Did you know you can soar with the birds right here in central Pennsylvania? In fact, tucked in between the mountain ridges in Julian, nature has given us what some say is the ‘Mecca’ for gliding.

Tom Knauff explains,”Because of the terrain that exists here with the Allegheny Plateau and Bald Eagle Ridge augment and assist in the production of the air currents that are necessary for us to do what we do. You have to understand this is in an aircraft without a motor”

Tom Knauff and his wife, Doris Grove, are considered legends in glider flying. Between the two of them, they hold more than 40 world records including farthest travel in a glider. Knauff more than 1,000 miles to Kentucky and back.

WTAJ’s Carolyn Donaldson took to the skies with Tom Knauff to experience the flight. They took off, first tethered to a pull plane until they reached 2,800 feet.

And we were off  — tethered first to our pull plane until we climbed to 2800 feet — and then set free. She even had the chance to fly the plane herself.