Practice Run
Second class started off with the practice run; this helped the instructor evaluate where we left last time and how much we remember. Performing the walk, run, and jog exercise also helps to get comfortable with the glider. I felt handing the glider much easier than in the previous session. I felt I could pick up and balance the glider almost naturally with the nose pointing into the wind with the correct yaw.
The flight instructor made the goals clear for the lesson. First was to foot launch from a higher point on the training hill, second practice level flight steering to fly on course and finally perform a soft run out landing.
Constant Angle of Attack
This lesson an emphasis is on maintaining a constant angle of attack during foot launch. As you run with the glider and experiment, you will learn that there is a angle at which the glider will plane smoothly through the air with minimum effort. This is the best angle for launching correctly.
In case you are not able to launch correctly, it is possible you are holding the nose too high or too low. In case the nose is too high you may not be able accelerate properly before glider lifts up, in case the wings are not balanced this may also lead to glider turning towards the lowered wing. If you are running with the nose too low, you will feel the glider is getting ahead of you and will not be generating lift and you may run all the way to the bottom of the hill. Practice on maintaining a correct constant angle of attack for successful launching. Fortunately I had full marks today on launching.
Level Flight
The key to get a level flight is launch at correct constant angle of attack and have a very light touch at the glider control bar. Light touch at the control bar means the glider will fly straight by itself without any input from the pilot. Of course in case of gusty winds you will need to steer the glider. With light touch you can feel the aerodynamic response of the glider which helps further in steering and maintaining a constant speed. I was holding the control bar to tight which did not let the glider fly and my flights were shorter. On practicing light touch I could glide much better.
Fly On Course
In smooth winds the glider are stable enough to fly straight on course without any assistance from the pilot. However since the wind does not flow from a single direction, the glider may change its course? We need to correct the glider by steering it to fly on course. When a gust of wind raises one wing more then the other the glider will start to turn in the direction of the lowered wind since it is banked over. We need to straighten it out, by moving our weight towards the high wing. The farther the weight is moved and for longer it is moved, the more roll control is applied to the glider.
The most effective technique to correct this is to bump the weight to the side of higher wing and return to the center of the control bar. If the course is not corrected bump it again. There is a lag between the gliders responding to your inputs, In case you hold your weight for too long for glider to respond you may roll more than required. Therefore small increments of bumps make sure you are correcting the course of fly and not initiating a complete turn. It is better to under control a number of times then to over control the glider.
Landing
We did not practice best techniques for landing yet. The flight instructor was okay with landing on glider’s training wheels. I followed the same approach I learned before. I was much better this time never landed on the training wheels. I started with slightly pushing out the control bar to get to the flare speed and finally brought the glider to a stall by pushing the glider control bar to the max.
For information about getting started with Hang Gliding Check: Get Started Guide!
If you are a pilot check this video you will like it Birds!
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