Sky Combat

Do you have the need, the need for speed? Then, Vegas has the answer.

Sky Combat Ace offers its own version of “Top Gun.” With different experiences to choose from, including aerobatic flights and dog-fighting, you too can take a ride into the danger zone.

“People come to Vegas to let their hair down – to try something different that they don’t normally do,” said Rick “Tex” Coe, CEO of Sky Combat. “They usually want to push the envelope somewhere.”

This isn’t your average bungee jump or race car ride. “I think this experience – hands down – is the most intense and certainly the biggest adrenaline rush you could experience,” Coe said. “You get to fly with real fighter pilots [in] these amazing planes. Most people only get to see this on TV or a movie like ‘Top Gun.’”

At Sky Combat, Coe said they combine amazing airplanes with fighter pilots who have years of training, creating a dynamic experience.

“It’s one of those experiences like climbing Mount Everest,” said UFC fighter Rib McCullough, who took a flight recently. “It’s pretty awesome.”

Sky Combat’s aircraft, made in Germany, are two-seat, state-of-the-art aerobatic Extra 330 LC fighter planes that are far from ordinary. You’ll fly approximately 1,500 feet above the ground and get a panoramic view of the Las Vegas desert. The planes reach speeds up to 220 miles an hour and are built for maneuverability.

Christopher Knight, best known as Peter Brady from “The Brady Bunch,” took a flight at Sky Combat recently and described the experience as kick-ass.

“I’ve been in small planes before, but it’s a difference between flying a family sedan versus a sports car,” said Knight. “It’s that different. You feel confident in something with that kind of response, that kind of power. It’s like an extension of you [and] good that they have it so people can gain the experience.”

“Expect to have your socks knocked off,” Coe said. That’s how we built it.”

Sky Combat Ace offers three types of flights:  Sky Combat, Top Gun and the After Burner.

The four-hour Top Gun flight includes a 30-minute orientation and up to 40 minutes of riding. Once you’re in the air, you’ll get the chance to fly the plane and execute moves like loops, rolls, stalls and spins, as well as advanced moves like hammerheads and tumbling. Don’t worry about being an expert – your fighter pilot in the backseat assists you, talking you through all the maneuvers. And if there are any moves you feel uncomfortable executing, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. If you’re pressed for time, the After Burner is similar to the Top Gun flight, but the flight is only 25 minutes long. With the Top Gun or After Burner flight, you can choose between an Extra 330 LC plane or if you really want to feel the wind, the open-top Waco model. Each flight includes complimentary ground transportation to and from your hotel. 

The five-hour Sky Combat offers the most interaction out of the three. This flight includes up to 50 minutes of riding. During a 50-minute orientation, you’ll learn basic fighter maneuvering and the art of aerial dog fighting. Once you’re up in the air (with the help of your fighter pilot behind you), you’ll engage in up to five combat fights. Your plane comes with an optical targeting system to take your opponent out. You’ll know that you hit your opponent when you see the puff of smoke come out from the back of their plane.

“It [was] my first time flying a plane and dog fighting,” McCullough explained. “You get full control of the airplane and there’s plane next to you, neck-to-neck. It’s pretty fun, crazy [and] intense.”

“You’ve got to give it a shot!” Knight said. “There’s very little fear. It might even help if you have issues with small planes. It’s just a real good time.”

-- Review by Jeannie Borbe