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Aviation History
1977
1977 - 3738.PDF
Hang-gliding review By ANN WELCH* IN less than a decade of its latter-day existence the hang glider has changed from a faintly ludicrous aerial toboggan into a serious soaring aircraft. Brought into being by enthusiasts, mostly without an aero nautical background, it is by a handsome margin the simplest and cheapest aircraft available. But it has now reached the age where it needs to relate to the rest of the aviation world, and to consider where it is heading. stSlStSillei mm •imgt' I Pewarsjiasice As with suy item- '• aiipnien.t that does not quite achieve what its owner vh.nt3, there develops an overwh- - ' ' ' " hang glider i ' - ms longer glides < • . "' " * ' =• urised by competitions and championships, the lilt dray ratio ol the flexible Rogallo sailwing has jumped from 3:1 to almost 9:1, with the sink rate improving to less than 4ft/sec—effectively aw -. . a ' that of conventional gliders, enabling it to climb up with them in thermals. Where the bang glider loses out is in glidi ratio (8:1 as ' Hum.i .ii > president "I the I \l Hanjz-Gliding Commission and president of the British Hang-Chiding Association. against the 20:1 of s good -i .glider), ao-d in _ - The peer glide ratio means that the hang glide- Is anao! to reach farther therraais wheo; they are widely space? and its slow speed means thai it is unable to progre: eross-eoantry against any hut tha tightest •- .. Its \ - ability, therefore, is limited t" substantial^ downwin -.' eji'c ir only on g-:--^. tor days, Tt if ' . _ - - the (It tit mil tor more petImnrmi<• t- n-Unllc-- \% ernents are be - • obtai - r - y using circula section aluminium tubes and wire bracing, and while It i-n. Certain! small improvements are not too difficult, but to obtain substantial pei ~ J • 'Id need to be < special section, the wire brae g would have to go, an the pilot 'be cocooned. This would be complicated therefore make the han - more expensive anc attractive. Performance improvements so far have achieved within the fundamental requirement tha aircraft is slow and light enough fot the pilot to and launch himself—and it is essential that this requir ar le Dec tl an
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