August 23 – Ride the Wind Day

Posted on August 23, 2019


Today's holiday is about something I never-never-ever want to try: hang gliding!

If you want to try it some day, more power to you! Here's some factoids to whet your appetite until "someday" comes:
  • The sport of hang gliding got popular in the late 1960s. But gliders have been built and tested (and often crashed) for centuries. The first controllable glider was built by Otto Lilienthal in 1890.

  • The concept of hang gliding is pretty simple: the glider is a huge wing made of lightweight-but-tough fabric stretched over a strong frame. The pilot hangs below the wing and launches herself or himself by simply running downhill into the wind. She or he then steers by shift body weight.
  • You can hang glide with a buddy or teacher or whoever!
  • Here are some things that experienced hang gliders use:


> thermals - a thermal is simply rising air; air rises when it's been heated, and air is generally heated by the ground (land heats air more than water does)



 > ridge lifts - air also rises as it is forced up a slope by horizontal winds hitting a ridge, cliff, or slope


> mountain waves - like ridge lifts, but larger; a hang glider who is mountain wave soaring can stay aloft for several hours!


> convergence - am area where winds coming from opposite directions meet, and air is forced upward

  • The world record for open distance hang gliding is 435 miles (700 km).
  • Hang gliders generally carry a variometer (a vertical speed indicator that tells gliders when they are rising and when they are sinking), a 2-way radio, and a GPS device

  • If hang gliders will get cold, they often "hang" in a body bag. Hmmm..."body bag"? I don't like the sound of that!


 Happy Ride the Wind Day!







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