Kitty Hawk Kites, Inc. was founded in 1974 by John Harris, a pioneer in hang gliding, to provide instruction, products, and service to the burgeoning new sport.
In the late 1980s, Kitty Hawk Kites expanded into what is now it’s three main businesses: providing hang gliding instruction to students and instructors through its flight school; selling aviation and outdoor clothing, as well as kites and toys through its retail outlets; and providing adventure recreation activities.
THE FLIGHT SCHOOL
The Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School is the oldest hang gliding school on the East Coast of the and the largest school of its kind in the world. It provides beginning, intermediate, and advanced instruction to students, as well as instructors, in foot-launched and tandem hang gliding. Since its inception, the flight school has taught more than 300,000 students how to fly and, with upwards of 35 instructors during the summer months, continues to teach more than 10,000 students every year. The Flight School provides rating certifications to students meeting United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA) published standards.
Located on North Carolina’s storied Outer Banks, the Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School provides foot-launched instruction from Jockey’s Ridge State Park (the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States) and tandem instruction from the nearby Currituck County Airport. .
ADVENTURE RECREATION ACTIVITIES
If it’s adventure you seek, you’ve come to the right place. Unleash your inner adrenaline junky with kiteboarding lessons, guided kayak eco tours, JetPak instruction, parasailing, dolphin watch tours, rock wall climbing, jet ski rentals and tours, air tours, bi-plane tours, wild horse tours, sailing cruises, Segway tours, surf and stand up paddleboard lessons, wakeboarding and more.
KITTY HAWK KITE’S RETAIL FACILITIES
The original Kitty Hawk Kites store is across from Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. The 8,042 square foot retail facility is home to the Flight Deck (aviation clothing), stunt and recreational kite products, windsocks, toys, unique tees, OBX gear, Life is good, and the best in high-quality footwear, like Crocs and Keen. The Flight Deck specializes in high quality clothing products focused around aviation and the outdoor environment. Check out our sister company, Kitty Hawk Surf Co., next door for the best in surf apparel and gear, including kayaks, standup paddleboards and skimboards.
In 2009, Kitty Hawk Kites opened Waves Village Watersports Resort. Located in Rodanthe, this complex is home to our kiteboarding school and houses the latest and greatest in kiteboarding gear. Along with world-class instructors, this location has some of the most ideal winds and waters for kiteboarding. With several other retail shops in the same facility, Waves Village is truly a one-stop shop. A top floor restaurant, Good Winds Seafood and Wine Bar, features a rare view of the sun setting below the horizon on the East Coast. It’s one view you won’t want to miss!
Kitty Hawk Kites has several additional facilities along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. In addition to our main store in Nags Head, across from Jockey’s Ridge State Park (mp 12.5), we now have stores in Corolla (3), Duck (2), Manteo, South Nags Head, Waves, Avon, Hatteras, and Ocracoke.
Outside of the Outer Banks, we have locations in Beaufort NC, Destin Florida, Virginia Beach Virginia, and Long Beach Island New Jersey.
