most incredible things I've ever done. read more

My husband and I just took a lesson this past Saturday and it was fantastic. Our instructor was Mike and he was great. Very patient and super helpful in teaching us. I would totally recommend this place. Our class was at 8am and you begin by helping set up the glider and learning the fundamentals. Then you start running with the glider on flat land and slowly work up to a small hill for the first class. It was very laid back and we even went over the normal time of the class since we were all having fun and the wind was good. This would be the perfect gift for someone who is interested or if you are just looking for something unique and fun to do. read more

Like so many others, I grew up having dreams of flying like a bird... In search of a way to experience that sensation while actually awake, I tried many types of "adventures" in the air - skydiving, bungee jumping, roller coasters, small planes - but none of them seemed to match that peaceful flight that I experienced so vividly with my eyes closed; that is, until I tried Hang Gliding. I had never actually seen a hang glider in person, until one fateful day while hiking, I sat and watched a pilot pull his wing off his car, set it up and fly away with as much ease as if he actually had wings. All of the sudden, the ability to fly seemed as if it was in reach. That same day I called and scheduled a lesson at Bay Area Hang Gliding. The day of my first lesson was life changing - in so many ways. During that lesson, I was able to experience the feeling of flying, even if it was only for a few seconds, but it was enough to convince me that I had found what I was looking for. During the first few months of lessons, Eric worked very patiently with me to hone my skills and build my confidence, and before too long, I found myself going off the higher hills at not only the training site, but also local sites in the area. It doesn't take long to realize that the mechanics of learning to fly is the easy part. The more challenging part was being able to visualize the invisible elements around me, understanding the culture of the Hang Gliding community, and gaining insight to the many flying sites that we have access to around California. Bay Area Hang Gliding not only gave me the fundamental tools to feel confident in the air, but Eric became my mentor and my friend, personalizing my journey to becoming an accomplished hang glider pilot. Before long, I found myself part of a community of pilots that opened me up to world that I was only dreaming of before now. read more

How it all started? Me and my work buddies were looking for some road bikes, then talked about go pro then scuba diving then suddenly I remembered my almost lost long-time dream of being off the ground. I have tried 1 lesson of hang gliding in 1997 in Nags Head, North Carolina and tried to look for a more permament 'home' of doing it in 1998 but did not find one. Fast forward to summer 2017, finding BayAreaHangGliding online is probably the best result of my search one day since I got "hooked in, balanced and clear" right after attending Erik's first session one summer morning of 2017. I have to fess up that I have a fear of heights and believe me, I'm not alone (work colleagues and felllow HG pilots admitted it while waiting for our turn :)). I even have to admit to Eric right before I did my first launch at 150 ft that I am only 6 out of 10 confident that I know what I'm doing:). With his assurance that as long as I be myself and can recall most if not all of what he has been teaching us, it will be all right. Man oh man, it's indescribable that few seconds after launching. I am now working on my H2 rating launching from the 300 ft hill, have my own glider and this is probably the best decision of my midlife crisis. Others look for fancy cars or trips or what not but if you want unique and great fun with a little workout to stay fit, hang gliding is next to none. Not sure if it's the sports or having Erik as a great person and instructor or his great hang gliding passion or maybe it's all of the above. read more

Thank you SO VERY much for the hang gliding experience for my birthday. It was AMAAAAZING!!! Mike was great in coordinating things - he recommended doing a 4-hr lesson this time of year rather than 1 tandem jump (the wind has to be just right for a tandem). Since I had a group of people, he set us up with 2 instructors and 2 gliders. It was a great choice! We went on a Saturday in March with instructors John & Eric, and a small group of friends. We had a blast! They were great teachers and I felt we were adept pupils :) We all want to do it again, so expect to hear from us in the near future! Thanks again! read more

My name is Edwing and I'm using my wife's Yelp account to write this review. That's why you see a woman picture on the profile ;-) I've been hang Gliding for almost a year and have had an amazing experience with Bay Area Hang Gliding. Eric (the instructor) is in one word GREAT! His first concern is safety. He teaches you about it and makes you practice it at all times. Even when in group training he makes every student feel like they are having a one on one private session. Don't expect to be flying in a few lessons. Eric will make sure you have the right skills to get off the training hill and go up to the higher hills. It takes time and dedication but once you have the right training the flying time will come and you'll be hooked into Hang Gliding for life. Bay Area Hang Gliding plans trips to different sites. I've been in Big Sur and Dunlap so far where I took my family in a camping/flying trip. There are many other sites in California they've talked about and I look forward to visit as well. If you want to have fun with just some training or Hang Glide in a regular basis Bay Area Hangliding (Eric) is the right choice. This instructor will let you know what you've done right or wrong. He'll guide you and make you understand how to correct your issues and will ensure you have plenty of fun. read more

I'm scared of height to death! One day my friend, who just did base jumping, was making fun of me so bad. Thus I decided to start from something. You know, hang gliding is much better to me, because you start from the ground, and... run, Bill, run!!! I had a feeling I'm an eagle. My adrenalin level was never so high, I had soo much fun! I enjoyed that 20 minutes flight! I want to do this again. Thanks a lot! read more

I can't say enough good things about Bay Area Hang Gliding. I lucked into it; someone gave me a gift certificate for a couple free lessons (an amazing gift idea, btw). The first lesson I got 15 or 20 feet in the air on a very large, very stable glider that is perfect for complete rookies. It's just one step, but for a few seconds, you're flying. I got hooked FAST! Presumably I would have gotten hooked if I had gone anywhere else, so why Bay Area Hang Gliding over some of the other outfits? In short because of the head instructor Eric Hinrichs. Hang gliding clearly has some risk associated with it but can be very safe when done correctly. Eric is the guy who knows how to make that happen. He's great, helpful, has a million cool stories, is a great teacher. and I've caught him dozens of times going above and beyond what he's being paid to do; but even more than that he knows how to keep students safe and knows how to teach students to keep themselves safe. In short, if my mom or wife or baby sister wanted to go hang gliding, without a doubt I would send them to Eric. There's no question there. Going off the "top" of the 1750' hill at Ed Levin park for the first time was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and Bay Area Hang Gliding/Eric Hinrichs is who helped make that happen. If this is on your bucket list, call Eric. If it's not, put it on and call Eric. You won't regret it. read more

I have wanted to try hang gliding ever since I was a wee girl growing up in Fremont and seeing people hang glide off Mission Peak. So imagine how excited I was when my bf was visiting from the east coast and wanted to try it out too! I called Mike up on a Tuesday and was able to make a reservation for two tandem flights on Saturday afternoon. He was very patient in answering all my questions on the phone. The night before our flight day, he called me again to confirm our meeting time and location since hang gliding is a weather-dependent activity. Since I live in San Francisco, we met at Fort Funston (very convenient location for someone in the city) on a gorgeous afternoon. Mike was awesome. He was very clear in his instructions, but didn't go on and on and on that you had to wait a long time before you could start hang gliding. Apparently the hang gliding world in the Bay Area is pretty small, so Mike knew just about everyone up that cliff that day. They were all very friendly to us and chatted us up between flights. I do have a fear of heights but hang gliding with Mike was one of the most peaceful experiences ever. We took off and landed in the same place, which surprised me because I always thought you had to land lower than your take off point. Anyway, we went up and down the coastline and I felt like a bird! He did have a parachute that I was also strapped to, but he said in his ten years of experience he never had to use it. Flying over Ocean Beach, he said the worst thing that could probably happen was landing on the beach below instead of on the cliff since then you had to hike up the cliff with 75 pounds of gear. But in terms of a danger level, that was nothing. Besides, Mike was experienced enough to not let that happen...at least not during a tandem flight! Note that he does have a weight limit (200 pounds), and it's obviously easier to fly with a lighter person. Because we were waiting for the wind to pick up so he could take my boyfriend, I even got to go twice (sorry bf!). My boyfriend did eventually get to go once the wind picked up and Mike took him on a longer 40 minute flight. As an added bonus, your "pilot license" is valid for 30 days so Mike said if we ever saw him there sometime in the next month, he'd give us a ride for free. Wheee! Thanks for a great Saturday afternoon, Mike! read more

After taking a break of 18 years, finally decided to fly again and renew all my ratings and get back on the air. I reached out to Eric, and TOTALLY exceeded my goals and expectations. I recovered the love to fly and now I'm hooked with an amazing pilots community. Eric is an excellent instructor and will pass on his passion and knowledge about gear, sites and weather in the Bay Area. Bay Area Hang Gliding Rocks!! read more

Close to one year ago I took a hillside lesson and got completely hooked. I've since acquired my novice license and all my gear through Bay Area Hang Gliding. Learning to fly a hang glider is an amazing experience that words do not adequately describe. Eric and Robert both are great people and incredible instructors. Their first priority is your safety, followed closely by having a good time. You may even get a little lesson on micro meteorology. How watching the grass and trees, and birds flying overhead can give you clues as to what the wind is doing and how best to harness it. Flying a hang glider could be compared to surfing a wave. However, unlike a wave, you can potentially stay in the air for hours. Conditions and skill level dependent. Also, once you've gotten your license there are many flying trips throughout the year to different flying sites. This is more than just a school, it is a community. So whether you come out for a day just to try it out, or check it off your bucket list. Or you've always dreamed of flying like a bird and you continue with lessons. This school is the place to be. I cannot say enough good things about Bay Area Hang Gliding. read more

WOW. I took my boyfriend to hang gliding lessons for surprise birthday present, we had the most amazing experience. Mike is extremely helpful when I first called. I was torn between tandem jump vs lessons, and he patiently walked me through what it was like for each, so that i can decide on lessons. Erik(c) was our instructor - excellent instructor! He was patient with us, he ran with us every time until we were comfortable, he was super knowledgeable about not only how to fly but also the technical facts behind how hang glider and aerodynamics work. I learned so much. I really recommend the lessons if you are more into extreme activities and you are a DIY type of person. That feeling of getting air for the first time is indescribable. If anything, you will get Great exercise! read more

I started my training with Mike Jefferson of BayAreaHangGliding, after having found his company website on the internet. I am a Software Engineer working in the silicon valley and have only weekends to train. I needed an instructor who would tailor his instruction around my work schedule and not miss giving classes on weekends. Mike was always there in the training zone before the lesson start time which is around 8 a.m. The training was usually at Ed Levin County Park, milpitas which has benign conditions for beginner pilots. The training was mostly fun (except the effort needed to hike your glider up the training hill) with just one or two other students training with me at any time and Mike would provide his feedback after each of my flights. Since his is a low volume school he could afford to give me personal attention. He also is a dealer for hang gliding equipment(gliders, harnesses, parachutes, helmets etc.,) and that makes his shop a one stop solution for me. I got my beginner and novice ratings with Mike. I am currently working towards my Intermediate rating. I consider a good hang gliding instructor as one who can communicate well with you, tailor the lessons around your needs and be interested in your progress as a pilot. Mike is an excellent instructor and a thorough professional. Mike also teams up with other hang gliding instructors who teach at his school like Eric Heinrichs, who happens to be another excellent instructor with thousands of hours of flight experience, who taught me for a few lessons and provided some very valuable tips about safe flying. I rate my experience with BayAreaHangGliding as very pleasant, fun and thoroughly invigorating and would highly recommend his school to anyone who wants to realize their dream of flight. read more

At Yelp, five stars means "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" That describes my opinion of Bay Area Hang Gliding and Eric Hinrichs. Eric is a patient and tireless instructor. When I "graduated" to the 300' hill, Eric observed some of my flights at launch and hustled down the hill to observe others at landing. Almost all other instructors I have seen are content to watch from only one vantage point. Not Eric. Eric mentioned that he is not the cheapest instructor in the Bay Area. Actually, you probably will end up paying less to learn from Eric than you will with other schools because Eric's instruction is so effective. Many, many, many of his students progress much faster than other instructor's students. He puts his instructing ability to the test with every student by charging a flat amount for each pilot rating rather than charge by the lesson. And yet, even after 25, 30, how many years of doing this? he is still refining and improving his instruction. This may seem like a contradiction but he is good enough and confident enough in what he does to be open to learning new ways of explaining things from his students -- and then pass along that new perspective to his other students. Eric is a kind man but firm in what he expects from his students. Good technique is stressed. Safety is paramount. I recommend him highly. read more

Fantastic! I am so impressed with Bay Area Hang Gliding! I had a Groupon, and my experience with companies that use Groupons so far has been "you get what you pay for". Not so with this group! I had an intro to hang gliding class with Eric and Robert as instructors. They were friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, encouraging, and very focused on safety (my #1 priority in things like this). In a lesson, you don't get a ton of air time like you would on a tandem flight and you're not very high up, but it's all you and you're working your way towards becoming certified. EVERYONE in our group got in at least a few runs with air time. We had 4 students, their max for a class, but they say going on a weekday will get you smaller numbers and therefore less waiting for the glider. Like others said, the instructors will run with you down the hill, and they'll give you tips and instructions as you go while they're running right next to you and watching you, and then they'll cheer and celebrate with you when you get up. A couple of tips: wear shoes and pants you don't mind getting dirty/stained, particularly if you step in a cow pie or don't land on your feet (oops!). I didn't find it strenuous at all, except for a couple short bursts of trying to initially lift the glider on flat ground with no wind (at the beginning of the lesson) which the instructors helped the women with. It takes a little effort to run fast for about 5 seconds with the glider before you take off or roll it back up the hill, but it's definitely not much of a workout. Highly, highly recommend hang gliding, and going with Bay Area Hang Gliding in particular if you've ever wanted to feel what it's like to fly like a bird :-) I loved it, think it's definitely worth the full price and am planning to continue with the lessons. read more

Eric is a kind and patient man, and an extremely adept instructor. I have tried working with others in the past, but because of having too much going on in my life, never really "survived" through what I thought was a "grueling" process of attending rigid classes and scheduled events. Eric has a realistic, reality-based approach to instruction, and makes allowances when he knows you are genuinely trying to make it work. The lessons are incredibly simple, and gradual: You begin with learning the basics of the ground effect cushion, and then start to approach it from slightly higher gradients, on the bunny slopes. It's all about setting up ground effect. As I've gained confidence in landing on my own feet, my ability to fly has improved. I'm no longer afraid of being carried up by the wind, and sometimes even let the wind do that, to the chagrin of my great teacher! I love flying, (my dad was a fighter pilot in the Air Force,) and now THANKS TO ERIC, I'm a pilot too. But I'm far closer to the birds and the bees, the wind and the trees, than Pops ever could have been!~) read more

Eric was awesome!! My 4 friends and I took an Intro to Hang Gliding Class with him and had a blast. It was from 8am -12pm (with a break in between) and we met up in Milpitas. The funny thing was we thought he was going to set everything up for us...nope! He put us straight to work and had us assist him setting it up. I actually appreciated the hands-on training though! We first practiced running with the glider on the ground (watch out for all the scattered dung!) before gong on the "bunny slope" where we actually had some lift from the ground. On average, we were probably in the air 3 - 4 feet above ground but I did reach up to 8 feet at one point. THAT was a lot of fun! Eric was so patient with us and really wanted us to get our time in. In the heat, I'm sure he was exhausted running up and down with us but I never heard him complain or rush us through. He always ran with you and never leaves your side so there is nothing to worry about! And girls, if you're small and light like me and think the glider is too heavy for you, don't worry! The wind will do most of the work (and Eric is great at helping you lift it up too). Don't pass on this class, definitely don't forget your camera, bring water, and wear your scrubbiest shoes! read more

Eric is one of the best of trainers. Compared to the many other instructors, we were up and flying on the first runs. More time spent on setup and flat runs really helped prepare. Eric also is one of the most experienced trainers which he shares freely and in context. If your a bucket list-er there are other places for the experience. This place is for you if your serious in learning a new hobby read more

My husband and I were visiting the Bay Area for my husband's birthday, so I got a tandem gift certificate from BAHG as a surprise. Mike was super helpful in the whole process, arranging for the flight, the gift certificate, the timing, and weather updates. Unfortunately, the wind didn't work in our favor in the few days we were there, so my husband didn't get to go. Luckily, Mike was very nice about refunding the certificate since we couldn't go. read more

Got amazing training by Eric, he continued to guide and support me after I graduated so I was able to quickly become an independent pilot.