hang glider

Hang gliding is a sport where pilots fly lightweight, unpowered aircraft. Takeoffs are typically made from cliffs or hills. Early pioneers like Otto Lilienthal in Germany and the collaboration of Augustus Herring and Octave Chanute in the United States experimented with gliders in the late 19th century. Modern hang gliding emerged in the late 1960s with delta-shaped wings adapted from kite designs. John Dickenson's innovation of a swing seat, combined with a Rogallo wing, is considered the birth of the modern hang glider.1

Hang gliders use gravity for propulsion but can stay aloft for hours by utilizing rising air currents, such as those deflected by hills or thermals. While early designs had limited glide ratios, modern versions, including rigid, tailless models made from composite materials, can achieve glide ratios exceeding 20:1 and speeds of up to 62 mph (100 km/h). The sport is internationally governed by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).1