Seminole-Lake Gliderport*, Clermont

Unlike planes, gliders don’t need engines to soar the skies. Instead, they are fueled by wind, climbing up drafts or descending on the breeze at 100–200 feet per minute, making dive-bombing wasps everywhere feel about themselves. For the last 30 years, Seminole-Lake Gliderport’s FAA-certified pilots have specialized in these windborne flights, helming a fleet of glider models such as the Super Blanik L-23 and the Schweizer 1-34. They also teach passengers piloting basics with hands-on discovery flights. Once they’ve mastered riding the winds, glider pilots 55 and older can showcase their skills at the airfield’s Annual Senior Soaring Contest.