Avian Balloon Corporation—Hot Air Balloons
Avian Balloon Company was founded by Forey Walter in 1974 and can claim the distinction of being the oldest balloon manufacturing company in the United States which still has its original name and management. In addition to manufacturing balloons in the Spokane Valley, Avian offers unique sight-seeing tours of the Spokane region.
photo by James & Kathy Mangis
Spokane Soaring Society
The Spokane Soaring Society (SSS) is a glider soaring club based at the Deer Park Airport, a short drive north of Spokane. SSS offers a 20-minute introductory ride for a reasonable rate and has gift certificates available. SSS is a membership based club for those who are interested in learning to pilot gliders or want to join a group of experienced operators. The club mostly flies on weekends, but arrangements can be made to fly any day of the week from midApril to mid-October. SSS consists of about 26 active members including one full-time and one part-time flight instructor. The club operates three gliders; a 2-33 two-place basic trainer, a Lark IS-28b2 two-place advanced trainer, and a Pegasus. The tow plane is a Piper Pawnee PA25-235. There are about seven privately-owned ships based at the location. spokanesoaring.com 90
spokanecda.com • JUNE • 2016
White Rabbit Helitours
Avian’s Standard Balloon flight begins with a passenger briefing discussing safety procedures for your flight. You watch the unfolding and inflation of the giant balloon, then board a traditional hand crafted wicker basket. The flight begins by the ground slipping away as you escape the confines of earth’s gravity. If you can imagine the thrill of hot air ballooning combined with the luxury of gourmet dining then the Aerial Cuisine by Avian is the option for you. A full course gourmet meal is prepared and served by your personal, on-board chef while you enjoy a spectacular view. Allow three hours for these romantic highadventure experiences. Morning flights are only offered on the weekend, and afternoon flights are every day of the week. Your adventure of a lifetime includes preflight activities, at least one hour of flight time, post flight activities, and a ride back to the launch field. avianballoon.com.
Helitours have been popular for years in resort destinations, and Spokane is no different. White Rabbit Helitours is a new option offering several different tours. The Spokane City Tour offers a 12-15 minute ride offering spectacular views of Riverfront Park, Spokane Falls, St. John’s Cathedral and Gonzaga campus. The Sunset Tour makes for a memorable date night. A sunset tour for up to three people lets you and your guests enjoy the beautiful colors of a Spokane sunset while sipping a glass of wine. If that’s not enough, you can work with White Rabbit’s team to customize a thirty-minute tour for yourself and two guests. This is an incredible option for popping the big question, entertaining clients, or courting new employees. flywhiterabbit.com.