What’s a hang glider?
The days of the old delta-wing kites that most people think of when they hear about hang gliders are long gone. Just as a modern light aircraft is related to the Wright’s first plane, most modern hang gliders share the basic heritage of these older machines, but don’t look a lot like them. Hang gliders are divided into three basic types. Flex Wing hang gliders are familiar to most people, and are the most closely related to the old delta-wing “Standard” hang gliders of the early 1970’s. They have a basic tubing structure and a flexible wing made of sailcloth, stiffened into an aerofoil shape by aluminium battens. They are usually wire-braced, and controlled purely by shifting the pilot weight, and are launched and landed on the pilots feet. Flex wings come in many shapes and sizes. “Floaters” are designed for new pilots or for those who want an easy to fly, light, and simple machine. They’re great for just getting out and having a great time, no matter what your experience level. “Inte
