Powered Hang Glider

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A foot-launched powered hang glider (FLPHG), also called 'powered harness', 'nanolight' or 'hangmotor', is a powered hang glider harness with a motor and propeller attached in a pusher configuration. An ordinary hang glider is used for the wing and the pilot can foot-launch from a hill or from flat ground, needing an area of about the size of a football field to get airborne (much less if there's oncoming breeze and absence of obstacles).

Foot-launched powered harnesses have limited power and thrust so are best used as self-launch gliders in order to achieve enough height to find a warm rising air thermal and soar.

Contents 1 History 2 World Records 3 Configurations 4 Construction 5 Training & Safety 6 Flying 6.1 Launch 6.2 Aborting a Takeoff 6.3 Climb and Cruise Speeds 6.4 Control Bar Position 6.5 Turns 6.6 Landing 7 Hang Glider Choice 8 Instruments 8.1 Variometer 8.2 Radio 8.3 GPS 9 Similar sports 10 External links 10.1 National organizations

[edit] History

The reaction of most pilots would be to say that powered microlights (ultralights) developed from hang gliding in the late 70s, but it was not that simple. In fact, ultralighting is a rebirth, a return to the love of low-speed flight which the earliest aviators felt so keenly, but which was subsequently lost in the quest for military superiority and commercial practicality. The principal characters in the unpowered ultralight re-awakening and modern hang gliders are Francis Rogallo -a NASA engineer- and his wife Gertrude Rogallo, who invented the flexkite or 'Rogallo wing' in 1948.[1] Originally, this device was considered as a possible landing system for a space capsule return to Earth. In 1963, Australian John Dickenson added a fixed A-frame to the glider in front of the pilot, making weight-shift the way to control the kite, thus inventing modern hang gliders. This was first flown in public at the Grafton Jacaranda Festival in September of that year, flown by Rod Fuller while towed behind a motorboat. Bill Moyes became the first to foot-launch a Dickenson wing (a Rogallo wing with A-frame) in 1967.

Foot-launched powered hang gliding, as we know it today, had been unsuccessful prior to 1976 because three basic elements were unrefined:

• Wings were simple Rogallo kite designs of poor performance.
• Small engine technology was underpowered and unreliable.
• Piloting skills and experience were limited.

In 1973, Australian Bill Bennett, who was one of the most skilled pilots of the time and largest U.S. hang glider manufacturer, built a McCulloch engine backpack unit that drove a small caged propeller that when strapped to the pilot’s back pushed him along. In practice, when used with the best hang glider of the day, it was nothing more than a glide extender and was unreliable. In the late 70s, lightweight, high-powered, two-stroke engines were becoming more reliable and hang glider pilots were developing their skills to such an extent that they no longer considered it normal to crash each time they flew. The only unanswered questions were where to fit the engine, the size of the propeller and how it was driven.

On March 5th. 1975, John Moody (EAA Ultralight Hall of Fame inductee) successfully added a McCulloch motor to a foot launched Easy Riser biplane hang glider -designed by Larry Mauro (EAA Ultralight Hall of Fame inductee). Moody opened the throttle and ran until he lifted from the frozen surface of a lake in Wisconsin and the ultralight aviation revolution began. Then on July 27, 1976 John Moody demonstrated ultralight aviation at the annual EAA fly-in convention in Oshkosh, WI with a foot launched McCulloch 101 powered Icarus II hang glider, and by the end of 1979, there were almost 100 competing companies selling powered ultralights (microlights) but few were foot-launchable.

In England, Steve Hunt experimented by fitting a Scorpion glider with a chainsawMcCulloch engine driving a ducted fan via a reduction gear unit, but he stopped development because it was too heavy. However, he visualized the need for a clutch unit to facilitate starting and to reduce shock loading on the drive system. Meanwhile, powered hang glider flight was progressing in the United States and in 1977, the Soarmaster company -located in Scottsdale, Arizona- produced the first commercial powered hang glider, the Soarmaster. The unit was recommended for fitting on an Electra Flyer Cirrus or Olympus hang glider, as the mounting brackets and thrust line calculations had been done for these two gliders only. They had developed a two-stroke engine unit with splash box lubricated chain reduction system, clutch and long drive-shaft that bolted just below the hang glider keel. It developed about 10hp and produced a maximum of 80 Lbs of thrust for a climb rate as high as 150ft/min. A fine balance existed between applying too much power, causing the aircraft to overtake the pilot or not enough power for flight. Though marginal and difficult to fly, the Soarmaster was an encouraging development for foot-launched hang gliders until strange accidents begun to happen. When the pilot pushed out, propeller-related injuries to their feet ensued, earning it nicknames such as the ToeMaster and the SawMaster. It turned out that when the pilot went weightless or stalled under power, the glider would tuck forward violently because the line of thrust was well above the centre of gravity.

The first truly successful foot-launched powered hang glider, the Mosquito, did not sport a keel mounted motor but the complete power unit and drive were incorporated in the harness itself and hooked to the glider by a regular hang strap, placing the center of mass well below the keel, the ideal position for effective weight-shift control. The Mosquito was designed and produced by Swedish inventor Mr. Johan Åhling. Åhling's Mosquito flew first in 1987, but it had only 10 horsepower and a few bugs had to be worked out. When the Mosquito was released again in 1990 with a 14hp (10.2 Kg, 118cc) go-kart engine (Swedish Radne Raket 120), its appeal grew first amongst European and Australian hang glider pilots, and it was not until the late 90's that the Mosquito started to become somewhat popular in North America, that by that time, was obsessed with larger and heavier ultralights and undergoing a decreasing hang glider pilot population. Åhling's Mosquito was later redesigned in the late 90's and released in 2000 as the NRG. As of 2006, there were a few harness designs similar to the Mosquito, each sporting unique strengths,r and produced by other FLPHG manufacturers. This generation of powered harnesses bear names such as Wasp (designers: Ed Cleasby and Chris Taylor - Wasp Flight Systems and Sperwill), DoodleBug (designer: Ben Ashman - Flylight Airsports Ltd.), Raven (designer: Randy Haney - Powerplanes), X1 (designers: Ken Osage and Dave Little - Hidden Mountain Flight), Zenon (designer: Sotos Christoforou - Sky Gear) and Explorer (designer: Bob Bauer - Airtime Products).

On 30 April 2003, a modified DoodleBug2 named JetBug, took to the skies over England, powered by a 95-pound thrust gasoline turbine engine. The JetBug was produced in collaboration between Flylight Airsports Ltd. and MicroJet Engineering; It was piloted first by Ben Ashman and then by Stewart Bond. Its flight autonomy is only of ten minutes at 1 Liter/min. Both pilots agreed that the jet provided slightly more thrust at full speed than a standard Radne-equipped Bug, although noise output was significantly worse. The JetBug will not be made available to the general public, partially due to the estimated price tag of £10,000, but mainly due to the worry over noise complaints. The JetBug is an occasional guest at airshows across England.

[edit] World Records

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is the international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics, so it also oversees the official records by weight-shift foot-launched hang gliders, currently under the RWF1 category.[2] The Medium Ropuleim microlight piloted by Yves Rousseau, holds the official foot-launched altitude and climb records. Somehow, these records are filed as foot-launched, however, this microlight was too heavy to be foot-launched and it made use of wheels to launch with a 42hp Rotax 447 motor. Such records by the Medium Ropuleim do not reflect in any way the performance of true foot-launched hang gliders, with a total aircraft & fuel weight limited by a pilot's strength to lift it, run and land on his/her feet. A review of the RWF1 category, past records and their logical classification are in order.

Unofficial FLPHG World Records

• On October 1977, Mr. Trip Mellinger successfully flew his Easy Riser FLPHG from mainland California to Catalina Island some 42 Km (26 miles) offshore.

• On 1979, American pilot Mr. Larry Mauro (EAA Ultralight Hall of Fame inductee) flew 162 Km (101 miles) on a foot-launched Easy Riser powered hang glider.

• On 7 May 1979 British pilot Mr. Gerry Breen set a new distance record for FLPHG of 325Km (202 miles) from Wales to Norwich, a non-stop world distance record that still stands today; Using a Soarmaster, the flight took about 4h with a tailwind of about 25Kts (28 mph) and reportedly consumed 25 L (5.5 UK gallons) of fuel.
  

  

  Gerry Breen - London to Paris in FLPHG, August 25th, 1979.
  Three months later, on August 25 through 28, inspired by the film "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" and sponsored by British Airways, Mr. Breen flew his powered hang glider from London to Paris: Wishing to use a British aircraft, Gerry Breen and Steve Hunt set about building with their version of the powered Soarmaster. It developed slightly more power and used a reduction belt drive system, but had no clutch. The unit, including glider, was considerably heavier than the Soarmaster and Olympus glider combination but the wing was much more robust. The hang glider was a Hiway Super Scorpion with a 10hp McCulloch 125cc engine mounted just forward of the hang strap; This powered glider, registered G-BGNL, is now held by the British Hang Gliding Museum. The journey was plagued with mechanical failures but Breen overcame them and completed the trip. But despite this achievement, Breen and Hunt recognized the deficiencies of the keel mounted engine and realized that they had little chance of capitalizing on it as the aircraft was just too difficult to takeoff and fly and therefore, they could not sell them to the general public. When Breen saw a picture of Mr. Roland Magallon's trike in the French hang gliding magazine Vol Libre, he knew that the days of the Soarmaster were numbered.

• On July 2002, Italian hang gliding world champion and conservationist, Mr. Angelo d'Arrigo, guided a flock of 10 endangered Western Siberian Cranes -bred in captivity- with an Icaro hang glider equipped with an NRG powered harness 5,500 Km from the Arctic circle in Siberia, across Kazakhstan to the shores of the Caspian Sea in Iran, avoiding Afghanistan and Pakistan —where they fall victim to the abundant guns. For the most part, he relied on the sun and wind for propulsion in order to teach the young cranes to soar long distances. This exhausting $250,000 USD experiment lasted for six months and finished in winter 2002. If repeated a few times, scientists hope the new migratory route will be passed on from parent to fledgling for generations of cranes to come.

• On 2005, Mr. Chris Street soared his Explorer harness and Litesport glider over Mt. Cook, in the Southern Alps, New Zealand, at an altitude of 4,114 m (13,500 ft ) above sea level while aided by mountain wave lift.

• On April 24th. 2005, English pilot Mr. Stewart Bond flew his DoodleBug and Aeros Discus-14 glider in still air at an altitude of 12,158 feet (3706m) ASL.

• On July 16, 2005, American pilot, Mr. Bruce Decker performed a 10,000 ft (3048 m) high density altitude takeoff in Colorado, Washington using an X1 harness and an ATOS 146 hang glider; The wind was only 3 MPH.

[edit] Configurations

Currently, there are two harness configurations: prone (face down) and supine (sitting). Both configurations allow the pilot to takeoff and land on his/her feet.

[edit] Construction

Powered foot-launched hang glider harnesses are built around a light metal frame with the engine mounted on the rear. Current powered harnesses weigh 22-32Kg (50-70 Lbs) without a safety parachute, and fold neatly into a 1.5m (5-foot) long harness bag with a handle that allows it to be carried like luggage.

Most powered harnesses in production are equipped with the light weight Radne Raket two stroke 120 engine (118cc), producing l4 hp at 8800 RPM and coupled to a 1:3.5 reduction drive and a 52" x 22" propeller that produce 90-95 Lbs thrust. For pilots operating from 5000 feet high fields, an 18hp engine (for 135 Lbs thrust) is recommended, such as the X1 harness.

The motor is supported on the ground by two retractable landing gear skids, holding the propeller just off the ground. The 4 Liter aerodynamic gasoline tank is attached to the top of the control bar frame or enclosed in the harness. Flight autonomy with 4 Liters (aprox. 1 Gallon) of fuel depends on throttle settings, but it ranges between 60 and 90 minutes of continuous engine use.

Getting into the harness requires passing both legs through padded straps and wearing the harness like a vest, with a zipper and/or buckles at the front. The powered harness is hooked to the glider via a regular hang strap.

The throttle is activated during takeoff by means of a mouth-throttle in order to have both hands free for proper weight-shift control. Once airborne, a foot throttle, thumb throttle or cruise control can be used. A folding propeller is often preferred by pilots who enjoy optimum soaring and cross country performance with the engine off. The whole aircraft is easily maneuvered on the ground into takeoff position with the pilot buckled into the harness and ready to start the unit by themselves, either with a pull-start or electric starter. In 2006, the cost of a new powered harness ranged from $5500 - $6500 USD.

[edit] Training & Safety

Unlike powered paragliding, it is absolutely essential that the aspiring pilot first take lessons in an unpowered hang glider at a certified school and achieve at least 30 to 50 hours of solo flight time before transitioning to a foot-launched powered harness. The new pilot must first learn the basics of handling a hang glider via hill or tow before converting to power, tow being the best preparation for progression to FLPHG. Basic aerodynamics, flight concepts, some meteorology, local regulations, field choice, safety and emergency procedures must also be learned during training.

Basic safety equipment include helmet, safety wheels at the lower end of the control frame, helmet, a hook-knife, and a special emergency parachute (carries both pilot and glider down to earth). Water, knee pads, a mobile phone and/or a transeiver radio are also desired.

[edit] Flying

Important: The highlights below are not meant to replace a comprehensive certified training course but to simply give the reader an idea of the skill development required for an experienced hang glider pilot to transition to a powered harness and of the general control input.

[edit] Launch

A steady 5 mph breeze is ideal; The glider must face directly into the wind for takeoff and take no cross wind at all for increased efficiency and control. A successful takeoff depends mostly on level wings, speed and precise control of the nose angle: Too low the angle and the glider will simply not fly. If it is too high it will create excessive drag and will never get the speed it needs to fly and climb.

A good run is required with smooth control of pitch angle throughout the run, similar to a shallow slope launch. The pilot remains upright throughout the run, allowing forward acceleration to be gradually provided by the thrust; The pilot does not use his legs to accelerate but only to carry the weight of him and the glider. Acceleration is smooth with a light touch on the control bar, allowing the glider to fly itself at its trim position. The pilot runs as long as necessary, taking strides of ever increasing length (“moon walking”); During the last steps most of the pilot’s weight will be carried by the glider. There must be no noticeable change in pitch angle, and the pilot will have stopped running only after the last steps no longer touch the ground.

Failure to remain upright throughout the takeoff run is one of the main problems that experienced mountain glider pilots suffer, as their normal tendency is to move towards prone position as soon as they feel the glider lifting. But on a flat ground powered takeoff one do not have the hill dropping away from you to help achieve flying speed - the pilot must keep running up until he is firmly established in a climb. What can often make the difference between a successful takeoff and settling back to Earth is those last one or two long “moon walking” steps.

During the takeoff run, the harness' thrust must be transmitted to the glider through the hang strap and not through the pilot's hands to the control frame. By the time the glider comes off the pilot's shoulders, he must pull in some more and move his upper body forward through the control frame so that the hang strap becomes tight and is angled slightly forward and the harness is pulling the glider forward by the hang strap, all while he is still upright and running. Because the thrust force enters the glider right at the hang point, it only requires of a light touch to control the pitch. During takeoff, particularly if something has started to go wrong, a fierce grip of the down tubes may cause the engine torque to be transmitted through the pilot to the glider. Especially at low airspeeds immediately after takeoff, a tight grip can induce a roll which may require a rapid decision to abort the takeoff. A light touch on the control bar can help to avoid this. Allow the glider to fly on ground effect for as long as possible in order to accelerate - the glider will climb on its own once it has the speed to do so. The overall sensation and glider behavior is similar to that of being aero towed.

• Glider trim position - A powered launch is easier to do well if you allow the glider to achieve flight from the trim position - so you want to make sure this trim speed is fast enough for safety. If you are trimmed right at minimum sink (very close to mush/stall) then it would be advisable to move your hang point forward to where you have good roll response and control authority without pulling in. Setting the trim speed higher will mean you have to run a bit faster, but when you do get airborne it will be at a safer airspeed and there will be less drag for the motor to overcome.

[edit] Aborting a Takeoff

Aborting a takeoff is an important procedure and experienced mountain glider pilots must note that this is an option for every powered takeoff. Unlike a mountain launch where your best bet is usually to continue once begun, significant sorrow and money can be saved by aborting a powered harness takeoff if things are not going exactly right. To abort a takeoff do not just stop running; Between yourself, the glider and the harness you will have a lot of momentum. First release the throttle while you continue running, then the drag of the harness' skids will help you to bleed off the momentum that both you and the glider have achieved, sense the speed and flare to a stop. If that fails, settle the glider on its safety wheels, push out the control bar to roll to a stop and then hit the kill switch.

Learning to let go of the mouth-throttle is critical. When things start to go wrong, the general tendency is to clench up our jaws, which compounds the problem with unwanted thrust; Letting go of the mouth-throttle is the equivalent of tow line release and must be done without hesitation when needed. It is very useful to practice releasing the mouth-throttle by using dynamic mental image.

[edit] Climb and Cruise Speeds

In general the pilot must use best glide speed for takeoff and climb. The pilot must NOT push out on takeoff or climb. Note that the glider will climb on increased speed, not angle of attack. Many pilots new to powered flying make this common error, they are tempted to 'push-out' on climb but that causes to fly too slow; To an observer on the ground they appear to wobble around and lose directional control. To the pilot there is a feeling that the glider wants to wind into turns and the wing feels unstable; The cause is a lack of airspeed. Pushing out will decrease airspeed, just as when free hang gliding, and the wing may stall. Even if it doesn't, it will certainly exhibit those nasty characteristics of slow speed flight - dropping a wing into turns and feeling unstable in roll, in short, the pilot will be in “mush mode” with very poor control authority.

As soon as it is safe get the feet into the harness for stability (or suprone position if you are flying the Doodlebug). Keep the wings level at all times, keep the bar pulled in and be ready to correct early. Again, note that the best rate of climb occurs at higher airspeed and that most flexible wings climb well at 10 mph above their stall speed! Today's powered harnesses develop a maximum of 45Kg (100 Lbs) thrust, but the rate of climb also depends on weather conditions such as field altitude, temperature, humidity, etc., and on glider size and wing loading. The harness' thrust is adequate for around 200 - 300ft/min (1.0 - 1.5 m/s) rate of climb at full power even when flying at airspeeds well above minimum sink.

If the powered harness experience an engine failure when climbing steeply, the aircraft will lose a lot of height before recovering; Climbing at a flatter angle and at a higher airspeed makes recovery easier and safer.

To cruise under power, apply about 75% throttle and pull in for fast and level flight. Consider that by adding about 40 Lbs to your normal flying weight, you are increasing your free flying stall speed by about 7% or 8%.

[edit] Control Bar Position

Adding the motor weight below your feet moves the combined center of gravity lower on your body. Because you are now located farther forward in relation to the hang point, the control bar will appear to be further back, by about 4 to 6 inches. This apparent bar trim position change occurs without the addition of power. Note that the actual trim characteristics of the glider have not changed, only your position with respect to the bar. Though this new bar position may be disconcerting to experienced glider pilots, it should be clear that the pilot must rely on feeling the bar pressure, keeping a low pitch on takeoff and remain aware of airspeed at all times. With more experience, the new powered pilot will learn the new bar positions and use them automatically when flying the powered harness.

[edit] Turns

Even very experienced hang glider pilots will need to learn some new tricks when it comes to turning under power. Most hang glider pilots were taught to 'lead with your feet' in making turns. This is effective for un-powered flight, but adding weight and thrust to our feet changes things. Yawing your body also changes the thrust line and helps engage a turn. Ideally, keep the harness (and thrust line) parallel with the keel of the wing so that the thrust pushes forwards and not sideways; Some pilots simply cross-control and allow the thrust to engage the glider into a turn; Some pilots turn using a combination of both weight-shift and thrust line to turn under power.

The DoodleBug is a supine unit that uses tight limit lines at the rear to keep the propeller relatively stationary. As the pilot moves to one side, this arrangement moves the thrust line so that it actually opposes the turn direction. It is evident that this setup is beneficial in helping to create a more stable turn. Some pilots flying prone configuration units like the freedom of being able to control the direction of thrust as it gives them another way to fine tune a turn.

Note that full power turns will become increasingly unstable with increasing roll angle so once the glider gains enough altitude, the pilot may choose to reduce the throttle for easier control during turns, especially on the early training stage. Zipping up the harness also retract the rear skids, which are then clipped into clamps on the side of the harness. If the pilot finds lift he/she may wish to shut off the engine and soar normally. While flying a prone unite power off, the biggest difference will be the extra mass at one's feet when roll for a turn.

[edit] Landing

Get ready at higher altitude than usual. The harness' legs have to be un-clipped as well as the harness unzipped, and it is a little more work than a normal pod harness, definitely not something to be trying to do on final. But landings are surprisingly easy: During final approach keep the speed up and one leg straight in the harness to prevent the motor from swinging sideways, especially when turbulent as it may induce glider oscilations. Go upright as you enter ground effect, keep descending and feeling the control frame pressure on your finger-tips as you bleed-off speed. When you feel the harness' legs dragging, wait a half second and flare mildly. Your forward position and extra mass give you more flare authority than you are used to. But the mass of the motor still wants to continue forward - expect a feeling like a nudge from behind after you have landed, and be prepared to take a step or two.

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The advantage of a glider self-launch autonomy is phenomenal but there are, of course, some disadvantages:

• The added harness weight can increase injury in case of a severe nose in.
• There is a slightly longer set-up time with a more complex preflight.
• Basic two-stroke engine maintenance and repair.
• A big enough vehicle is required to carry the motor harness.
• Fuel and oil transport.
• Engine & propeller noise: about 90 dB at 1m (3ft) and about 58 dB at 760m (2500 ft) AGL.
• Slight drag increase on glide.
• Increased mass to weight-shift.

[edit] Hang Glider Choice

An ideal glider would be an intermediate model that has a low stall speed, easy handling, and good glide characteristics. For first glider the best choices are flexible gliders with single surface (novice) because of their low stall speed, ease of landing and gentle handling characteristics (examples: Falcon II, Mark IV, Pulse, Eagle and Target, to name a few (2006).

• Low Stall Speed - very important, especially for a beginner to FLPHG. Lower takeoff speeds are safer and less intimidating. Also good for higher altitudes.
• Easy Handling/Roll Stable - roll stability is important, especially for a beginner. A spirally unstable glider (some high performance gliders have been tuned that way to help initiate turns into thermals) will be more of a challenge while climbing under power.
• Good L/D - for maximum climb rate as you want the best glide ratio. A blade wing will climb faster than a floater.
• Short to Moderate Root Chord - for propeller clearance. Most if not all powered harnesses require the keel to be cut be cut off no further than 119 cm (47 inches) behind the hang point.

Medium and high performance flexible hang gliders may also be used but only by well seasoned FLPHG pilots. Most rigid wing hang gliders such as the Exxtacy, Axxess and ATOS accept the powered harness readily but the ATOS must be carefully tuned for it. Some pilots believe the Exxtacy and Axxess to be the ultimate hang gliders for flying with a powered harness: The 330 lb max wing loading, the ease of control without the need to swing your feet into the turn and the advantage of flaps, making the landings much easier.

[edit] Instruments

In order to maximize a pilot's understanding of how the hang glider is flying power off, most pilots carry a series of small instruments, often interconnected. The most basic being an airspeed indicator, a variometer and altimeter. Many pilots also use two-way communication radios and some also carry a map and/or GPS unit. Some pilots also make use of a small tachometer to ensure the engine is developing full power prior to takeoff. Hang gliders do not have instrument panels as such, so all the instruments are mounted to the control frame of the glider, except for the radio and tachometer which are mounted on the harness.

[edit] Variometer

People can sense the acceleration when they first enter a thermal, but cannot detect the difference between constant rising air and constant sinking air, so turn to technology to help. Variometers measure the rate of change of altitude by detecting minute changes in air pressure (static pressure) as altitude changes. A variometer indicates climb-rate (or sink-rate) with audio signals (beeps) and/or a visual display. It also shows altitude. The main purpose of a variometer is in helping a pilot find and stay in the ‘core’ of a thermal to maximize height gain, and conversely indicating when he or she is in sinking air, and needs to find rising air.

[edit] Radio

Pilots use radio for training purposes and when traveling on cross-country flights. Radios used are PTT (push-to-talk) transceivers, normally operating in or around the FM VHF 2-meter band (144–148 MHz). Usually a microphone and earphones are incorporated in the helmet and the PTT switch is strapped to a finger.

[edit] GPS

GPS (global positioning system) is a necessary accessory when flying competitions, where it has to be demonstrated that way-points have been correctly passed. More common uses include being able to determine drift due to the prevailing wind, providing position information to allow restricted airspace to be avoided, and identifying one’s location for retrieval teams after landing-out in unfamiliar territory. It can also be interesting to view a GPS track of a flight when back on the ground, to analyze flying technique. Computer software is available which allows various different analyses of GPS tracks (e.g. CompeGPS). More recently, the use of GPS data, linked to a computer, has enabled pilots to share 3D tracks of their flights on Google Earth. This fascinating insight allows comparisons between competing pilots to be made in a detailed 'post-flight' analysis.

[edit] Similar sports

• Hang gliding
• Paragliding
• Powered paragliding
• Powered parachute
• Glider
• Ultralight Trikes
• Ultralight aviation

[edit] External links

• Wind-drifter Powered harnesses' technical details, articles, etc. by Mr. Richard Cobb, a hang gliding pioneer, former Advanced Instructor and a kind contributor to this article.
• Foot Launched Powered Aircraft Links directory by category and location.
• X1 manufacturer
• Mosquito - NRG manufacturer
• DoodleBug manufacturer
• Wasp manufacturer
• Raven manufacturer
• Zenon manufacturer
• Angelo d'Arrigo Conservationist, adventurer & pilot.
• Gerry Breen - FLPHG & microlight pioneer and contributor to this article.
• FLPHG discussion list for questions & feedback.

[edit] National organizations

• British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
• British Microlight Aircraft Association
• Brazilian Hang Gliding Association
• Dutch official hang gliding site
• Dutch official hang gliding site explicitly about FLPHG in Holland
• German Hang Gliding Association (English)
• Hang gliding FAQ
• Hang Gliding Federation of Australia
• Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada
• Irish Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
• Swedish Hang Gliding Association
• U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association
• U.S. Powered Paragliding Association