[design219]

I tried a little hang gliding this past week, just a beginner lesson. God that was fun! Not very high, and on soft sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, NC. So, now I want more.

Anybody here have any experience with schools and training, or just hang glide at all? I'm seriously going to consider more training and maybe purchasing a glider. Any info would be great.




That's me on the small dune.

[Shaddim]

I'm pretty certain my insurance would get canceled, but it does look like fun.

[starman]

That looks like a lot of fun.

[nerd]

I've never tried it but I watch them every time I go to our local mountain top (Sandia Mountains). It looks really fun and I'd love to try it some day. Here's a link to a local site and a cool video I found on youtube.

Sandia Soaring Association
YouTube - Hang Gliding at Sandia

[Railroader]

Hang gliding always seemed a bit too much for me.

I'd really like to try parasailing.

[Shaddim]

Actually, if you're going to go hang gliding, why not just try skydiving? Seems like it would be the most fun.

[iMOTOR]

[Jawbone54]

Looks like a BLAST. I wish I had the means and the guts to do it.

[Gator Lager]

yep, that looks like fun.
check this out. takes some serious nad's to do this. WOW
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e73_1192213802

[design219]

Originally Posted by Gator Lager 

yep, that looks like fun.
check this out. takes some serious nad's to do this. WOW
LiveLeak.com - Wingsuite mountain swoop ""Sick""

Holy crap, that's nuts! I was just going to comment on the sky diving being like falling compared to hang gliding. ...But that's kind of both, and way out on the edge.

[mdc]

Very cool.
I've always wanted to try it (along with skydiving) but I haven't had the opportunity.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I went skydiving for the first time 2 months ago. It was pretty intense! I grew up with a hang-gliding jumpoff point across the valley from my house, however, and I think it would be absolutely sick, just for the amount of time you spend in the air!

greg

[design219]

Greg, what do you mean by "sick"?

[ShortcutToMoncton]

"awesome"

"totally rad"

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

"awesome"

"totally rad"

"tubular"
"badicle"
"bossimnova"

[G4ME]

bitchin

[abe]

Originally Posted by Gator Lager 

yep, that looks like fun.
check this out. takes some serious nad's to do this. WOW
LiveLeak.com - Wingsuite mountain swoop ""Sick""

Welcome to Swooping.net

You would think that skydiving would be extreme enough on its own - but you're wrong. Many people have felt the need to think up a sport that's even more extreme than regular skydiving. The result is called "swooping". Essentially, swoopers start out with a regular sky-dive, but go a bit faster than they would ordinarily.

The result is somewhat spectacular, and needs to be timed just right. The point of swooping, after all, is not just to parachute down from a plane and make a good landing. Instead, you want to swoop over the ground gracefully. Often, this is done over a lake or other body of water.

For this reason, the sport of swooping is also sometimes called pond swooping. When pond swooping, the point is to attempt to drag one or both feet in the water for as long as is possible without landing entirely. However, in places that do not have large bodies of water, this is not the way that swooping is done. Instead, people attempt to swoop over the land. In some places, skydivers swoop over corn fields, and drag their feet in the corn, instead of in water.

The two things that most people who are into swooping try for is a higher speed when they near the ground, and going further in their swoops. However, one thing that all people who swoop have in common is a lot of experience skydiving.

Therefore, if you would like to get into swooping, you should start with regular skydiving first. That way, you'll learn all of the important techniques that you need to know. If you are already an experienced skydiver, then you should think about swooping for a challenge.

If you're interested in swooping, you should try to see if there is a group of people who swoop in your area. A good place to check first for people who are into swooping would be any local skydiving clubs or associations. Make sure that you get proper training before you try any new type of skydiving, however. It can be very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing - and broken legs have been known to happen among people who are new to swooping.


Click here to get a FREE MP3Player and Bonus Gift!

* Home
* The history of swooping
* Where can you go swooping?
* How to get started
* Is swooping dangerous?
* Swooping safety
* Swooping gear
* How far can people swoop?
* Other swooping gear
* Online swooping resources
* Swooping competition rules
* Swooping competitions
* Swooping regulations
* Good swoop landings
* Where can I watch swooping?
* Which parachutes to use?
* Who learns how to swoop?

Swooping - Extreme Skydiving!

[ShortcutToMoncton]

that's "killer"

[abe]

They were wearing what I just learned is called a "wing suit." (I assume the person who uploaded the video mis-labeled it, "wingsuite." Although this might become the accepted spelling because of popularity. The majority of Google hits show what I think is the misspelling.)

YouTube - wing suit. base jump

YouTube - Epic Conditions

BIRDMAN, Inc. / Oy

[abe]

Ok, this will be the last thing I'll post on the wing suited aspects of flying.

The Birdman of DeLand
Michael Abrams, 05.26.03

Entrepreneur Jari Kuosma fulfilled his dream of making a radical new skydiving suit. Almost all of his clients have lived to marvel at its wonders.
As the plane climbs through the sky above DeLand, Florida, we go over the plan one more time. The giant Belgian and I--we're strapped together--will jump first and hurl to earth at 120 miles per hour. After 30 seconds or so, our parachute will open and then we will look directly up to see Jari Kuosma flying in our direction. The flyby is made possible by Kuosma's odd garb: a strange white jumper with red webbing between the legs and triangular "wings" connecting the arms and the torso. "If I hit you on the way down," Kuosma cheerfully adds by way of ending the briefing, "you die."

Kuosma is president and owner of BirdMan Inc., the world's first and largest purveyor of "wingsuits." Anyone who's logged 200 jumps can buy one of these getups for $618 and experience an entirely new kind of skydiving. According to Kuosma, wingsuiters can slow the downward speed of a free fall from 120 mph to 37 mph and fly horizontally through the clouds. This nearly triples their time in the air before pulling the rip cord. About 2,000 people have experienced the wingsuit since the company was founded in 1999. Only four have died.

More?

The Birdman of DeLand - Forbes.com

[abe]

Originally Posted by design219 

I tried a little hang gliding this past week, just a beginner lesson. God that was fun! Not very high, and on soft sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, NC. So, now I want more.

Anybody here have any experience with schools and training, or just hang glide at all? I'm seriously going to consider more training and maybe purchasing a glider. Any info would be great.




That's me on the small dune.

Hang gliding vs. paragliding?

The major difference lies in the wing shape and design. Hang gliders are solid wing structures, utilizing an aluminum frame to create a V-shaped wing that resembles the stealth bomber. Paragliders are soft wing structures (no internal frame) that once inflated have an elliptical shape. Because paragliders have a slower flying speed they are much more forgiving. As a result the learning curve is usually quicker on a paraglider. Also, paragliders fold up into a small bag.
Total weight of the paraglider, harness, reserve parachute, helmet is usually around 25-30lbs. A hang glider rolls up into a bag that is about 15ft. long and weighs 70-100lbs. Paragliders are carried in a large backpack, whereas hang gliders require a vehicle with extra racks. Obviously paragliders are the more convenient of the two. Hang gliders will always be faster than paragliders because of their solid wing structure, yet with the slower flying speed, paragliders tend to be much more maneuverable, and can fly in lesser conditions.

Safety: paragliding or hang gliding?

The main factor concerning pilot safety in either of these sports is pilot attitude. There is a saying in the flying community, "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." The bottom line here is that most deaths occur due to pilot error. Very rarely do we see equipment failures. The majority of fatal accidents occur because pilots were flying in weather conditions that were too extreme, or pilots were doing dangerous maneuvers close to the ground. Our main concern in your training is pilot safety. We can teach you how to judge meteteorological conditions, physical terrain dangers, weather changes, etc., but it is up to you the pilot to judge weather the conditions are safe for you to fly in.

Are there any age restrictions?

Paragliding is about peace and serenity. Paragliding does not require a large amount of physical strength therefore many people can enjoy the sport for hours on end. More important than actual physical conditioning is physical and mental alertness. On the other hand if you are looking to lose a couple of pounds paragliding is a great way to get yourself back into shape. We have trained pilots as young as 12 (with a guardian learning as well) and as mature as 70.

What certifications do I need to fly?

Yes, paragliding works on a certification system. Pilots receive ratings throughout their flying career that should reflect the pilot skill level. The ratings are as such:

* Para 1: Beginner Pilot - Student can only fly under instructor supervision and instructor radio contact.
* Para 2: Novice Pilot - Student is now considered a full fledged pilot and can fly solo at nearly 90% of our flying sites nationally.
* Para 3: Intermediate Pilot - Student has now passed a number of flight requirements and has amassed many logged hours. At this point you are considered a competent pilot and can fly almost every site safely.
* Para 4: Advanced Pilot - This requirement is met only by logging hours and flights, also acquiring a good deal of knowledge regarding weather and FAA regulations. From this point you also may enroll in a certification course to receive your tandem rating.
* Para 5: Master Pilot - Only a handful of them in the United States, this is the most prestigious rating to be acquired. Still less than 20 in the U.S.A. and Chad Bastian, owner/operator and lead instructor of Fly Above All is one of them.

What will it cost me?

The training will be the first cost that you incur. At Fly Above All, it costs $1500.00 to receive your P-2 or Novice rating. The P-1 rating only allows you to practice under the direct supervision of an instructor (student rating), and therefore has no real meaning of its own. Most of our students are enrolled to acquire their novice rating, but will fulfill the requirements for their beginner rating along the way.
We allow you to use school equipment at no charge during your novice training. As your skills progress we will give you the opportunity to fly a number of different gliders in different conditions, before making a decision to purchase your own. The required flying equipment is helmet, harness, reserve parachute, and glider. This will cost you between $3000.00 and $5000.00 depending on what features you like. If properly maintained, this equipment will last you 3-5 years.

More?

Fly Above All - Paragliding Frequently Asked Questions

[abe]

hang gliding & paragliding

YouTube - KHK Dune Soaring

[Shaddim]

YouTube - Skydiving Wingsuit with Jet Engines

I shudder to think how many things could go wrong.

[alligator]

Anyone do this in Minnesota. I'm game to try it.

[abe]

Originally Posted by alligator 

Anyone do this in Minnesota. I'm game to try it.

I'd personally answer, "No." But for the sake of clarity, are you referring to hang gliding, paragliding, powered paragliding, sky diving, wing suiting or jet suiting?