About Hang Gliding
What is Hang Gliding?
If you've ever had the desire to fly like a bird, then this is one of the most exciting and affordable solution for most people. It allows you to own an aircraft that doesn't require an expensive hangar or special pilot licence and best of all you can use a standard car to transport it to the flying site. You can launch under your own power, climb and glide as you please.
Hang gliding is one of the simplest forms of human flight. A hang glider is a foot-launched wing which has a rigid frame maintaining the shape of the wing. The pilot is usually flying in a prone position, but while being trained the position will be upright to make learning safer and easier. The hang glider wing is constructed of rip-stop nylon or Mylar over an aluminium frame and is the original foot launched aircraft. The original Rogallo was invented by Francis Rogallo for NASA and the Space programme in the 1960's as a means of recovering space craft back down to earth. Today these high performance flying machines are capable of speeds in excess of 80 mph and a glide ratio of 15:1 plus.
The sport of hang gliding offers you the exhilaration of speed and the advantage, (once you are skilled) of flying in slightly stronger winds than a paraglider. In addition you must have patience as hang gliding is a weather dependent sport, with applied effort you will be rewarded with all the delights and challenges that hang gliding has to offer.
Our courses run throughout the year, using our own private hill sites, covering all wind directions around the Derbyshire Peak District. We also run courses in winter in the warm climates of Lanzarote, Spain and Italy. The School is based in the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District, close to the M1 and within easy commuter distance from Leeds, Manchester, Coventry or Birmingham and is only 3 hours from London. You will be trained to the highest standards possible, using the latest equipment available.
Learning to Hang Glide
We normally meet at 9.30 - 10-00 am, after a brief theory session you will be on the hill learning how to control the hang glider without taking off, using the Hang gliding simulator. Once you can manage this to a reasonable degree, you are then shown how to rig and daily inspect the glider ready for the days flying. Then you will be shown how to complete a pre-flight checks and then attempt to make your first low flights on gently sloping ground. Your first flights will be tethered for your safety and as your skill and confidence increases you can progress higher up the hill to make longer, slightly higher solo flights. At this stage we will use two way radios to guide you safely through the air. Your first soaring flights may take up to ten days or more of learning, since this requires perfect conditions, good judgement, understanding and skill, but it will be worth the wait as you fly as free as a soaring bird and literally the sky’s the limit!