Your first flight is way easier than you think!!

You can lift off of the ground solo with a hang glider on your first day! The slopes on the first days are very shallow, so your first flight can be a few feet off the ground, safe, and exciting. Whether you are flying 5 feet off of the ground or 100 feet, the feeling of the glider lifting you off, and controlling it to touchdown is a feeling you’ll never forget!

*** “Is it safe?” This is the first question my fiancé had. To answer that common question: These aren’t the hang gliders of the 1970’s and 80’s. They have years of engineering built in, and many updates to design keep them safe, stable and predictable. Once hang gliders progress to higher launches, you will also always carry a parachute just in case. Most pilots will never need to throw this ‘chute. You will also learn not to fly if conditions are questionable. In a nutshell… yes, it’s safe. ***

I didn’t know what to expect on my first day of instruction. I had a fear of doing something that would look stupid, or being put into a situation that was above my skill or fear level (I have a moderate fear of heights). The fears were unfounded. It’s a step by step process that goes at your speed. With most instructors you will show up in the morning and they will show you how to put together a hang glider. After that, you’ll put on the helmet and harness that fits and get used to carrying and handling the glider (ground handling). You may run on flat ground with the glider to get the feeling down, and so you understand how to control it. Soon, usually within a couple of hours, you’ll be running on the shallow training hill, the glider will billow up with air, and you’ll be flying! Be prepared… it’s an amazing feeling!!! You can control it a bit left and right, and it’ll settle you down gently at the end of the slope. The main thing is that everything in the learning process is incremental and steady. You won’t be asked to do tasks that makes you anxious or nervous.

Am I capable of doing this? I don’t think there is an ‘average’ or ‘best’ size, shape, age or gender that makes a good HG pilot:

  • You’ll need to be able to lift about 40-50 pounds (with your legs) for short periods of time

  • You’ll need the ability to walk-jog-run

  • Age isn’t a deciding factor. Teens through people in their 70’s (or maybe older, I don’t know) continue to fly

  • Weight can range vastly. Some of the best launches I’ve seen in my short HG career come from a small statured female H2. There are hang gliders that can accommodate large builds also

What to do before you go:

  • Contact one of the Instruction Schools (below) and set up a training day to meet

  • Wear comfortable clothes that you would hike in. Nothing fancy

  • Bring water, and cameras (GoPro if you have it. The instructor will probably video 1st flight)

  • The instructor will bring everything else that you need

  • You can progress through your training using the instructor’s glider and equipment

  • Don’t worry, and just enjoy the flying. There’s nothing else like it!

Where to go:

What to expect:

  • Instructors and other pilots want you to succeed. Everyone loves seeing new students or pilots starting to experience this pure form of human flight! It’s a positive environment.

  • Classes can range from $150-$250 per day (Usually about 4 hours each)

  • You may share a class with students around your same level

  • There are well planned out, incremental steps that you will learn

  • There are no times where you’ll be expected to do something that makes you nervous

  • Once you start flying from higher launches you’ll have a parachute, and be trained to use it

  • You’ll start on a shallow ‘bunny slope’ type hill, and then work your way to higher and higher launches as you practice different steps (Using your weight, turning, gaining speed, flaring)