| Hang Gliding |
 |
 Hang gliding, since its inception in the 1970s,
has developed into a practical and relatively safe sport, using simple
yet sophisticated machine built of aluminium, carbon-fibre and
high-tech sail fabrics. Manufacturers, both in the UK and overseas,
build examples that are respected the world over. |
What exactly do you do?
Hang glider pilots, suspended
from their gliders by a special harness, launch from hills facing into
wind, from winches on flat ground or by being towed aloft from an
airfield behind a microlight aircraft. The objective is always to stay
airborne in lifting currents of air and - for many - to undertake long
cross country flights. The UK record for distance currently stands at
over 250km and for altitude at an astonishing 16,000ft.
Do they cost a lot?
A top-of-the range competition hang glider
can cost over £4,500 new, although sports machines with only
slightly less performance cost £2 - 3,500 and second hand ones
much less. A full training course will cost around £5 - 700, much
less for a shorter introductory course. Pilots also need a harness,
helmet, flying suit, boots, etc; additional bits of equipment such as
instruments may be required as you progress. |
How do you make it go where
you want?
The pilot launches his or her machine by
running to accelerate it to flying speed, then relaxes into the
comfortable prone harness while controlling the glider by moving their
weight in relation to the control bar. Flying a hang glider is a little
more demanding than flying a paraglider and not quite as easy to learn,
but the machine is capable of much higher speeds and better gliding
performance and can be flown in stronger winds. |
Where do you fly them from?
Pilots fly from hill and tow
sites controlled by one of the numerous BHPA clubs dotted
around the country. The accent is on hill flying but tow operations and
aerotow facilities are normally in lowland locations. Competitions are
held at club, national and international level and the 'Brits' have
often led the way in competition at World level.
And where to?
Circling up to cloudbase on a summer's day
and setting course on a long cross-country flight over patchwork fields
is one of the wonders of the modern world. Landing out after a long
flight using only the natural power of the atmosphere and your
accumulated knowledge of the sky gives a hang glider pilot an
unsurpassed feeling of accomplishment.
Hang gliding has joys in store outside of
the challenge of cross-country flying. In the long summer evenings
pilots often congregate after work to soar a nearby hill, united in the
pursuit of an hour or two's soaring in the face life's pressures - and
the setting sun. To be aloft on the breeze seems to them a rare
privilege made more precious by the fact that so few of the teeming
millions seem to know about it. It's not really a secret; come along
and share it with us! |
Learning to hang glide
Not all BHPA schools are
in upland areas as winching from flat ground is as effective a method
of training as hill flying. It normally takes between eight to ten days
of flyable weather to train a would-be pilot to Club Pilot level,
although two-day 'taster' courses are offered and a limited Elementary
Pilot certificate is also available.
Your instructor will show you how to rig and
inspect the glider before you have your first short flight down a
gentle slope. First flights in tow training are conducted using a very
gentle winch pull, keeping you close to the ground. For the first day
or two the glider will be restrained by tether ropes until you become
adept at steering and controlling airspeed by moving your weight.
You'll then graduate to higher and longer flights, and when the
weather's not so good retire to the classroom to learn basic flight
theory, meteorology and air law. Towards the end of the course you'll
progress on to a more sophisticated glider than the first one you first
flew, and subject to a good assessment from your instructor and a pass
in the simple exam you'll receive your Club Pilot rating, allowing you
to fly on club sites and begin your progress to more and more rewarding
flying. |
Powered hang gliding
Powered hang gliders that
take-off and land on wheels are classed as microlights and are outside
the scope of this guide. Lightweight, foot-launched versions, powered
by a small 2-stroke engine, offer the pilot the ability to take-off
from a relatively small, flat field and climb away to find the lifting
thermals that all glider pilots rely on to make cross-country flights.
Alternatively, the pilot can cruise around, sightseeing, or fly to a
destination using much less fuel than a microlight and retaining the
uncluttered view that the hang glider pilot enjoys. The power units
cost around £3 - 4,000, to which you need to add the cost of a new
or second hand hang glider.
Compared to the simplicity of paramotoring these devices are
heavier and more cumbersome, but they offer something extra to the keen
hang glider pilot. Like the paramotor, the engine can be detached and
the glider used to soar without power; this flexibility is in itself an
attraction, as is the leisurely flying speed, short rigging time and
relatively small packed-down size that these machines offer.
Although their main appeal at the present
time is undoubtedly to the already experienced hang glider buff,
interest in these machines is growing rapidly, particularly in areas
where there are no hills. To learn to fly one you'll need to first
learn to fly a hang glider, and the same degree of background knowledge
of airlaw, flight theory, meteorology, etc, is required.
All photo's marked courtesy of Airports
Photo Library. See their website for more free flying
related pictures |
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