PARAGLIDER PILOT TRIES HANG GLIDING FOR THE FIRST TIME! (Ft. Erika Klein)
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Erika's IG: / erika.j.klein
Adam's IG: / adamzacharysmith
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Ex 70's hang glider.. Pioneered pine flats and Cerro Gordo in owens valley. Retired in 78. Took back up in 2012 flying U2 in florida. Nothing like the pioneer days. Flew with wills brothers also.
Good to see , I'm a hangglider pilot , microlight pilot and recent paraglider pilot , I just love flying 👌✌
Im 62 yrs old and started hang gliding in 1978, and I'm still flying today. (44 yrs and counting). Joe Greglo and Rich Grigsby taught me to fly at Dockweiler Beach CA.
Great video! I’m an old hang glider pilot and I just love stuff that flies. I came to your stuff via Tucker’s videos and I enjoy your creativity. I knew Erica when when she was learning to fly. It’s cool that you just connected! Have a great day!
As a freeflight paraglider and paramotor pilot, I have had many flights alongside hanggliders. Mutual respect is key. Nice to see the hanggliders getting some more exposure. !
Long term HG pilot and recent PG pilot. Both are amazing. I thought I was done with HG and then took a flight in my topless on a good day and I must say HG delivers a far greater sense of flying like a bird. Hard to describe to people who only stick to one wing type.
The corollary is that PG has made far bigger strides in design and innovation in the last 20years.. PG is the future and HG is the past. But if you love to fly and dreamt of it as child hg offers that feeling of laying on your stomach and spreading your “wings”. The hard part is learning it.
The other observation I’ve had is that it used to be no contest on the speed conversation , but I’ve seen PG fly really fast lately. Especially if you fly mini-wing. They’re incredibly agile and compete with a hg on a windy ridge. The only remaining advantage is the ability to fly in super strong thermals or winds over 20mph - for most people that isn’t enough to justify the expense of learning both.
My perspective is that PG is best choice for *most* people. But if you are an air addict you are missing out not flying a high performance HG
I flew HG for 10 years from late 80s to late 90s. Back then the higher performing wings were quite physical in roll. I loved me Seedwings Sensor 510 and Wills Wing HP-AT158 but hated my Wills Wing Ram Air 154. I think today Wills Wing has managed to make their competition glider really easy to roll with its ball bearing tips. I tried to take up paragliding but never got comfortable with the soft wing which could and did collaps at any given moment and turn you towards the mountain. I flew Crestline and Owens Valley, both great but very different experinces.
Yes what a great video! thanks for sharing hang gliding on your channel Judson. Great to see Erika and Adam sharing the sport
I´m a glider pilot and because of that I`m also following the paraglider and hang glider scene!
I went from sailplanes to hang gliders back in the 70's. From what I can see, today's top hang gliders perform as well as the old Schweitzer 1-26 flew briefly ...until I couldn't afford it anymore and go to college.
I sometimes glide my uncle Kurts hang glider off our side hill that he used back in the 90s. It still flies great!
Hang-gliding is the quickest route to feeling like Batman!
So cool! I would love to become bi-wingual at some point in the future. Definitely advantages and disadvantages to each aircraft and would be nice to have a HG for those windier days.
Do it! A local paraglider pilot learned hang gliding 2y ago and totally loves it. He now owns a Gecko and flies it whenever possible, only flying his paraglider when he has a short time frame and things to do later in the day. So it's 95%+ hang gliding for him now. This says a lot IMO.
@@ericoschmitt yea for sure. The only two reasons hang gliding wouldn’t be as feasible is when I’m hike and flying or going XC and planning to land out, most area’s for landing out for me are very small and/or a decent hike to a road where I can be picked up, but for site flying in a couple of my local sites HG would be amazing.
@@SkidzFPV Then check Finsterwalder fex gliders, a Funfex (or smaller Airfex) break down to a hikeable size and are fairly light. They land easy. And with a drag chute will land very ver short. Still have a glide ratio of 10,5 and will match/beat most en-C paragliders
@@ericoschmitt How much room on the top of an SUV do you typically need for a HG for transportation. Does the rack span the whole length of an SUV ? I’m trying to decided if I could manage HG whilst living in an apt. I have a garage but I’d have to unload the HG because my SUV is too big for the garage. Also are there tricycle options with a motor ?
@@GodzillaGoesGaga my wife and I kept 5 hang gliders arranged against the ceiling in our apartment.
Ha Adam! What's up bro! I'll be at Lookout tomorrow, hopefully. Thanks for spreading the word about wings that don't collapse. Cheers :)
Jason
Cool! For us older folks who are not near ridges, i.e. Florida, having a motor on a trike frame means you can fly off a short grass field and toot around. Weight Shift Control (WSC) trikes are fun.
Loved the video! I've gotten so much air and weather knowledge from old hangies.... it's awesome to see a new generation coming through. Thank all three of you for this.
Where can a surgeon a lawyer a cop and a construction worker hang together and find common ground?
At a hang glider flight park.
So true! Our local pack has: 2 dentists, civil engineer, gardener, painter, car mechanic, sound technician, cellist (me) (now recruiter), construction worker, gardener, sushiman, motorbike dealer, network technician, software engineer, IT manager....
Adam was one of the instructors when I learned to fly at LMFP in Georgia . Great guy .
Great video guys! Very insightful! I think my next form of aviation will be helicopter saving up for a mosquito :)
Come to AZ, Sonora wings, you can fly a hang gliders, aerotow.
Just think, not long ago you were worried about finding content to film. You've made some great content since then. Loved this insight into hang gliding.
i never thought about learning to hang glide, but you have opened the door to it. I was really surprised that the cost wasn't as high as PPG, but then again, i like having a motor assist.
Do it! A local paraglider pilot learned hang gliding 2y ago and totally loves it. He now owns a Gecko and flies it whenever possible, only flying his paraglider when he has a short time frame and things to do later in the day. So it's 95%+ hang gliding for him now. This says a lot IMO.
Love it, thanks for making this! Great intro to hang gliding for PG pilots and many more.
I'd really like to see you fly a hang glider.
One thing that I expected to be discussed is how tricky the speed difference can be when sharing a small ridge lift site. Paragliders seem to be stationary sometimes to hang glider pilots. It's like flying a slalom course sometimes.
As you all said - mutual understanding and respect is a must.
True for faster wings, but if you get single surface glider one size bigger than you need, than it floats like a PG! I'm 65kg and flew a tandem alone a few times, I was probably slower than most intermediate-advanced PGs
I really liked this video man! this was bomb content! Keep it up!
My paragliding instructor and HG instructor friend tried to get me into hang gliding but I am going to stick with paracrack fixes, "just say no!". Of course I now understand a lot more about hang gliding as sat through a lesson in the course. ;) Judson, you do look like a natural under that wing!
Great work you folk's, keen to see more thankyou.
I think of us all as one big community. No matter what you fly! We all have flying in common!
From India 🇮🇳
Very cool video! I fealt that everything said in the interview was relevant. Particularly about when HG’s come in to land. It’s much more difficult than landing a PG, and HG’s come in with higher speed, and are much more committed. PG’s should respect that and try their best to get the hell out of the way. That’s the number one conflict I see. The less distractions the better. It’s totally not as easy to land a HG. If the winds, turbulence, and thermic activity is increased, then it might be more difficult to land a PG than an HG. Also, yes, although rare, an HG can collapse. My late friend David Henly, (Chip) was #5 for HG hours and one day in Mexico on Oxygen, the thermals took him inadvertently to 22,000 feet!! It collapsed his HG, and he had to throw reserve, and it wound up twisting as he came down hard but he was O.K.. for the record, he died from brain cancer in 2015, not crashing. I had like 60 flights with him on motorized tandem. Miss the hell out of him. All the old school HG pilots in Crestline knew him.
Oh man! I just interviewed her the other week! Her and her mom are awesome!
I'm so glad I followed you. THANK YOU for this. I'm still on the ground, but hoping to go down one of these paths soon.
I fly and teach both hang gliding and paragliding. And they are both awesome! ;)
Thank you for giving us a glimpse into another world!
Very informative and entertaining. I don't think that I have seen a comparison before. Thanks, Judson!
Just a quick glimps into someone else’s subculture of their particular sport is so cool! I fly the PPC, & have many friends who prefer the PPG.
I want to see you fly a hang glider off the hill 👍
It looks so cool!
Yeah Judson! Crestline Kooks in the house! Living here in Crestline, I am primarily a Paraglider pilot, but I have padded racks on my truck to shuttle hang gliders. Rebar Dan, on of the best HG pilots in the world gives me free HG lessons. I felt completely out of my element the first day, until several bunny launches, and then by the end of the day, I finally had it down. It’s always been like this “skiers vs. snowboarders” vibe unless you get to know all the HG pilots like I do! No need for that. Learn both PG and HG. They are both amazing, and both are the only true freeflight. Would love to learn paramotor! I’ve been flying single engine airplanes since childhood, but for me, that’s like driving a car compared to freeflight!
Going upside down in a hang glider is like getting gift-wrapped in a speedwing, only you don't die.
Great to see you have a go, next time Judson actually flys a hang glider, that would be cool, probably would take you 1 or 2 days or to get your first gentle top to bottom flight. Do it!
The video came out great, it was awesome meeting you and watching the interview go down 😅
I'm a PG pilot and always wanted to test HG, but didn't have the time (flying PG already takes time). It was interesting to learn that the HGs last so long, that I didn't know. But it makes sense, they are not made of thin fabric like the PGs.
Is this something that you would consider doing in the future? I seen your ‘Moustache’ video, & you seemed to love the speed aspect of flying, so I think you’d be awesome at HG.
Great interview! But I do have to disagree on the comment about setting up a HG vs. a PG: 15 min is only possible on a beginners hang-glider. Any Intermediate or high-performance will need half an hour for setting it up properly.
I have been asking Tucker to try hang gliding in the comment section for years now haha. A lot of the disadvantages with paragliding (collapses etc) can be eliminated by flying a hang glider. Better performance, better glide, faster, stronger, and safer. But can't fit in the boot of your car. Oh and you can attach a foot launch powered harness 👍
Remember the Finsterwalder Fexes can break down to 6ft, so can fit inside the car by dropping one back seat
Judson you did good! This video was very interesting and I’m not even a pilot. I’d love to give flying a go per my bucket list and This video showed me certain advantages to hand gliding vs paragliding or paramotoring. Great job! Are you still back visiting Florida?
Erika is most professional hang gliding piloting have ever seen
I remember i was in yosemite one year. A hang glider pilot was coming in for a landing in the meadow. A gust of wind got him and took him i to a tree. Crashed over 100 ft up with only a broken pinky. Search and rescue showed up and ziplined him down out of the tree in the hanglider. He waz already harnessed in so just send the whole thing down at once. Haha
Great subject and video!
Awesome video! I love the comparison between the 2. We all get to share the air and experience flight. Would be cool to see you pursue it further so us ppg pilots can get your take on both.
The only thing I disagree with is that an experienced PG pilot knows how to manage their lines 99% of the time, and it usually only takes less than 5 minutes to do a preflight, and then we are flying! HG can take 1/2 an hour up to an hour for both set up and tear down. Experienced HG’s can do it in 15 or 20 minutes. And with a stuff sack, it’s 1 or 2 minutes after landing. Also a Mitch MacAleer trick: Spray your lines with silicone, and your life will be SO MUCH easier from then on. You will have less line problems with a 2 liner or a 3/2 liner just because you have less lines as well.
My dad dit this a long long time ago, but from a hang glider to a paraglider. 1st thing he missed was the A-Frame 🙂
I'm 57 yrs old and started hanggliding in 1989 and am still flying these days. North side POM this month. Joe Greblo loans me a wing when I visit Los angles to violate BUR airspace at sylmar.
Time to retire and escape beautiful Cali and move to lookoutMtn, GA/ TN.
Love the video mate! I've been flying 20+ years paragliding, and a couple of years paramotor, but never tried hangliding. Years ago was going to have a go on a beach but it was cancelled through the weather. 😒 Interesting.
go for it, you won't regret.
Always awesome to see a woman diver driver. Back in the day (mid 70s) there were very few.
Very informative and cool. I was torn between HG and PG as they are both amazing sports. I have just started PG training due to the logistics of storage/transport of gear in the future but have always loved the thoughts of HG too. From my studies so far there is way more similarities than differences. If you look at the aerodynamics they are very similar in the L/D polar plot profiles. Handling might be different but they are both aircraft and physics applies to them equally. I absolutely have respect for anyone who flies and there shouldn’t be an Us vs Them attitude. Sharing knowledge and cross pollinating can only be good for the free flying community (and you get to meet very cool people!!). I would like to hear more about what HG pilots need and issues they have so that I can learn to accommodate them as best as possible as I progress. I’m sure the converse would be true too.
I NEED to try this!!!!
Finally an honest HG vs PG video!
Yeah mon!! 😎
Love it!
Awesome job JG! Great Interview dialog, opened my eyes to our flying cousins. Gotta ask, are you going to continue with it?...Get in a Solo Flight or two?
The reason a CCC wing is only about $1000 more than an EN-A wing is because they are massively subsidised. A 100+ cell wing takes massively more time to sew than a 40 cell wing.
Hi Judson, can you kind of see why I fly my little Peabee, its paramotoring, but with a hang-glider ( ignore the wheels ..lol) Loving the content as always.
Loved that video :)
Great interview I really enjoyed it as I hope to become biwingual one day and fly paramotors also . I suggest taking some lessons I think you will love it .
That was awesome. Now you should hook up with some Foot launch POWERED Hang Glider pilots and compare them to paramotors. Just search for FLPHG on UA-cam. Thanks for posting, great job!
That would be cool
FLPHG are actually extremely dangerous. I aerotow and foot launch. I want to PG and PPG but not motors on the feet. They look cool as shit tho.
@@rcchopperman just as dangerous as PPG really
One of my skydiver friends is a very young lady who just started hang glider training at Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga.
The phrase “paraglider are good wind dummies” don’t reflect the respect he talk between both disciplines. If you love something don’t talk bad about others. Is sad to see hang gliders are less common to see every year, I believe is just for practical reasons and I hope can grow again. Happy and respectful flights and safe landings 🤙🏻
That looks like a fun time!
Learning to glide using aerotow, you will be controlling a glider during flight on your first day.
Cheers to all!
As a paraglider pilot I can say that in my live I try try a hanglider. Its a big nono for me. Scary as shit.
DUDE!!! How the F do you not have like a million subs? All you folks mooching off Judson's material without subbing, get off your behind and sub to his channel. This dude is going places with his work.
Bravo, thx.
Great video. You should train to them how to fly paraglider, They should teach you how to fly hand glider that would be awesome videos????
It's been a while since I've just done something for myself. I think I'll try that this week.
Go for it, best thing in life
My bro Gavin whipped ALL the Hanglider pilots in a competition here at Crestline on an Ozone Zeno! They were PISSED! Not supposed to be able to do that!
Cool stuff, self thought, hang gliding back 1988 self thought paragliding 2001 , still flying and never broken anything..... probably should drive down to Utah and maybe just move there or something.
have done both, cant beat the mobility of a paraglider.
but did you pick your sport for flying or for walking?
If hiking is your priority get a short pack glider like the Finsterwalder Charly ones
I just realized why it is called the "mustache". The new wing...
I think it is possible to recruit more people to hang gliding by holding an intro course for pg pilots.
makes sense, I've been considering doing a trial day. My club has 10 pg for each HG (150 to 15..)
Nice Buc-ee's scarf
Nice video. Where was that?
Spars are very good things.
cool video 🤙🤙🤙
Shit, several times I’ve whipped all the Hangliders on my Ozone Mojo6 A glider! I’ll never forget the day I outflew Jonathan Dietch (30 year HG pilot) and I heard about all the obscene language that came from his mouth being pissed off that a rookie on an A glider smoked his ass! We’re still friends….
Nice helmet 😊
Wow
Re: setup time. Sailplanes also take about 15-20 minutes to setup. It just takes an hour when I do it...
With practice I got to setup a beginner wing like the one in the video in 5mins, without rushing. Most PGs sit and wait for the best weather anyway, I don't think setup time should be something to define the way you fly
Judson be slalom cone.
Go for a tandem.
I missed the part where you tried hang gliding.
I have heard HG landings are a lot more challenging than PG landings, and that most of the HG injuries (broken wrist/arms) happen then. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's the higher landing speeds and improper flare timing that leads to most injuries.
I would concur.
It's faster but only modestly so. It might be a 4-5 mpg difference. Bad landings can have casualties no matter what, We have arm and wrist injuries, while I see plenty of broken ankles and spinal compressions, from the other side. Landing in any aircraft means staying in practice.
useful data on minor injuries just isnt available, so all we have is anecdotal. From what ive seen everyone seems to feel that what they are flying is safer which seems like a pretty standard bias. I think beginner PG wing vs beginner HG wing in calm conditions the PG is for sure easier to land but outside of that very specific comparison there are too many factors.
i know when i watch a rough paraglider landing i think 'sheesh, glad im on a hangglider' and then when my PG friends see a hangglider whack hard they think 'sheesh glad im on a paraglider' and we all have a good laugh about it assuming no one is seriously hurt
the thing you know how to do is gonna seem a lot less sketchy than the thing you dont haha
@@saleplains Agree. Training to mitigate the risks unique to each activity is key.
@@SVSky On a normal beginner style landing sure. But both sports can execute a type of swoop landing, and I imagine that the potential ground speed of a HG is much greater.
Here's to hoping that you might continue your hang gliding adventure ! Because, you know: once you get to the edge of the map - there be 🐉😉
Judson, you might enjoy this: ua-cam.com/video/IAGBLxm_yZI/v-deo.html
Hi am in Uganda east Africa I like this but have no equipment
...and then there's CAGE flying , where you don't need brake lines, you hang from a single point like in a hang glider, and control the wing by direct Roll/Pitch control : ua-cam.com/video/xCI9kBfB2zc/v-deo.html
.....this shows how it works : ua-cam.com/video/ZIhbRPFAuxg/v-deo.html
and another : ua-cam.com/video/qxPGaEdNteU/v-deo.html
First comment wassup!!!!
Congrats!! 🎉
Great video otherwise
Had to turn off my subwoofers, Lots of deep low frequency banging of the table with that mic! just sayin!
Too bad you didn’t get some short training flights.
Have you flown off the hill with a HG yet? Their only downfall is the lack of roll control compared to a PG.
Lack of control?.... Have YOU flown hang gliders?
@@ericoschmitt yes. Have you flown paragliders? I specifically said roll control. The amount of effort required to reverse a turn in a hangglider is much more difficult compared to just a little pull on a string with a paraglider.
@@MitchG I have, 3 tandems with friends where I was given the controls for much of the flight, and some ground kiting. Of course it's easier on the PG but saying "lack of control" is a huge exaggeration. Beginner and intermediate wings are quite easy to roll. Even advanced wings can be very easy, I can literally thermal a Litesport or RX with one hand and one elbow while holding my phone and filming... Technique can compensate. Of course heavy turbulence with full VG makes things hard.
And being hard on certain situations by no means mean "lack of control".
Eventually one wing will do all.
No way, aerodynamics dictates tradeoffs. I could easily justify owning 10 different hang gliders for specific uses and conditions. Only I'm poor so I own 2 for now.
@@ericoschmitt i mean in the way paragliders will become more rigid in design
@@natural9743 I've read about some experiments, but if the wing advances forward then a front collapse is actually a safety measure so you don't get wraped. At least that was the reasoning I remember to keep PGs flexy.
OTOH the lower surfaces of hang gliders could be ram-air inflated instead of straight battens. If holes are made right, it could even deflate somewhat with a higher angle of attack, changing the profile and reducing stall speed.
Northwings gliders have small vents to help shape the undersurface too.
:)
Lose the moe