There are a number of ways, but they include using a static line, a payout winch, a stationary winch or aerotow.

Much like flying a child's kite, towing consists of hooking the glider up to a length of line and pulling it into the air. There are a number of different ways to tow, including static line winch, payout winch, stationary winch, boat towing, truck towing or aerotowing. In aerotowing, the hang glider is towed into the air behind a motorized ultralight aircraft; this is similar to the way sail planes are launched.

The tow rope is attached to the glider and pilot so that the pilot can keep the nose of the glider low on launch. The tow starts and the pilot runs the glider off of the ground very much like a foot launch from a slope.

Hang gliders are designed to soar. The duration record is over 11 hours and the distance record is over 300 kilometers. In training you will start out just skimming the ground. As you progress and become more skilled and confident you will probably want to go higher and use the wing for its designed purpose -- soaring! Average recreational pilots, utilizing thermal and ridge lift, routinely stay aloft for 3 hours or more, soar to altitudes of 15,000' and travel cross-country for great distances.

A Hang Glider has a rigid frame maintaining the shape of the wing, with the pilot usually flying in a prone (lying down) position. The Paraglider canopy shape is maintained only by air pressure and the pilot is suspended in a sitting or supine position. The Hang-glider has a "cleaner" aerodynamic profile and generally is capable of flying at much higher speeds than a Paraglider. Hang Gliders pack down to about 12 ft long and are capable of being transported on car roof-racks.

Our modern light weight training gliders weigh about 50 pounds and with just a little bit of wind, they weigh nothing at all.

A hang glider has a rigid frame maintaining the shape of the wing, with the pilot usually flying in a prone position. The Paraglider canopy shape is maintained only by air pressure and the pilot is suspended in a sitting or supine position. Hang gliders fly at much faster speeds than a Paraglider.

This depends a lot on the conditions in which it is flown, but flights in excess of 300 miles in length and altitudes of well over 20,000 ft. MSL have been recorded. More typically, pilots in the summer frequently achieve altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 ft AGL and fly for over 100 miles.

Hang gliding is one of the simplest forms of human flight. A hang glider is a non-motorized, foot-launched wing. A Hang glider has a rigid frame maintaining the shape of the wing, with the pilot usually flying in a prone position. The hang glider wing is constructed of rip-stop nylon or mylar over an aluminum frame. Hang gliders are controlled by shifting the pilot's weight with respect to the glider.

This depends a lot on the conditions, but flight distances in excess of 300 miles and altitudes of more than 18,000 feet have been recorded. The thermals in the summer in the western United States are particularly powerful and pilots can often reach altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 feet and fly over 100 miles.

Hang gliding has a safety record that is superior to commercial aviation. Like any form of aviation, hang gliding can be dangerous if pursued foolishly, and any form of aviation has associated risk. Hang gliding is like most popular outdoor sports: it must be performed with the proper training, safety considerations, and within the limits of the equipment and pilot. Gliders in the United States are certified for air worthiness by the Hang Glider Manufacturers Association (HGMA).

Your instructor can help you with that once you are ready to make the investment. Many instructors are also certified dealers and can sell you a new or used glider. As a safety check in the sport, you must get new equipment from a dealer. None of the glider manufacturers will sell a glider directly to a customer because, being a self-regulated sport, everyone involved in the gliding community wants to make sure that only properly-trained individuals can purchase a glider.

Considering the inability of most people to set a VCR timer, this is not a good idea. Seriously, glider manufacturers use sophisticated CAD design and automated workshops to produce precision airfoils. Glider designs undergo extensive flight testing. Like any aircraft, home building is not a simple or quick solution for the inexperienced engineer. And in addition, "kits" are not commonly available for gliders anymore.

If you're not sure about taking up the sport, you might prefer to book a 1 or 2 day taster course at a school, or simply arrange to meet them on the hill, and see at first hand what the sport is all about.

The pilot may foot launch, platform launch or dolly launch the glider, or even launch the glider from floats on the water. A hang glider is somewhat more difficult to fly under tow, and the pilot must also be aware of the various things that can go wrong in order to react appropriately. The USHPA has tow administrators who can rate people for tow. Most of those are also instructors and can train people to tow safely.

It's attached to a release at the apex of a specialized tow bridle. The tow bridle attaches to the pilot, the glider, or both. The release is positioned in front of the pilot so he can easily operate it. There is a weak link between the release and towline to protect the glider from overloads. The pilot may foot launch, platform launch or dolly launch the glider, or even launch the glider from floats on the water.

The image to the left shows a typical hang glider for solo flight. Whether flying a glider which is designed for more advanced pilots, or a more simple training glider, most of the designs are relatively similar. Hang gliders are "delta wing" aircraft, i.e. a single, triangle-shaped wing, which consists of an aluminum frame, constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum tubing, and a Dacron sail, which is mounted on the frame. The pilot is suspended below the wing in an enclosed fabric harness.

You need a United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA) rating to fly at most sites, which is similar to an FAA pilot's license. This program consists of a specific set of flying skills corresponding to a series of pilot proficiency ratings (Beginner - Novice - Intermediate - Advanced - Master) each of which carries a set of recommended operating limitations.

For your own safety we strongly advise you not to try to teach yourself to fly a hang glider or paraglider. These are real aircraft, with complex flight characteristics. Any attempt to teach yourself to fly could all too easily result in serious injury. Professional instruction from a BHPA registered school is the only safe way to gain the necessary knowledge and experience to fly within a recreational club, without being a danger to yourself or others in the air.