I had my first lesson today. Tomorrow & the next at the coast!! Helmet, Harness, Parachute, radio all selected and a Wils Wing Falcon 145. Thanks for the inspiration. I"M DOING IT!!
Hi Vincent - that's FANTASTIC!!!! I'm very pleased and excited for you. (sorry for slow response - I've been in Spain - videos to come!). Do you have any video footage of it? Get it on UA-cam! Had any more lessons since?
Hello,Darren. I've been meaning to thank you for some time for your videos and the inspiration that they provide. I used to do hanggliding ages ago, then I didn't fly for 20(!) years until last year when I saw some videos that UA-cam'd recommended(for no obvious reason), including 1 or 2 of yours. Then I watched you flying some more, got inspired, made some phonecalls, and shortly found myself dangling from a hangglider tied to a winch tow rope (a novelty for me). Something that I had truly believed would never happen. Now, I've got my qualifications back, bought a glider (Seedwings Crossover), had some good flights and find myself having to fight off my girlfriend's fits of jealousy and resentment. I am 54 now, living in Hungary, and time doesn't work in my favour any more, but I am looking forward to some good flying. So thank you for the inspiration!!! And, by the way, this video is really helpful. It has made me realise that high siding is actually a generally required input, rather than a desperate attempt by rubbish pilots like me to correct badly executed, sloppy turns. Thanks for the good work and take care!
Thank you Kálmán! I'm really glad you like the videos and thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on getting back in the air - once it's in your blood you HAVE to do it don't you! 54... is quite young. I know a lot of pilots much older and some who are in their 70s. So you have a long time to go yet. As for your girlfriend... you need to get her interested in being a retrieve driver for you... sell it to her as nice relaxing days out, with a picnic in the sun and maybe a bottle of wine at the end of the day. Works for me! ;-)
@@MooSurferCould a man my age ( 70 ) who's never flown a hang glider get in the game as a pleasure sport rather than competition. Have some arthritis issues but still very active.
@@terryrose6208 yes absolutely you could! I have two friends who are both in their 70s and still fly in competition. You need to factor in that you will probably learn more slowly than a younger person, but so long as you are reasonably fit and active then you absolutely can do it. Where are you based? Do you know a local school?
@@terryrose6208 - terry there are some 70 yr olds down here at Lookout Mountain Flight Park (in Georgia but right near Chattanooga, TN). I just learned here and - according to the folks around here - it's the number one place to learn to fly in the USA
I feel like I could already fly a hang glider after your great explanation even though I've never seen one in person :) Thanks for your excellent work.
@@MooSurfer It ain't that easy to get a lesson. 10 weeks ago I drove all the way from Phoenix to LA to get 2 days basic launch and land training at the beach, then came back home and scheduled training at a school nearer to here when the winter season was set to start. I had to wait two months. Then school informed me of two additional delays due to "logistics", and now that the third rescheduled lesson date is approaching, the weather forecast is sketchy. After that, we'll be into the holidays and my wife has scheduled a trip out of state to my son's wedding. Weddings are nice and all, ...but this is freakin' HANG GLIDING we're talkin' about!!!!
@@VTSifuSteve weather is always a big problem when you first start - because you want the conditions to be 'just so'. As for weddings and such... seems to me like you need a new wife! Possibly a new son too ;-). Seriously - keep trying and you WILL get there!
Thank you for all the work you put into this great video, as well as the other great videos! I have been fascinated and interested in hanggliding for over 30 years now. After 14 years of paragliding, I will start my hanggliding training next year. I can hardly wait for the training, like new hanggliding videos from you. I wish you always beautiful flights and safe landings.
That's brilliant - I'm really glad to hear you're going to start Hanggliding!! And thank you so much - I'm back on it now and will have new videos soon.
My Dad used to hang glide and I spent many days when I was young up on the hill. He usually ended up in the bottom landing field, but had a few good flights and won the BOS once -he hasn’t flown for a while due to a bad hip. Watching this allows me to speak the lingo when talking to my Dad, and I’m thinking about learning to hang glide one day. Very informative video - I learnt a lot - keep it up.
@@MooSurfer yes you probably know him - David Cooper. I remember seeing you fly once up near the landslip nr Castletown when my Dad was flying there once. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn in a few years once I have more time and money! There’s lots of great hills near to where I live so I should be able to get some flying in once I learnt.
Wow! After watching this, I realized this is exactly how I turn "pull-shift-push" even though no one ever explained that to me! Also you actually CAN turn by twisting your body (no bodyweight shift) during aerotow due to the chest line pulling off centerline. Super technical video! Make more!
thx. very much - your commentary was great. I was looking for any of your videos on landing techniques (which is what i really needed) - could not find it.
As a Hang 2 Pilot this video was very informative. I took a tandem flight recently and the Instructor pilot told me I was sliding my turns. Thanks to your video I understand why my turns were sliding and losing altitude. I neglected to shift my weight gently to the high side of the wing to cancel the dig in!! Thank you!!
You're welcome! I'm glad they it helped. I would also suggest going into the turn with more speed. The more speed you have, the less high siding you need to do. What did your instructor say was the cause of the slipping turns?
@@MooSurfer He took back the control bar and demonstrated his turn and I couldn’t discern why his turn wasn’t slipping and losing altitude. With all due respect he’s a great instructor but your video and explanation about shifting weight back to the high side wing really helped. Although he did mention I was holding my turn too long but nothing about movement back to the high side wing. 👍🏻
@@davehyland5384 I see... that sounds like he was saying that you were holding the weight shift for too long. Once the turn has been instigated you need to return your weight to the centre. Or maybe high side. I would definitely advise to try the exercises I mentioned in my video. Firstly try going into the turn with more speed. You may not need to high side at all but can find a very comfortable position in the centre of the bar. From experimenting you will see how much high siding is required a different speeds for you and your glider. I would be very interested to hear (or see if you have video) how you get on! Good luck with it and please let me know.
Hi Darren I check your channel regularly and watch whenever you post. It's been 3 years since I started Hang-gliding, So, I've been watching your channel about a year more than that. I now have over a hundred hours and own 3 hang-gliders: A trainer/floater Airborne Fun 190, a Moyes Gecko intermediate 155, this is in the Red Barron's colours including 4 Teutonic crosses in white squares on upper and lower wings, The third is a single seat powered trike using the Fun 190 wing for zero wind days. I have only flown the intermediate twice, both flights over an hour but my first takeoff involved lots of over control and terrifying steep bank oscillations. The guy who filmed it said he wasn't breathing as I flopped around the sky. Hence watching this back issue video on your channel. If you get the chance I'd like help with two things: 1) Control with the VG on. I am understandably afraid of this currently, I experiment in smooth air but as soon as I feel bumps of any sort I drop the VG. 2) Getting away from the hill, I've never done a real cross country and this is the thing I most want to do. I've ridge soared for 3 hours and got thermals to 6000ft, but can't get away from the hill...
I am so very sorry for not replying sooner - I've been away from editing and UA-cam for a while, but am back now. To answer your questions: 1. Practice with the VG when you have lots of ground clearance. If you're struggling to keep it straight, pull on a little more speed. Practice will build confidence and skill with it. 2. Ahhhhh this is the BIGGIE! and needs a video of it's own. Here are some good options: a)Fly with others who are doing XC. When they go... go with them. b)Make sure you have a retrieve, so you're not worried about getting back. You probably find you have an invisible cord tying you to the hill. When you were at 6000ft you had LOADS of height to go XC - unless you're flying on a giant mountain. It is very daunting though. Just stay with the thermal as it drifts back. Don't bottle it so long as you are in reach of a safe landing. Keep with that thermal hopefully to cloud base - then go on a downwind glide to the next cloud. Over 3000 ft over the hill ? - you are high enough to go for it easily. Just turn and go. The biggest trick is - JFDI. JUST FLIPPING DO IT. When you go down after a few km, learn from it and do it again. So long as you have a safe landing, nothing is lost.
This way of presenting your instruction in a class room setting is best for me. I am a retired Merchant Marine sailor and have sailed, I mean really sailed my whole life and the way a small boat moves is so beautifully delicate that such suttle feelings of movement would be imperceptual to any body but an expert like your selves. The way you move in the bridle seems quite natural to me at least. I have my solo and practice the stalls every time I go up but, I think it would be more easy to fly a 152 Cessna than a unpowered hang glider. I would have more control surfaces in my Cessna. But being able to feel and hear how she goes is critical. Could a beginner profit by getting a performance glider?
Hi Kevin, sorry for my delayed response - I've been off video editing and UA-cam for a while. Yes you are right, the movement feels natural and more so the more you do it. As a beginner I would definitely NOT recommend getting a performance glider. At best it could scare you, at worst you could have an accident. Because the control is more subtle, it's so easy to pull on too much speed and end up winging turns all over the sky feeling out of control. Also you need to do a co-ordinated turn to make it turn. So it all becomes much more scary if you're not used to it.
I don’t know how much shifting your weight has to do with turning the glider. If it was what turns a glider, the ATOS wouldn’t need roll spoilers. Pitch control is definitely weight shift, however. If you watch a video of a hang glider filmed from the keel looking forward, you will see adding roll input twists the trailing edge. Shifting to the right lifts up the right trailing edge and lowers the left. Shifting left raises the left trailing edge and lowers the right. I believe this is what gives you roll and coincidentally yaw control since you are adding drag to the inboard wing when you turn as the trailing edge is raised. The wires, sprogs and other gizmos “flex” the frame hence the term “flex wing.” I love your videos. They are very inspiring!
You are ABSOLUTELY right! I'm not a mega technical person but it is actually the shifting of weight that initiates this turn and the twist. It really is the twist that makes the glider turn, but for an explanation of HOW to actually do it - I thought just saying 'shift your weight' was enough.
Couple thoughts on this aimed at new pilots or those new to aerotowing, or moving up gliders. Practicing slow flying like Darren mentions here is very beneficial for learning flare timing, just fly it right on the edge of stall, do mushing turns, etc, learning what a glider feels like when you are about to be late to flare. We don't generally practice flying slowly like this, so we shouldn't expect to be particularly good at it from a couple seconds of experience at the end of each flight. Practicing flying fast is really useful for transitioning to aerotowing on active days, there are times that you may have to literally bring the bar to your knees, often new aerotow pilots (or new on a wing) will oscillate, principally due to inexperience at high speeds. Outside of that a transition to aerotow is kind of a non event.
Very interesting and although I’ve never flown, I was keen to understand whether you could stall the glider in the air and then having issues to recover from the stall. Looks like you really have to go out of your way to mess up? Thanks for another great video 👍
Yes you can have issues with the stall - if you're close to the ground you could hit it before the glider recovers! If you're high up though it's fine. The glider is designed to automatically recover from a stall. Once the glider has picked up enough speed to fly again, the nose comes up and it recovers. Yes to mess it up, generally you have to really try! Or fly too slowly close to the ground...
Mr. Darren Brown, where in the United States were you flying the hand gliding 101 steering and control and exercises video, please? Thank you for the videos. I love your stuff and keep the Sunnyside up, thank you, Stan Sears
Hi Stan, sorry for the delayed reply - I've been off it for a while. I was flying a little place in the United States known as the United Kingdom! Haha! I'm in the UK and fly in the Peak District.
thank you. very interesting. I'm thinking of learning this summer, so I have a couple of questions I thought of during the video. maybe you address them in previous videos. 1. if you do have to do an emergency turn, for example if someone is coming toward you, is there a standard direction you turn just to make sure you don't both go in the same direction and still crash anyway? 2. what are the 2 gauges on the front to your left? 3. do you have videos showing the landing procedure? thanks so much.
1. The rule is be to be on the right - so to turn right. 'On the right, in the right'. 2. Those are my instruments - with a map and a vario - the vario has lots of information about my position, speed, altitude, climb etc. Some of that information is in the form of sound (beeping faster as I go up faster) so I can use it to find the centre of a thermal without looking at it. 3. Yes - though not specifically devoted to that - it is maybe something I could do if you would like to see? Look at my 'sucked into a cloud' video for the perfect landing! You're welcome and I'm sorry for the delay in my replying.
@@MooSurfer very helpful. thanks so much. and no worries about the delay. I'm in no hurry. well, that's not exactly true. I'm VERY fired up to learn how to do this. but anyway, thanks.
Great video and teaching! Thank you so much for the lesson. I would like you to make a video on how to initiate landing. Say, you're at 5,000 ft and you want to begin descending. Could you make a video on that, please? I've always wondered how that is done. Thanks.
@@MooSurfer, I can imagine. But I always look forward to your videos, and they at always so much fun. You remember the Italian Dolomite video with the Insta 360? That's about my favorite because of the right around (360°) view advantage.
What a bloomin' awesome sport this is, hell yes! When a stall is induced on a performance (glass) sailplane, often one wingtip (leeward) drops and the glider enters a spin; same with high aspect ratio paragliders (which I've flown for an odd 13 years) My question is, does a Hangy not do that because there's so much wash-out in the wingtips? You're a great instructor Darren! I gotta try HG sometime! Best regards from the Netherlands!
Ha, thanks Robert! It IS actually possible to put a hangglider into a spin this way - but in order to do this you need to pull on full VG and when it stalls, to hold the bar out.
It's been a long time since I took instruction on how to fly a hang glider - around about the late 60s and early 70s, when they looked to be triangular Rogallo kites, and about a decade or so later when the partial double surface wing, such as the Atlas we aspired to was on its way up - and now the wings without a king post look more beautiful than ever before. How I wish I was younger, fitter and richer than the wreck I am now,. But, tell me Darren, what in heck does that forever dangling bit of cord on the bottom right of your bar operate and, although not on this flight over Mam Tor, which you occasionally pull in and out?
I think we ALL want to be younger fitter and richer!!! The cord - it's called VG (variable geometry). When you pull it, it pulls the cross tube backwards which has the effect of tightening the sail. It gives you a better glide angle but at the expense of handling.
The VERY BEST way to learn Hang Gliding is via Dual Instruction. Get 3-4 hours dual instruction in a powered hang glider via a hang gliding instructor. You will get 90% of what you'll need 8n this time frame. Your first manoeuvres will include multiple 360 degree turns at 2-3 thousand feet altitude. You'll recognise and recover from tip stalls, wings level stalls. You'll be able to routinely set up and execute a precise approach and landing. Your straight line performance will be measured in centimetres left or right of your target line. The performance gains include NO BAD Habits as described by Darren. You learn the right way from your first minute in the air. Flying involves a lot of trained responses. If you have to think about it - you're about to crash. The superiority of dual instruction is so complete, it is used by airline pilots to general aviation to fighter pilots to space shuttles. Only in the NEANDERTHAL Led recesses of Hang Gliding regulation and control is the thought that solo from day 1 is somehow acceptable. Try it out.
Darren..looking at your harness.At my advice you have the main white horizontal rope too loose...Usually on this harness the rope must be very tight and do not come out of the harness profile like I see in your..Please check it.Have fun and fly safe.Ago Ps :thanks for your great videos.
Grazie Zio - yes you are correct, I know the rope is a little loose. However it has been that way for some time and as it is currently allows when the slider moves forwards / backwards, because of the little bit of slack it stays in the correct position (my harness works only on friction, there is no ass-plate). I do check the rope on a regular basis and it is secure and has no fraying. Perhaps though soon I will replace it or tighten it back up again. From your videos - you live near Bassano? I LOVE that place! The ramp is such a great place to take off. And it is not far to drive to Meduno... Thanks for your concern and for watching - very much appreciated. :-)
@@MooSurfer Hi Darren..ok for the harness..and..yes I live near Bassano and that is my main flight area. Hope to fly with you soon ..Have fun and fly safe..Ago
Clear and concise instructions. However, I've noticed that NONE of the hang gliding videos ever mention altitude control...for some rather STRANGE reason, that aspect is missing. How do you control altitude while in flight?
Sorry for my delayed reply... a good question. The key here is that there is no engine. So altitude is dependant on the weather conditions. Steering is controlled by weight shift left and right. Pulling / pushing the bar controls speed - and obviously the faster you go, the steeper the glide down. The Hangglider is like a paper aeroplane - it is constantly gliding DOWN through the air. So in order to go UP, the glider must fly in air that is going up faster than it is going down. This can be from soaring the wind hitting a ridge at 90 degrees to it, or from circling in a thermal (a rising column of air that creates cumulus clouds). That is how you control altitude - finding and flying in these conditions. And is why sometimes on a cross country flight you don't get to goal - because you don't find the thermals to go up in and end up on the floor. Does that answer your question or did I go off on the wrong track?
I imagine the reason the glider digs into the turn is because the outside wing is traveling faster then the inside wing which means there is more lift on the outside wing traveling faster. This would cause the glider to want to roll into the turn more tightly.
@@MooSurfer, oh that's interesting. lol! It does make a huge difference when one is able to see it from both views, just like you. You're my #1 pilot! Very awesome person!
What would happen if a pilot took such an extreme bank angle that the glider flipped, or even with the assitance of turbulence caused it to flip? Would you go into a stall and the glider would need altitude to recover?
Sorry for the delayed reply. In normal conditions a glider cannot flip through turning - because the pilot's weight is always underneath it. But it is possible for a glider to tumble in extreme turbulence. This is unusual but can happen, also depending what the glider is doing at the time - like flying really fast. If the glider goes upside down, then the pilot will fall into the sail. A possible outcome is the glider breaking up and the pilot needing to throw the parachute.
@@MooSurfer That seems to make sense. Thanks for taking the time to come back and give my comment a reply! I'll be joining the ranks of HG pilots really soon here. Learning all I can and subscribed and watching your channel in the meantime.
I had my first lesson today. Tomorrow & the next at the coast!! Helmet, Harness, Parachute, radio all selected and a Wils Wing Falcon 145. Thanks for the inspiration. I"M DOING IT!!
Hi Vincent - that's FANTASTIC!!!! I'm very pleased and excited for you. (sorry for slow response - I've been in Spain - videos to come!). Do you have any video footage of it? Get it on UA-cam! Had any more lessons since?
Hello,Darren. I've been meaning to thank you for some time for your videos and the inspiration that they provide. I used to do hanggliding ages ago, then I didn't fly for 20(!) years until last year when I saw some videos that UA-cam'd recommended(for no obvious reason), including 1 or 2 of yours. Then I watched you flying some more, got inspired, made some phonecalls, and shortly found myself dangling from a hangglider tied to a winch tow rope (a novelty for me). Something that I had truly believed would never happen. Now, I've got my qualifications back, bought a glider (Seedwings Crossover), had some good flights and find myself having to fight off my girlfriend's fits of jealousy and resentment. I am 54 now, living in Hungary, and time doesn't work in my favour any more, but I am looking forward to some good flying. So thank you for the inspiration!!!
And, by the way, this video is really helpful. It has made me realise that high siding is actually a generally required input, rather than a desperate attempt by rubbish pilots like me to correct badly executed, sloppy turns. Thanks for the good work and take care!
Thank you Kálmán! I'm really glad you like the videos and thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on getting back in the air - once it's in your blood you HAVE to do it don't you! 54... is quite young. I know a lot of pilots much older and some who are in their 70s. So you have a long time to go yet. As for your girlfriend... you need to get her interested in being a retrieve driver for you... sell it to her as nice relaxing days out, with a picnic in the sun and maybe a bottle of wine at the end of the day. Works for me! ;-)
@@MooSurferCould a man my age ( 70 ) who's never flown a hang glider get in the game as a pleasure sport rather than competition. Have some arthritis issues but still very active.
@@terryrose6208 yes absolutely you could! I have two friends who are both in their 70s and still fly in competition. You need to factor in that you will probably learn more slowly than a younger person, but so long as you are reasonably fit and active then you absolutely can do it. Where are you based? Do you know a local school?
@@MooSurfer No local schools that I know of. But I will start looking to see what's available in the tri-state area. Thanks for the reply.
@@terryrose6208 - terry there are some 70 yr olds down here at Lookout Mountain Flight Park (in Georgia but right near Chattanooga, TN). I just learned here and - according to the folks around here - it's the number one place to learn to fly in the USA
I feel like I could already fly a hang glider after your great explanation even though I've never seen one in person :) Thanks for your excellent work.
Thank you!! But... don't try! Not without REAL tuition!!
@@MooSurfer Too late, I just came back from a wonderful hang gliding.
Just kidding 😂 Keep up the great work!
@@fz8964 HA!!! You SHOULD give it a try by getting a lesson. Health warning though - once you start, you can't stop!!
@@MooSurfer It ain't that easy to get a lesson. 10 weeks ago I drove all the way from Phoenix to LA to get 2 days basic launch and land training at the beach, then came back home and scheduled training at a school nearer to here when the winter season was set to start. I had to wait two months. Then school informed me of two additional delays due to "logistics", and now that the third rescheduled lesson date is approaching, the weather forecast is sketchy. After that, we'll be into the holidays and my wife has scheduled a trip out of state to my son's wedding. Weddings are nice and all, ...but this is freakin' HANG GLIDING we're talkin' about!!!!
@@VTSifuSteve weather is always a big problem when you first start - because you want the conditions to be 'just so'. As for weddings and such... seems to me like you need a new wife! Possibly a new son too ;-). Seriously - keep trying and you WILL get there!
Thank you for all the work you put into this great video, as well as the other great videos! I have been fascinated and interested in hanggliding for over 30 years now. After 14 years of paragliding, I will start my hanggliding training next year. I can hardly wait for the training, like new hanggliding videos from you. I wish you always beautiful flights and safe landings.
That's brilliant - I'm really glad to hear you're going to start Hanggliding!! And thank you so much - I'm back on it now and will have new videos soon.
My Dad used to hang glide and I spent many days when I was young up on the hill.
He usually ended up in the bottom landing field, but had a few good flights and won the BOS once -he hasn’t flown for a while due to a bad hip.
Watching this allows me to speak the lingo when talking to my Dad, and I’m thinking about learning to hang glide one day.
Very informative video - I learnt a lot - keep it up.
Thanks William - do I know your dad? Learning to Hangglide is something that you will never regret and will be SO glad you did it.
@@MooSurfer yes you probably know him - David Cooper. I remember seeing you fly once up near the landslip nr Castletown when my Dad was flying there once.
Hopefully I’ll be able to learn in a few years once I have more time and money! There’s lots of great hills near to where I live so I should be able to get some flying in once I learnt.
@@WilliamCooper2005 have you learned to hang glide yet?
This is great. As a fresh H2 everything in this video in very informative and reiterates all the stuff taught by my instructor. Thank you.
You're welcome - I'm glad it helped!
A very good explanation of weight shift control in practice
Thanks! Darren
You're welcome Job, I'm glad you liked it :-)
Wow! After watching this, I realized this is exactly how I turn "pull-shift-push" even though no one ever explained that to me! Also you actually CAN turn by twisting your body (no bodyweight shift) during aerotow due to the chest line pulling off centerline. Super technical video! Make more!
Thanks John, glad you liked it... More to come - I've currently got LOADS of video to edit... just need time to do it!
thx. very much - your commentary was great. I was looking for any of your videos on landing techniques (which is what i really needed) - could not find it.
As a Hang 2 Pilot this video was very informative. I took a tandem flight recently and the Instructor pilot told me I was sliding my turns. Thanks to your video I understand why my turns were sliding and losing altitude. I neglected to shift my weight gently to the high side of the wing to cancel the dig in!!
Thank you!!
You're welcome! I'm glad they it helped. I would also suggest going into the turn with more speed. The more speed you have, the less high siding you need to do. What did your instructor say was the cause of the slipping turns?
@@MooSurfer He took back the control bar and demonstrated his turn and I couldn’t discern why his turn wasn’t slipping and losing altitude. With all due respect he’s a great instructor but your video and explanation about shifting weight back to the high side wing really helped. Although he did mention I was holding my turn too long but nothing about movement back to the high side wing. 👍🏻
@@davehyland5384 I see... that sounds like he was saying that you were holding the weight shift for too long. Once the turn has been instigated you need to return your weight to the centre. Or maybe high side. I would definitely advise to try the exercises I mentioned in my video. Firstly try going into the turn with more speed. You may not need to high side at all but can find a very comfortable position in the centre of the bar. From experimenting you will see how much high siding is required a different speeds for you and your glider. I would be very interested to hear (or see if you have video) how you get on! Good luck with it and please let me know.
Very good video. (Rio de Janeiro - Brazil)
Nicely done👍
Thank You so much for this great insights - bg from Vienna/Austria
Thank you very much Darren for that instruction and explanation
Hi Darren I check your channel regularly and watch whenever you post. It's been 3 years since I started Hang-gliding, So, I've been watching your channel about a year more than that. I now have over a hundred hours and own 3 hang-gliders: A trainer/floater Airborne Fun 190, a Moyes Gecko intermediate 155, this is in the Red Barron's colours including 4 Teutonic crosses in white squares on upper and lower wings, The third is a single seat powered trike using the Fun 190 wing for zero wind days.
I have only flown the intermediate twice, both flights over an hour but my first takeoff involved lots of over control and terrifying steep bank oscillations. The guy who filmed it said he wasn't breathing as I flopped around the sky. Hence watching this back issue video on your channel.
If you get the chance I'd like help with two things:
1) Control with the VG on. I am understandably afraid of this currently, I experiment in smooth air but as soon as I feel bumps of any sort I drop the VG.
2) Getting away from the hill, I've never done a real cross country and this is the thing I most want to do. I've ridge soared for 3 hours and got thermals to 6000ft, but can't get away from the hill...
I am so very sorry for not replying sooner - I've been away from editing and UA-cam for a while, but am back now. To answer your questions: 1. Practice with the VG when you have lots of ground clearance. If you're struggling to keep it straight, pull on a little more speed. Practice will build confidence and skill with it. 2. Ahhhhh this is the BIGGIE! and needs a video of it's own. Here are some good options: a)Fly with others who are doing XC. When they go... go with them. b)Make sure you have a retrieve, so you're not worried about getting back. You probably find you have an invisible cord tying you to the hill. When you were at 6000ft you had LOADS of height to go XC - unless you're flying on a giant mountain. It is very daunting though. Just stay with the thermal as it drifts back. Don't bottle it so long as you are in reach of a safe landing. Keep with that thermal hopefully to cloud base - then go on a downwind glide to the next cloud. Over 3000 ft over the hill ? - you are high enough to go for it easily. Just turn and go. The biggest trick is - JFDI. JUST FLIPPING DO IT. When you go down after a few km, learn from it and do it again. So long as you have a safe landing, nothing is lost.
another great vid about ftying basics helpful reminders thanks cheers
This way of presenting your instruction in a class room setting is best for me. I am a retired Merchant Marine sailor and have sailed, I mean really sailed my whole life and the way a small boat moves is so beautifully delicate that such suttle feelings of movement would be imperceptual to any body but an expert like your selves. The way you move in the bridle seems quite natural to me at least. I have my solo and practice the stalls every time I go up but, I think it would be more easy to fly a 152 Cessna than a unpowered hang glider. I would have more control surfaces in my Cessna. But being able to feel and hear how she goes is critical. Could a beginner profit by getting a performance glider?
Hi Kevin, sorry for my delayed response - I've been off video editing and UA-cam for a while. Yes you are right, the movement feels natural and more so the more you do it. As a beginner I would definitely NOT recommend getting a performance glider. At best it could scare you, at worst you could have an accident. Because the control is more subtle, it's so easy to pull on too much speed and end up winging turns all over the sky feeling out of control. Also you need to do a co-ordinated turn to make it turn. So it all becomes much more scary if you're not used to it.
I don’t know how much shifting your weight has to do with turning the glider. If it was what turns a glider, the ATOS wouldn’t need roll spoilers. Pitch control is definitely weight shift, however. If you watch a video of a hang glider filmed from the keel looking forward, you will see adding roll input twists the trailing edge. Shifting to the right lifts up the right trailing edge and lowers the left. Shifting left raises the left trailing edge and lowers the right. I believe this is what gives you roll and coincidentally yaw control since you are adding drag to the inboard wing when you turn as the trailing edge is raised. The wires, sprogs and other gizmos “flex” the frame hence the term “flex wing.” I love your videos. They are very inspiring!
You are ABSOLUTELY right! I'm not a mega technical person but it is actually the shifting of weight that initiates this turn and the twist. It really is the twist that makes the glider turn, but for an explanation of HOW to actually do it - I thought just saying 'shift your weight' was enough.
Very informative and educative 👍❤️💙♥️💚❤️💙
Maravilhoso! Thanks. Jorge Lima , Fron Brasil
Informative video. Well done. Easy to understand. Enjoy all your videos.
Thanks LR - I'm very glad you like them :-)
High Darren, good and useful video! I would love to learn Hanggliding and I was wondering if you teach and some info for people like me, thanks.
Hi Farrokh, I'm glad you like the video. I'm sorry I don't teach, but will happily give you any info you like.
Thank you very much from Germany
Awesome
Couple thoughts on this aimed at new pilots or those new to aerotowing, or moving up gliders. Practicing slow flying like Darren mentions here is very beneficial for learning flare timing, just fly it right on the edge of stall, do mushing turns, etc, learning what a glider feels like when you are about to be late to flare. We don't generally practice flying slowly like this, so we shouldn't expect to be particularly good at it from a couple seconds of experience at the end of each flight. Practicing flying fast is really useful for transitioning to aerotowing on active days, there are times that you may have to literally bring the bar to your knees, often new aerotow pilots (or new on a wing) will oscillate, principally due to inexperience at high speeds. Outside of that a transition to aerotow is kind of a non event.
Some really good points there Entelin, thank you :-)
Very interesting and although I’ve never flown, I was keen to understand whether you could stall the glider in the air and then having issues to recover from the stall. Looks like you really have to go out of your way to mess up?
Thanks for another great video 👍
Yes you can have issues with the stall - if you're close to the ground you could hit it before the glider recovers!
If you're high up though it's fine. The glider is designed to automatically recover from a stall. Once the glider has picked up enough speed to fly again, the nose comes up and it recovers. Yes to mess it up, generally you have to really try! Or fly too slowly close to the ground...
@@MooSurfer that’s very reassuring to know. Having seen paragliding videos of how they can stall 😬
@@justinf1343 stalling isn't the main issue with a paraglider... Collapsing is! At least a hangglider can't collapse!
Mr. Darren Brown, where in the United States were you flying the hand gliding 101 steering and control and exercises video, please? Thank you for the videos. I love your stuff and keep the Sunnyside up, thank you,
Stan Sears
Hi Stan, sorry for the delayed reply - I've been off it for a while. I was flying a little place in the United States known as the United Kingdom! Haha! I'm in the UK and fly in the Peak District.
thank you. very interesting. I'm thinking of learning this summer, so I have a couple of questions I thought of during the video. maybe you address them in previous videos.
1. if you do have to do an emergency turn, for example if someone is coming toward you, is there a standard direction you turn just to make sure you don't both go in the same direction and still crash anyway?
2. what are the 2 gauges on the front to your left?
3. do you have videos showing the landing procedure?
thanks so much.
1. The rule is be to be on the right - so to turn right. 'On the right, in the right'. 2. Those are my instruments - with a map and a vario - the vario has lots of information about my position, speed, altitude, climb etc. Some of that information is in the form of sound (beeping faster as I go up faster) so I can use it to find the centre of a thermal without looking at it. 3. Yes - though not specifically devoted to that - it is maybe something I could do if you would like to see? Look at my 'sucked into a cloud' video for the perfect landing! You're welcome and I'm sorry for the delay in my replying.
@@MooSurfer very helpful. thanks so much. and no worries about the delay. I'm in no hurry. well, that's not exactly true. I'm VERY fired up to learn how to do this. but anyway, thanks.
Great video and teaching! Thank you so much for the lesson. I would like you to make a video on how to initiate landing. Say, you're at 5,000 ft and you want to begin descending. Could you make a video on that, please? I've always wondered how that is done. Thanks.
I'll add it to my list... though getting down generally is easy - it's the staying up that's difficult!
@@MooSurfer, I can imagine. But I always look forward to your videos, and they at always so much fun.
You remember the Italian Dolomite video with the Insta 360? That's about my favorite because of the right around (360°) view advantage.
High siding...the exact same thing you do in a sailplane to prevent from over-banking in a thermal, only by using a stick 😀
What a bloomin' awesome sport this is, hell yes! When a stall is induced on a performance (glass) sailplane, often one wingtip (leeward) drops and the glider enters a spin; same with high aspect ratio paragliders (which I've flown for an odd 13 years) My question is, does a Hangy not do that because there's so much wash-out in the wingtips?
You're a great instructor Darren! I gotta try HG sometime! Best regards from the Netherlands!
Ha, thanks Robert! It IS actually possible to put a hangglider into a spin this way - but in order to do this you need to pull on full VG and when it stalls, to hold the bar out.
Thanks Darren
It's been a long time since I took instruction on how to fly a hang glider - around about the late 60s and early 70s, when they looked to be triangular Rogallo kites, and about a decade or so later when the partial double surface wing, such as the Atlas we aspired to was on its way up - and now the wings without a king post look more beautiful than ever before. How I wish I was younger, fitter and richer than the wreck I am now,. But, tell me Darren, what in heck does that forever dangling bit of cord on the bottom right of your bar operate and, although not on this flight over Mam Tor, which you occasionally pull in and out?
I think we ALL want to be younger fitter and richer!!! The cord - it's called VG (variable geometry). When you pull it, it pulls the cross tube backwards which has the effect of tightening the sail. It gives you a better glide angle but at the expense of handling.
...Great Ambassador of our Sport, you are Darren!
The VERY BEST way to learn Hang Gliding is via Dual Instruction.
Get 3-4 hours dual instruction in a powered hang glider via a hang gliding instructor.
You will get 90% of what you'll need 8n this time frame.
Your first manoeuvres will include multiple 360 degree turns at 2-3 thousand feet altitude.
You'll recognise and recover from tip stalls, wings level stalls.
You'll be able to routinely set up and execute a precise approach and landing.
Your straight line performance will be measured in centimetres left or right of your target line.
The performance gains include NO BAD Habits as described by Darren.
You learn the right way from your first minute in the air.
Flying involves a lot of trained responses.
If you have to think about it - you're about to crash.
The superiority of dual instruction is so complete, it is used by airline pilots to general aviation to fighter pilots to space shuttles.
Only in the NEANDERTHAL Led recesses of Hang Gliding regulation and control is the thought that solo from day 1 is somehow acceptable.
Try it out.
How very right you are Frank - I completely agree! Although I do recognise that the biggest barrier to dual instruction is availability.
Thanks 🙏🏾🙏🏾
Darren..looking at your harness.At my advice you have the main white horizontal rope too loose...Usually on this harness the rope must be very tight and do not come out of the harness profile like I see in your..Please check it.Have fun and fly safe.Ago
Ps :thanks for your great videos.
Grazie Zio - yes you are correct, I know the rope is a little loose. However it has been that way for some time and as it is currently allows when the slider moves forwards / backwards, because of the little bit of slack it stays in the correct position (my harness works only on friction, there is no ass-plate). I do check the rope on a regular basis and it is secure and has no fraying. Perhaps though soon I will replace it or tighten it back up again.
From your videos - you live near Bassano? I LOVE that place! The ramp is such a great place to take off. And it is not far to drive to Meduno...
Thanks for your concern and for watching - very much appreciated. :-)
@@MooSurfer Hi Darren..ok for the harness..and..yes I live near Bassano and that is my main flight area.
Hope to fly with you soon ..Have fun and fly safe..Ago
Could you post a video explaining wingovers
Good idea - I'll add it to my list :-)
Clear and concise instructions. However, I've noticed that NONE of the hang gliding videos ever mention altitude control...for some rather STRANGE reason, that aspect is missing. How do you control altitude while in flight?
Sorry for my delayed reply... a good question. The key here is that there is no engine. So altitude is dependant on the weather conditions. Steering is controlled by weight shift left and right. Pulling / pushing the bar controls speed - and obviously the faster you go, the steeper the glide down. The Hangglider is like a paper aeroplane - it is constantly gliding DOWN through the air. So in order to go UP, the glider must fly in air that is going up faster than it is going down. This can be from soaring the wind hitting a ridge at 90 degrees to it, or from circling in a thermal (a rising column of air that creates cumulus clouds). That is how you control altitude - finding and flying in these conditions. And is why sometimes on a cross country flight you don't get to goal - because you don't find the thermals to go up in and end up on the floor. Does that answer your question or did I go off on the wrong track?
@@MooSurfer Interesting. Thank you for taking the time to respond and shed some light on this issue. It was helpful!
Hi Darren, could you please explain what dose the Flap do and when do you need to apply it? Thanks
Hi there and sorry for SUCH a delayed reply! A flexwing Hangglider does not have a flap.
Hey darren. If you ever get to the usa will.throu the red carpet out for ya
I certainly do hope to come!
How to control the height of the flight, and what are the correct and save landing techniques?
That's a lot to go into on a reply - I'll be doing some videos that talk about these things.
I imagine the reason the glider digs into the turn is because the outside wing is traveling faster then the inside wing which means there is more lift on the outside wing traveling faster. This would cause the glider to want to roll into the turn more tightly.
Yep, you got about the right of it. Also if you go too slow the inner wing can stall....
Amazing 👌
The pilot that flew in opposite direction @ 8:01 scared me. Didn't he surprise you, Darren? Well, I guess you were able to see him approaching.
He didn't surprise me in real life because as you say - I could see him coming. But it made me jump when I watched the video footage!
@@MooSurfer, oh that's interesting. lol! It does make a huge difference when one is able to see it from both views, just like you. You're my #1 pilot! Very awesome person!
@John Foley, oh wow! You got your souvenir picture right there. 😀
What would happen if a pilot took such an extreme bank angle that the glider flipped, or even with the assitance of turbulence caused it to flip? Would you go into a stall and the glider would need altitude to recover?
Sorry for the delayed reply. In normal conditions a glider cannot flip through turning - because the pilot's weight is always underneath it. But it is possible for a glider to tumble in extreme turbulence. This is unusual but can happen, also depending what the glider is doing at the time - like flying really fast. If the glider goes upside down, then the pilot will fall into the sail. A possible outcome is the glider breaking up and the pilot needing to throw the parachute.
@@MooSurfer That seems to make sense. Thanks for taking the time to come back and give my comment a reply! I'll be joining the ranks of HG pilots really soon here. Learning all I can and subscribed and watching your channel in the meantime.
Darren, should hang glider pilots wear parachutes just in case?
Yes Tim - I have a parachute in my harness. In case of emergency there is a red handle on my left hand side which I pull and throw the parachute.
biiiiiiiiiiig thank you
@@kisameanime5239 you're very welcome!!
I am 65 and want to learn before I buy. A little concerned about crash landing.
I wish you were my teacher
Awwww thanks Hassan!
if a sport or whatever I'm doing is dangerous enough for a helmet, I doubt it'll help me tbh💀