Some nanolights seem to be flown with the speed bar (of the control bar) reversed. Why is that?
Most hang gliders are designed for the pilot to fly them in a prone position, with the control bar situated just below the pilot’s chin at trim speed. This gives a full arms length of push-out and pull-in for pitch control. When you go to a seated or supine (more laid back) position, it puts the shoulders much further back than they would be in prone. You also have only one arms length of throw available, rather than two, so you actually have a more limited pitch range. To make the most of what you have, the control bar ideally needs to sit close to the middle of the movement range. With most nanolights, if you leave the glider control bar in the standard position, you will be stretching your arms out just to reach it at trim, with no extra push out available, making it hard to take off, land and control. In some nanolights, you sit in a very upright position (not good for drag!) and this minimises the distance to the control bar, and sometimes, if a speed bar is fitted, enough movemen
