Hang Gliding & Paragliding Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently asked questions
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| How high can you fly? |
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| A: Ridge lift on a good day should enable you to climb to around 500 ft above take-off.
If you can locate and stay in a good thermal this can take you to cloud base, usually between 4,000 - 5,000 ft in the UK. Serious height gains are also possible if you can make contact with wave lift, which can be fairly common in SE Wales. |
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| Is a paraglider similar to a parachute? |
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 A: Yes and no. Whilst at first glance a paraglider looks similar to a modern skydiving parachute, they have very different design characteristics.
A skydiving parachute is designed to withstand the massive shock of rapid deployment at high velocity, and control the rate of descent of the skydiver. A paraglider is foot launched and the canopy inflated relativly gently at, or prior to, take-off. It can therefore be constructed from lighter weight materials. A paraglider is also designed to be soared and flown cross country. A paraglider is designed to have a descent rate of about 1 m/s while a parachute descends at 3 to 6 m/s. |
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| What are the differences between a hang glider and a paraglider? |
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| A: A Hang Glider uses a frame to maintain the shape of the wing, whilst a paraglider uses air pressure to maintain the shape of the canopy.
Hang gliders are usually flown prone, with the pilot lying down in a horizontal position. Paragliders are usually flown supine, with the pilot sat in a head up position. A hang glider and harness weigh roughly the same as a paraglider and harness. A hang glider packs away into a bag aproximately 10 - 18 ft long (depending on the design of the glider), and is usually carried on one shoulder. A paraglider packs away into a lage bag that can be carried on your back like a rucksack. A hang glider usually has a higher maximum flying speed, and is capable of being flown safely in a wider range of conditions. |
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| What does flying prone mean? |
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 A: Flying prone is where the pilot is suspended in a harness lying in a horizontal position, more or less parallel with the wing.
Most hang glider pilots fly prone. |
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| What does flying supine mean? |
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 A: Flying supine is where the pilot is suspended in a harness in a feet forward seated position.
Most paraglider pilots fly supine. |
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| What is a hang glider? |
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 A: A hang glider is a foot-launched weight shift aircraft. The pilot is suspended in a harness below a wing that consists of a dacron or mylar sail stretched across an aluminium frame around 8m across and 4m deep.
The wing‘s aerofoil shape, necessary for the generation of lift, is maintained by a series of aluminium or fibreglass battens inserted into pockets in the sail. Most hang gliders are flown with the pilot lying down (Prone). The pilot uses the triangular control frame to shift his weight, and in that way control the speed and direction of travel of the hang glider. Further information |
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Hang Gliding & Paragliding Frequently Asked Questions | FAQ ver 5.11 |