#Hang glider how to#
#Hang glider full#

In early flights, the instructor does most of the flying, gradually handing off tasks to the student as the student demonstrates proficiency. At a predetermined altitude, the pilot releases the tow line, and the gliding portion of the flight begins. In aerotow training, the student and an instructor are towed aloft by an ultralight airplane, in what is known as a tandem flight. Flights are short.īest for: Students who will be mountain launching. Most students successfully fly solo on their first day.ĭisadvantages: Can be physically demanding. Typically the least expensive teaching method. The cost of hill training is in the range of $700 to $1100 US dollars, depending on whether the student includes tandem flights as part of their training.Īdvantages: Student learns foot launches and foot landings. Women of average or above height also usually solo in six to eight days, while shorter women tend to take somewhat longer. This typically takes six to eight days for the average male student.

#Hang glider how to#

After the student learns how to make foot landings, turns are introduced, and when the student has demonstrated control of the glider, he is cleared for his mountain solo, and receives his Novice rating, which is also referred to as Hang 2. As the student gains proficiency, the student starts his launch run from a higher point for longer and higher flights.

For the first flights, the student may land the glider either on its wheels, or his feet. While under the instructor's guidance, the student runs down the hill and launches the glider to an altitude of five to ten feet. In this method, after a short period of ground school, the instructor and student start at the top of a shallow hill. This is the original way of learning how to hang glide, and it's still an excellent choice. Just as there are different ways to get a hang glider into the air, there are different ways of teaching hang gliding. Be sure to find out what the best time of year to train is for the particular aerotow park you are researching.įor severely time constrained individuals, this is often a better choice than even going to your local instructor who uses a different form of training which can take longer to complete. With aerotowing, you are almost guaranteed to get lots of flight training quickly. Accomodations are often very inexpensive. Plan a one week vacation to one of the aerotow parks around the country, and knock out your ratings quickly. With aerotowing, you can often get your ratings within just a few days of training. Sometimes, there aren't any instructors or schools in your entire state, even though there are flying sites locally.

If you are lucky, there is an active hang gliding school within a reasonable distance you can go to.

People have learned in as quickly as four days, while six to 10 days would be an average length of time.įinding a school, taking an introductory flightĭepending on where you live, getting into the sport of hang gliding can prove to be difficult. In the United States, you can expect to spend between $700 and $2000 to go from absolute beginner to your Novice (Hang 2) rating. There are successful pilots who have physical limitations, including paraplegia.

#Hang glider full#

You will need full use of your hands and arms. In order to hang glide, you will need to be reasonably healthy and mobile. Hang glider pilots come from all walks of life, and range in age from 14 to over 70. As a budding pilot in search of your own gear, you will need: There is a practical side to getting into the sport, the acquisition of equipment. Completing your first solo, a highlight of any pilot's career.Taking initial lessons, be they foot launched, static towed (with a winch), or towed behind a powered ultralight (or combination of the above).Taking a familiarization or introductory flight.For many student pilots, the training process consists of: Getting into hang gliding is likely simpler than you expect.