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ESCOLA DE VOL. PARAGLIDING AND HANDGLIDING 20 YEARS OF SCHOOL |
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FAQ. Hang Gliding ang Paragliding
What is a Wing? A wing is a foot-launched, ram-air, aerofoil canopy, designed to be flown and landed with no other energy requirements than the wind, gravity and the pilot's muscle power. What are the main component parts of a Wing? A canopy (the actual "wing"), risers (the cords by which the pilot is suspended below the canopy) and a harness. In addition, the brake cords provide speed and directional control and carabiners are used to connect the risers and the harness together. Is a Wing the same thing as a parachute? No. A Wing is similar to a modern, steerable
skydiving canopy, but different in several important ways. The Wing
is a foot-launched device, so there is no "drouge" 'chute
or "slider", and the construction is generally much lighter,
as it doesn't have to withstand What is the difference between a Hangglider and a Wing? A Hangglider has a rigid frame maintaining the shape of the wing, with the pilot usually flying in a prone position. The Wing canopy shape is maintained only by air pressure and the pilot is suspended in a sitting or supine position. The Hangglider has a "cleaner" aerodynamic profile and generally is capable of flying at much higher speeds than a Wing. Why would
anyone want to fly a Wing when they could fly a Hangglider? ¿How
long does a Wing last? Basic Performance Questions Flying Conditions Pilot Requirements Hanggliders are controlled by shifting the pilot's weight with respect to the glider. Pilots are suspended from a strap connected to the glider's frame (hence the name "hang" glider). By moving forward and backward and side to side at the end of this strap, the pilot alters the centre of gravity of the glider. This then causes the glider to pitch or roll in the direction of the pilot's motion and thus allows both speed control and turning. How high/far can a hangglider go? This depends a lot on the conditions in which it is flown, but flights in excess of 300 miles in length and altitudes of well over 20,000 ft. MSL have been recorded. (These last have all been with FAA permission for the rules lawyers reading this). More typically, pilots in the summer in the western US will frequently achieve altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 ft AGL and fly for over 100 miles. Again this depends on conditions, but a high altitude flight is frequently several hours in duration. On good days, pilots don't have to land until the sun goes down. Where can gliders launch and land? Pretty much any slope that is relatively
free from obstructions is steeper than about 6 to 1 and faces
into the wind can be used to foot launch a hangglider. The pilot
just runs down the slope and takes off when the air speed reaches
15 to 20 mph. Alternatively, when no hills are available, towing
by trucks, stationary winches and ultra light aircraft allows
gliders to get into the air . Like any form of sport aviation, hanggliding
can be dangerous if pursued carelessly. That said, however, hanggliding
can be a very safe sport. Gliders in the US are now certified
for airworthiness by the Hang Glider Manufacturers Assn. (HGMA)
so structural failures on recent equipment flown within its placard
limits are a thing of the past. In addition, reserve parachutes
are used on all high altitude hangglider flights now and provide
a measure of safety in the rare instances of severe glider damage
or complete loss of control. Is lots of wind necessary to launch/fly/land? Hanggliders can be launched, flown and landed in winds from zero to about 30 mph safely. When winds get above about 40 mph, the associated turbulence makes all aspects of flight substantially less comfortable. Generally, ideal winds for launching and landing are from 5 to 20 mph depending on the flying site. Wind speed is less important in flight since the pilot controls the air speed of the glider whatever the wind speed may be. In addition to the horizontal wind we're
accustomed to on the ground, air moves vertically as well. If
a glider encounters a rising chunk of air, it will go up along
with it. The whole trick of soaring a hang glider (or any other
glider for that matter) is to figure out where the air is going
up and then to get there. While there are many sources of rising
air or "lift", the most commonly used by hang gliders
are ridge lift and thermal lift. Ridge lift occurs when horizontal
wind hits an obstruction (like a ridge, for instance) and is
deflected upward. Thermal lift occurs when terrain is heated
by the sun and transfers this heat to the surrounding air - which
then rises. What ranges of temperatures are encountered in flight? Hanggliders are flown in sub-zero conditions in the winter and in the hottest deserts in the summer. Since the air temperature typically falls by about 4 degrees (F) for every 1000 ft gain in elevation, however, high altitude hangglider flights are frequently cold. Pilots expecting to fly over about 12 - 14,000 ft in the summer will generally wear warm clothing to protect against exposure. Is hanggliding physically demanding? Almost anyone can fly a hangglider. If someone can jog while balancing a 50 - 70 lb. weight on their shoulders they can learn to fly. While flying does not require great strength (since the straps not the pilot's arms - hold the pilot up) long duration flights in turbulent conditions require a moderate degree of upper body endurance. This typically develops as the pilot progresses through training to these longer flights. Do pilots need to be of a certain age, gender, weight or size range? Hangglider pilots range in age from teens
to octogenarians. The limits are more mental than physical. If
someone is sufficiently mature to make decisions significantly
affecting their safety and has sufficiently good reflexes to
make such decisions promptly, then they probably are of a reasonable
age for flying. Do pilots need to be licensed to fly hang gliders? Not really, but a program analogous to
FAA licensing exists and is administered by the USHGA (US Hang
Gliding Association). This program consists of a specific set
of flying skills corresponding to a series of pilot proficiency
ratings (Beginner through Master) each of which carries a set
of recommended operating limitations. Beginner rated pilots,
for instance, should only fly from hills under 100 ft in height
in mild winds and under the guidance of an instructor. While
these ratings don't carry the force of law in quite the same
way as FAA pilot's licenses do, the majority of flying sites
in the US require that pilots hold some specific USHGA rating
to be allowed to fly. How does a student go about learning to fly? In the USA, the USHGA certifies hanggliding
instructors and schools. One of the major reasons hanggliding
is safer now than 20 years is this certification program and
all students should thus learn from a certified instructor.
What is a Paramotor? It consists of two components really, a paragliding canopy, and a small engine (usually two stroke) fitted to a harness and worn on your back. It flies at the same speed as the wing wing, normally up to around 40 kph. More power increases the climb rate but not the speed. The wind speed is added or subtracted to give speed over the ground. Most can probably reach or exceed 10,000 feet above sea level. This is far higher than most people want to go, mainly because it gets very cold at that altitude and the scenery is very small and goes past very slowly. See the section of courses. What weather conditions can it be flown in? They are fair weather machines and can only be flown in wind speeds of up to about 15 mph. There are two control lines, pulling on the left handle turns to the left, the right line turns to the right. Pulling both handles slows the wing down for landing. Most fuel tanks hold about eight to ten litres of fuel and this lasts for about two to three hours depending on the engine. What happens when the engine stops? The normal procedure for landing is to stop the engine at least 50 to 100 feet above the ground and then glide the rest of the way. If the engine stops unexpectedly then you must have a suitable landing field. You should only fly over areas where you can land safely. How can I get more information? Contact us. Or find other webs; there are a number of sites on the web where more information can be found. It is as safe as you make it. If you have the correct attitude and knowledge then it should be very safe. A well known saying is "The piece of equipment most likely to let you down is the piece between your ears ". meters with it on your back. Although when taking off the wing lifts the weight of the motor after a few steps. The training period is probably the most strenuous part as you can do a lot of running without getting off the ground. Pues que el paramotor pasa a ser un parapente normal y corriente, por lo que con "asegurar" siempre algún aterrizaje The canopy of a powered parachute is different, it is a square design which is more stable but with worse gliding characteristics. The engine is attached to a trike and is not foot launched. |
