Microlighting in Jeddah

A group of my friends recently enjoyed microlighting along the Red Sea coastline. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to go along, but they all had a fabulous time, soaring into the sky, feeling the wind against their faces, and soaking up the amazing views of the city of Jeddah and the Red Sea from up there.

Here is a short video called "Microlighting Over Jeddah" from their excursion. You can really get the feel for the experience itself by watching it. Because of the size of the group, the individual flights were shortened to about 10-13 minutes each.

Microlighting in Jeddah has been around for over a decade now. And guess what? Women are not barred from participating in this delightful adventure! This is one outdoor activity, though, that is definitely not for those with a fear of heights or a fear of flying.

Jeddah is the perfect place for ultralight aircraft because of several factors – the weather is consistently warm, the land is flat along the sea coastline and there are relatively low winds.

There are many companies that produce their own version of an ultralight aircraft, but basically it is like a hang glider with an engine similar to a lawn mower engine. Micrlight aircraft accommodate one or two persons, are inexpensive to own, and are mostly used for joyriding. The earliest versions of ultralight aircraft used to be called “flying clotheslines” because they were completely open.

Knowing the take-off weight is extremely important to have a successful flight, with careful consideration given to the weight of the aircraft itself and the one or two people who will be taking flight. The flying altitudes over Jeddah are about 500-700 feet.

Microlighting expeditions can be arranged in Jeddah through the Jeddah Aviation Club and take off is at the Western Region Aviation School, which is off of Al Malek Road, directly across the street from the Red Sea Mall’s Gate #2. The cost is about 200-250 SR per hour, with special negotiable deals for groups. But of course, with groups, the flying time is shorter in order to accommodate everyone. A trained and qualified pilot accompanies each flight.