About Hang Gliding

Speak to the average person about hang gliding and they conjure up the idea of dare-devils or adrenalin freaks risking their lives every time they fly.

In the early days of the sport it may well have been like that but, although it remains a dangerous pursuit, there are many safety factors built in that enable most pilots to look forward to collecting their retirement pension one of these days.

In Australia the sport is rigidly controlled by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority through the Australian Hang Gliding Federation who make sure that all pilots are properly trained and well versed in safety regulations before issuing them with a licence.

Indeed, training has probably been the main factor in improving safety. The early pilots, by comparison, knew very little about how their kites would behave in different wind types or what to expect at different launch sites—there's an enormous difference between flying off a grassy hill into a strong sea breeze and launching from the top of a sheer cliff.

There are still accidents but pilots walk away from most of them. The fact that their gliders are designed to crumple on impact to absorb the shock ensures that, with care, the pilot lives to fly again.

Flying high and flying fast are not dangerous—height and speed are a pilot's friends. Flying slowly too close to the ground is the big problem because without room to manoeuvre any shift in air currents can cause an unexpected, unscheduled, unwelcome landing. SPLAT! As one wag put it, "Death is just Nature's way of telling you to watch your air speed."

Don't underestimate the danger. Fatalities happen, and bad luck can trip up even the most careful pilot. Even so, hang gliding is a wonderful, exhilarating sport that continues to draw new enthusiasts attracted by the opportunity to ride the wind.

It's the nearest we will ever get to bird flight.