From catapulting flaming soldiers over castle walls to sitting on active geysers, humans have long been fixated on flying through the air. Absorb the wonderment of flight with today’s Groupon: for $97, you get a 45-minute glider ride at Sundance Aviation in Moriarty ($162 value; sales tax included).

Founder Rick Kohler, a pilot with more than 9,000 hours of cockpit experience, and the rest of Sundance Aviation's skilled staff delight in taking to the skies with uninitiated air enthusiasts. The sleek sky-faring gliders carry an experienced pilot and one passenger up to 18,000 feet above sea level by riding along upward-moving columns of air called thermals.

Taking off from Moriarty Municipal Airport, a small plane tows the glider into the air, where the glider pilot detaches it and guides the winged chariot slowly to the ground for a generous 45-minute view of the land for hundreds of miles around. Passengers can search for runaway mylar balloons and blown kisses after taking over the plane's controls for a few minutes on the way back to the airport. While most glider riders take to the air in a zippy fiberglass Grob 103, the historic, aluminum-and-fabric Schweizer 2-33 glider is available to bring back that old-timey loving feeling. Call one week ahead to schedule a flight.