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Hang Gliding Basics for Beginners

Presented by David Duke

Learn how to hang glide, from building a rack for your hang-glider to taking off and landing on your first flight, in this free series of extreme sports videos from our hang gliding expert and professional hang-gliding pilot.

Series Summary

Man has always looked to the sky and wondered how he too could fly like the birds above. Actual powered flight would have to wait until the twentieth century, but gliding dates back to the Neanderthal era, when cave men used to climb high into trees to get fruit, then use animal skins to break their fall. From these makeshift parachutes, recorded in the cave drawings of Northern France, tentative attempts were made to fly forward instead of straight down. The Greeks and Romans conceived of hang gliders and used very simple designs as wings for actors in their plays. Icarus perhaps would have been an early hang gliding pioneer if his wings had not been burned to a crisp. During the Renaissance era, Leonardo and other inventors drew up detailed designs of hang gliders, but they were never successfully built. The first official hang gliding flights of the modern era took place in 1889. In one of the most notorious hang gliding incidents, cult leader Father Yod's first flight on the Hawaiian island of Kauai became his last when he died of injuries sustained after a crash landing.

In this series of hang gliding lesson videos, our expert hang-glider tells you how to get started in this exhilarating sport. He begins by telling you how to build a rack on your car, then tells you how to set up your hangglider and gives you tips for your pre-flight check. Then you learn a few pointers on proper ground position and control and before you know it, you're airborne! This excellent series takes you to an actual hang gliding session and demonstrates everything you need to know on the same type of equipment you will be using.

Listing 1-20 of 20 videos

How to Carry a Hang Glider

Learn how to carry a hang glider the correct way in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Land a Hang Glider

Learn how to land the hang glider safely on the ground when hang gliding in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Break Down a Hang Glider

Learn how to break down the hang glider after use and how to break it down efficiently in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

Launching in High Winds in Hang Gliding

Learn how to launch into high winds and the difference between high and low winds when piloting a hang glider in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Adjust a Hang Glider Harness

Learn how to adjust the harness for comfort and safety on a hang glider in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Set Up a Hang Glider

Learn how to start setting up a hang glider and its wheels in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Unload a Hang Glider

Learn how to unload a hang glider from your car rack when going hang gliding in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Build a Hang Glider Rack

Learn how to build a hang glider rack and what it's used for in hang gliding in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Load Up a Hang Glider

Learn how to load up the hang glider after finished and store it away after hang gliding in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Launch in Hang Gliding

Learn how to launch and get off the ground when piloting a hang glider in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

How to Get Started in Hang Gliding

Learn how to get started in hang gliding and the basics of the sport in this free hang gliding video lesson from an expert professional hang-glider pilot.

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