Remember when I shared a little preview of our aerial adventure with Coastal Biplane on Instagram stories? It was so fun and honestly the most exciting thing I’ve done in awhile. I am so excited to share the full video that includes everything from our flight starting from Sheltair at ECP airport, taking off, flying over the west end of Panama City Beach and a full aerial tour on the return path from Grayton Beach State Park east to Inlet Beach. You can even spot the cobia reef in the water!
First, the pilot and owner of Coastal Biplane, Heath Buckley is so awesome. As soon as we arrived, Emery had immediate questions and he was so gracious to take us around the plane, answering her inquiries and taking time to explain everything so she understood. Emery even got to sit in the pilot’s seat before takeoff to see what instruments he uses to fly. As a mom, Heath’s attention to service and care for even his smallest passenger was beyond amazing. And I loved that she was so into the details!
The plane itself is a beauty all its own. It’s a 1930s inspired, cherry red, 7 cylinder biplane named The Spirit of 30A. The pilot rides in the back seat and two passengers can ride in front. An open air cockpit makes for the most beautiful views and plenty of wind in your hair. You’ll notice we went for matching braids to keep flyaways tamed.
The entire ride felt like a dream. There’s nothing like flying in open air. It’s startlingly open in the most thrilling, breathtaking way. You can see straight down to turquoise water and out to the rooftops of all the familiar 30A neighborhoods. Of course, if you love 30A, you might feel like you know it backwards and forwards. Let me tell you, seeing it from a few hundred feet up was spectacular and gave me a whole new appreciation for our area. When you watch the video, see if you can spot noteworthy places from the air like the purple wall in Seaside, the butteries at Alys Beach and the greens at Rosemary Beach.
My husband is afraid of heights and there’s no way he would do this, but for me, it was an incredible adventure. I’m so glad Emery has that same sense for thrill and loved the entire ride. I highly recommend this as a couple’s trip, mommy-and-me, daddy-and-me or (can you imagine?) the most thrilling place to propose!
Coastal Biplane offers a variety of trips from a 40 minute ride called The Reefs of 30A (what we did), a 20 minute Trip Around the Sun, a 30 minute aerobatic flight called The Treetop Flyer, a 40 minute Sunset Over Western Lake ride and a 3 hour Date Night Over 30A. It’s a luxurious experience that you really can’t duplicate. For a memory that lasts a lifetime or an occasion that deserves celebration, Coastal Biplane is the ultimate thrill.
So… Would you be up for a flight like this?
Check out Coastal Biplane: // instagram.com/coastalbiplane // facebook.com/coastalbiplane
