|
Niche Hang Glider Activity
|
|||||||||
| Super-Modernized Standard
Rogallo Hang Glider SMSRHG moving the Charles Richards wing template (stiffened Rogallo wing) with the 1908 cable-stayed triangle control frame into using advanced materials and safety tweaks, yet retaining the four-boom foldability and sharp nose angled airfoil for limited applications. |
|||||||||
| Fully limp governable ram-air inflated hang gliding founded on the Domina Jalbert mechanical invention. Much of "paragliding" is here, as term is used in 2000s (not 1960-2 where the Charles Richards wing--that mechanically essentially topped the "standard Rogllo hang glider" was called "paraglider" then...So, it will be a point of confusion if a 2008 paragliding pilot came upon the literature of 1961 in NASA. ).. | |||||||||
| Bus hang gliding (BHG). Efficient carry-on-city-bus hang glider packs (framed-controlled sorts) are the coin of people doing bus hang gliding. They ride buses to and from flying sites. | |||||||||
| Pos-inflate PG piPG These wings are string-controlled yet have positively-inflated wings with pressure adjusters. | |||||||||
| Paramontante Pilots specialize in the evolutes of the Paramontante | |||||||||
| Patent parade Gain lift from following, understanding, identifying, mining, etc. the claims made in the world of kite patents, especially how such directly relates to hang gliding (primarily a kite system). | |||||||||
| Foot-launchable powered glider.
FLPHG, FLPAircraft, FLPSailplane
Power source specializations are occurring: electric,
electric-solar,
internal combustion
engine ICE, jet and
JetBug,
power-beaming,
solar-electric from power-beaming,
laser
power-beaming, etc. Fuel, batteries, ultracapacitors,
remote beamed energy, etc. are being considered. Purposes vary: training
hops off flatland, barely soarable one-lift, returnable lift-assist units,
long-session soaring sustaining, landing-choice expansion and assurance
only, inaccessible launch solution, foot-launch race coursing, and more.
Some have an eye to the fusion future. Energy densities guide development. Hybrids that derive energy from more than one source are being explored. Add pilot power at different stages is a fun sector of these efforts. Clubs, groups, collaborative efforts, and competitions are being explored. Early pioneers trying compressed air were generally disappointed at the energy density of compressed air. When HG beams (spars, TCF, ribs) resolve to be nearly 100% double-purposed parts (mechanical structure so formed to be at the same time an electrical-charge storage device), then further advances will be made. More: When all exterior surfaces of the HG and its system parts (harness, helmet, sail, etc) are electric-charge makers using ambient light as energy source, then breakthrough performance is envisioned. More: When nanotech materials churn near magic on these solutions, then control, thermal sensing, gust advantaging, and low-mass will bless hang gliding. The opening of millions of launch and landing points is part of the eventual outcome of these efforts. Friendly rooftop to friendly rooftop? Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
| Foot-launchable sailplanes. These craft tend to be heavier than hang glider; and foot-launchable sailplane invite the use of aerodynamic controls. The weight of these will continually be reduced as nanotech materials come into play. | |||||||||
| Fully limp governable Rogallo parawing hang gliders | |||||||||
| Competition cross-country CXC at a meet or via time-termed Internet data transfer. | |||||||||
| Rogallo-winged single surface RWSS modernized beyond the standard Charles Richards wing format | |||||||||
| RW or Rigid Wing hang gliders | |||||||||
| Three-axis aerodynamic surfaces control | |||||||||
| Rotary-wing vertical-axis HGs
Gyro Hang Glider: Another copy of towed foot-launched gyro hang glider:. Challenges: pre-rotation, assistant safety, number of blades: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Someday: National gyro hang glider meet? Soaring records for GHGs? |
|||||||||
| Span-wise rotary-wing HGs.
(a few types and arrangement styles).
Types to distinguish:
This niche sector has very few adherents. Glide ratio is very low, but the low L/D can be significant for specialized hang gliding purposes. The rotating wings challenge designers and users. "Sweet spots" of design and use for recreation hang gliding seems to have evaded experimenters so far. Surrounding this sector: Fan wing, Magnus-effect gliders, Magnus-effect governable parachutes, top-to-back rotating rectangles of slightly S-curved paper, Magnus-effect rotary kites, and more. The elliptical leading edges here can also play; stability and control challenge, and anti-spin is a concern. Landing has its challenges. Related terms: radial-lift propeller, Magnus effect, rotating wing (spanwise), horizontal self-lifting wing, auto-rotation, autorotation, turbines, experimental aircraft, rotary wings, lift, circulation, cyclogiro (1930s NASA), ... |
|||||||||
| Otto Lilienthal modernized mimics | |||||||||
| Very long span multi-person bunny-slope hang gliders (3 or more persons) | |||||||||
| Recreational cross-country single-flight soaring. Honing many skills are involved here. RXC | |||||||||
| Tail-less biplane hang gliders. Consider Dunne; Espenlaub; Taras Kiceniuk, Jr., UFM, Larry Mauro, John K. Moody. JWD1 imagesJWD2 GE1 | |||||||||
|
Replica hang gliders Hang glider meets....homebuilt replica hang gliders only.. There will be groups specializing on just one hang glider. Send your group's link to us for posting here. Others may concentrate on period hang gliders. |
|||||||||
| Quadraplane hang gliders Four planes. State of the art materials are spurring interest in short-span quadraplane hang gliders. aka: quadruplane | |||||||||
| Joined-wing hang gliders.
See March 2009 issue of Lift. 
Alex Morillo is forwarding join wing concepts. Interested in joined wing hang gliders or ultralights, contact him. |
|||||||||
|
Speed gliding SG |
|||||||||
| Ground skimming specialists.
Here practitioners aim to stay in ground effect from beginning to end
of their hang gliding. Various targets: Urban parks, short sled
flying, snow-ski slope racing, morning nil-wind special-site low and slow
ground skimming,
GEG, FGEG, Ground-effect hang gliding, ground-effect gliding. See wiki: Ground-effect gliding |
|||||||||
| Canard hang gliders | |||||||||
| Snow-ski slope racers. Some love the snow slopes and like racing through the air with touch and goes. | |||||||||
| Aerobatics Mitch McAleer Hang Glider Aerobatics Hang Gliding Aerobatics @ Rob Kells Memorial Fly-In or http://tinyurl.com/aerobaticshangglidingSEVERAL | |||||||||
| Hybrid positive-inflated-bladder-boned-limp hang gliders | |||||||||
| Inflatable hang gliders Here the wing is positively inflated. Some will specialize in tethering pilot only. Some will employ the 1908 Breslau territory gliding club's cable-stayed control frame. | |||||||||
| Biplane hang gliders There are many variations on the biplane theme. Watch for specialists that seem to stay refined over one branch of biplane hang gliders. For example, the Hang Loose replica people are focused on Lambie's Hang Loose and are not paying attention to the Chanute replica biplane. Double-surfaced airfoils may be the focus of one communicating group of hang gliders; others will aim for single-surface airfoils. Some will aim at using tensegrity for trussing. Others: inflatables. Others will be just on Otto Lilienthal replica biplanes. Others will aim for polishing the Boy Mechanics plans. Others will aim to use modern composites to the nth degree. Canard or tail? Zenithal HAT ? Tandem biplanes along Montgomery style? Joined wing? Highly dimorphic? Hybrid man-powered biplane hang glider? Sledding only? Tail-less ala Icarus I, Icarus II ...UFM direction (Dunne or Espenlaub evolutes?) Volmer Jensen 3-axis control 1940s' replicas? And more. Fun sector of old and new .... What will nanotech materials bring to the biplane arena? Wire-less biplane hang gliders? Wire-less and strut-less biplane hang gliders? Biplane limps and semi-limps? | |||||||||
| Horton Brothers inspired pilot-in-wing (PIW) hang gliders (PIWHG) | |||||||||
| Triplane hang gliders
There will be flying meets just for triplane hang gliders.
Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
| Flatland long gliding hang
gliders. FLG Here true flatland is used for running the wing. Then by
skill, one gets longer and longer glides. Think of long jump of Track &
Field athletics. "I think this would be a very very fun thing for people to do. I could imagine this done on a high school football field. It would be great exercise as well. :)" See also: http://www.hanggliding.org/wiki/Ground-effect_gliding Cousin with bicycling. |
|||||||||
| Zenithal-HAT hang gliders. Here a control surface is zenithally above the main wing; canard or tail is replaced by the HAT or high airfoil "thing". Though Lovejoy's High Tailer was not quite a ZHATHG, such inspired one designer to the ZHAT to replace canard or tail. Near: See "high hats" thread in OZ Report. | |||||||||
| Recreational gliding using purchased hang gliders. Significant attention my manufacturers continues to provide quality certified hang gliders and related gear. | |||||||||
| Microlight trike hang
gliding. Here a tricycle is used for launching or landing. Some
assistive engine or motor is used to get to free-flight gliding or soaring
altitude. BMAA
There are heavies and there are some very low-mass efforts here.
Trike flying in several species:
|
|||||||||
| Cage paragliding See also the 2005 Icare for some ideas... | |||||||||
| Hike-up-only potential-energy
users. Up-and-downer athletes aiming at physical exercise, some aiming
at meditation flight, some wanting to hike and then fly down...smelling
the roses and studying ground insects on the way, etc. Many varieties
here. Avoids retrieves, truck ups, etc. "but
I love the idea. I think I did about 10 hikes up to the top of "Little
Black" with about 10 paragliding flights (2 minutes each) in a single day
when I was learning. Furthermore, hiking up a steep slope is exercise,
while hiking down may carry a greater risk of injury." Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
| Cross-country fliking. Soar, stop, soar, stop, soar, stop...etc. Various specialties here. Self-kiting, solar-energy recharging for driving motor for secondary launches, etc. | |||||||||
| Replicas: Percy Pilcher, Chanute, Montgomery, Lilienthal, Maxim, Waterman, Breslau territory gliding club HGs, etc. Groups of people with just one replica type in vision. | |||||||||
| Tandem hang gliding. Some specializing in instruction, some in recreational tandem, some in professional stunt tandem, etc. For example, Fred Ballard gets high giving introductory tandem HG flights; he has specialized in this realm. | |||||||||
| Zero-weight hang gliders where the empty weight of the glider is zero. Futurisms hold sealed voided 3-D nano-matrices for "solids" (early precursors: aerogels). But for now we have hydrogen and helium personal blimps. When we add the pilot, then the system is still heavier than air. See differently where the gross all-up flying weight is less than zero. | |||||||||
| Base hang gliding.
Special hobby of hang gliding from human-built structures. High inclines,
artificial slopes, building roofs, bridges, towers, urban nil-wind
precision short base flights, etc. Tower jumpers. Shed jumpers.
Skyscraper roof-based hang glider launch area. Carl Boenish.
Otto Lilienthal. Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com See and perhaps post a description of a HG action to be done by using an artificial launch ramp: http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23155 Landfill Hang Gliding (a variation on Base hang gliding) where a landfill in a relatively flat region of the country (or world) is specifically shaped to provide favorable ridge soaring into the prevailing winds. Note that the glider pilots will always (thankfully) be on the upwind side of the stench. |
|||||||||
| Hang gliders set with kinetic and visual flight simulators. Specialists give an increasing number of people a vicarious hang glider flight experience. Pilots also get training in such simulators. | |||||||||
| Human-power input to hang
glider flight system. Here people aim at using human power in
various way in hang glider flight systems. One focus is human effort to
tow. Another is to use human effort to recharge batteries or
ultracapacitors
during fliking or XOHG or pre-flight pauses. And more. The succes of
HPA continues. The advance toward soaring
HPA is part of the challenge
with respect to hang soaring.
Daedalus.
Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
|
Propellers in hang gliding
Here people specialize in serving the hopes and adventures of hang gliders
that use propellers in some way. http://www.google.com/patents?id=yb83AAAAEBAJ |
|||||||||
Cross-ocean hang gliding:
XOHG This realm is futuristic despite the various crossing of water
that have been done. The challenge is cyclic launching to soaring from the
water surface with stabilize gear. Many schemes are being considered. Anne
Quemere is paving some way toward these matters.
Anne's effort's intersection with hang
gliding? Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
Solar-energy-assisted-launch
hang gliding. These people aim at launch assist by converting the
sun's radiation to drive a launch motor. Many varieties of specialized
means are here.
|
|||||||||
| Competition hang gliding
using purchased hang gliders
from Former HGMA Members or
Current HGMA Members The HGMA is the second or so. The first included others, like Omega Hang
Gliders.. See: Markowski's Hang Glider's Bible. For example, Davis Straub is a competition hang glider pilot. Competition sport hang gliding via FAI classes. |
|||||||||
| Morphable wings have
inroads to most niche sectors of hang glider activity. However, there are
those who specialize in morphing means. Variable billow and variable
geometry are mechanical principles known in early aviation. But modern
tactics and materials are opening a host of new opportunities for morphing
wings during flight. Your notes are welcome: Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
|||||||||
Communications
with cousin activity groups: Specialize in tracking and
communicating with PWCA, CIVL, NACs, clubs, associations, etc. and
with leaders of niche hang gliding activity. Maintain
databases, glossaries, archived copies of correspondence, photographs,
plans, manuals, etc. There is room here for many persons around the
world. Perhaps organize and spread the tasks among cooperating
persons.
|
|||||||||
| Busable hang gliders and the busable hang gliding culture | |||||||||
| Master "Safe-Splat" tactics, devices, methods. Discuss: HERE. | |||||||||
| Tiny corner: See what young Cromwell Dixon did and consider the tiny niche corner of hang gliding up or down through the air using LTA gases and shaped inflated wings. | |||||||||
Valley back-and-forth hang
gliding. Ravine back-and-forth hang gliding.
 |
|||||||||
| Wing Running World Wing Running Association | |||||||||
| Negative-weight hang gliders
where the hang glider is lighter than ambient air. Glidable shaped
wings... Not shaped for gliding up or down, but near:
White Dwarf.
"So Bill and Reed moved the White Dwarf to Madras, OR, assembled
and inflated it Sept. 30, 2000, and first flew it Oct. 3"
le vol du Zeppy 2/2 This is operated mostly at neutral buoyancy and is thus not with any major role of gliding up or gliding down. Its shape is not for the gliding. However, in 1944, Domina Jalbert's patent had flexible wings on a buoyant keel that would give good gliding up or gliding down, depending on the buoyancy set. Water gliders are especially using the principle of changing from positive to negative buoyancy for gliding up or down. Major commercial gliding airships are being proposed. There will be a niche association of recreational users of alternating-buoyancy hang gliders. See: The Gravity Aircraft And then consider hybrid hang glider. Make me
fly More of a non-hang-glider role ... But
consider if shape and/or wings were applied for gliding up when more
buoyant and gliding down when net weight is heavier-than-air. When role is
for gliding up or gliding down, then design changes. |
|||||||||
| Cable Hang Gliding http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=17475 | |||||||||
|
Nano Some people are
deciding to focus on bringing into hang gliding advances from
nanotechnology, nano-machines, nano-materials. Some of our community
occasionally visit this discipline; others are working diligently to find
how nano-chemistry, nano-physics, and nano-design might bless hang glider
flight systems. For example, when one finds "A carbon nanotube is
capable of transporting cargo and rotating like a conventional motor" in
the literature, then one might deeply search for ways such matters might
affect one or more aspects of hang gliding. |
|||||||||
| Hang glider test technician.
Consider DHV and HGMA.
1933 One day each city will be able to support a hang glider technician. |
|||||||||
| Hybrid Hang Gliders | |||||||||
| Urban Short-Flight Hang Gliding | |||||||||
| Ornithopting-Involved Hang Gliders | |||||||||
| Pre-Hang Gliding Winging. Universal winging (UW). | |||||||||
| Aero-tow specialist | |||||||||
| Friends-tow specialists | |||||||||
| Scooter-tow specialists | |||||||||
| Bungee-tow specialists | |||||||||
| Tandem Piloting | |||||||||
| Electric direct-cord launch-assist hang gliding | |||||||||
| Hang gliding communications instructor | |||||||||
| Tether-Pilot-Method Specialist | |||||||||
|
Fitness Flyers ...
Many niche scenarios form the panorama. Keep open the door to the niche hang gliding activity that values hang gliding as fitness activity at various levels; one level is to hug a 50 m high slope that invites say 20 takeoffs, 20 glides, and 20 landings, and 20 carry-ups in a session. Intensity and profundity can be gamed in many ways in such a scenario. Bob Bendetson, well positioned script writer, has about 12,000 such flights off a mere 6 to 7 m slope and claims to enjoy the activity immensely to good personal benefit. A very long list of skills are open for strong mastery in such a scenario. He also stores a second hang glider for his flights in the thermal Sylmar site. |
|||||||||
| Pilot-in-wing specialist | |||||||||
| Platform for advanced sailmaking techniques | |||||||||
| Urban-trash hang glider. Enthusiasts require that their hang glider is constructed only from ambient urban found trash. | |||||||||
| Education-based hang glider: High school class project. Specialists form lesson plans that involve mathematics, history, materials, safety, low-mass construction principles, physics, weather, aerodynamics, communications, etc. | |||||||||
| Authoring Ever good articles are needed to enrich the many facets of the hang glider universe. Take a topic and explore it to the point where you generate an article that will bless all. There are thousands of hang glider topics needing fresh attention by a caring researcher. | |||||||||
| Mechanical Invention The challenges in the hang glider world invite further mechanical invention. Huge sectors of mechanical invention are yet to be discovered that will bless the hang glider world. | |||||||||
|
Ornamental appearance design invention
(distinguish from fundamental mechanical invention which is very
different). End products ever need to be polished for appearance. Ornamental design tinkering that uses the mechanical inventions of others is an important hang glider world activity that makes pleasant the various hang gliding activities. For instance, the cable-stayed triangle control frame for hang gliders was mechanically invented at least by 1908 clearly, but probably before. But the ornamental design of belly bars, streamlined bars, particular finish, tweaked sizes, etc. for appearance change are important. Take what was mechanically invented and polish the appearance of the item, subassembly, or full assembly. Recommended: Credit the mechanical inventors that may be involved in the function and principle upon which your ornamentation lives. Notice that active protection of mechanical invention beneath your invented appearance invention could require legal respects before a functioning product of your appearance design could be commercialized. In turn, if you gain a sharp ornamental appearance patent that sells the eye of consumers, then you could prevent an underlying mechanical inventor from using the particular appearance ornament that you have found. Trade in good spirits and win. |
|||||||||
|
Hang glider sailmaker
Foundational activity! The evolution of hang glider sails is not a done deal. Advances keep showing their heads here. New methods of making sails, new materials, and new functions of the sail keep this activity sector open for innovation and polished skills. Threads that are themselves solar-energy converters are tickling the future of hang gliding. Dynamic soaring via smart gust utilization will be affecting HG sails. Smart nanotech films will be changing hang gliding. Mass production methods continue to evolve as hang gliding becomes a foundation for many practical applications. |
|||||||||
| Harness designer, maker, repair, custom tailor. Niche HG activity with distinct pilots spells an industry inviting dedicated workers worth their charges. Low-mass functionality? Streamlining? Comfort? Safety? Activity fit? Protection? Materials? Smart materials? Temperature control? Moisture control? Dependability? Inspection? Appearance? Learning use of... ? Teaching use of ...? Dealing? Matching? History of ...? Patents? Emergency procedures? Double-purposing the parts to communications, energy conversion, control? Light? Visibility? Advertising? Colors? Surviving in fliking? XOHG harness systems? | |||||||||
| Porosity control for HG. Research, innovation, experimentation, calculation, materials, triggers, gust-interface, niche uses in HG. | |||||||||
| Platform for generating electricity during soaring session. >> Play a part. | |||||||||
| Thermal visibility. Prediction, site mapping, instruments, historical statistics, timing, measuring, communicating, affect on hang gliding experiences, affect on safety, grading hang gliding sites, effects on traffic, affects on competition, ... (Send in your ideas!) | |||||||||
| Launch-ramp design and construction. Many niche flight activities may well use the services of designers. Flatland to mountain ... Maximizing the assets of a site is a challenge. Funding construction? Maintenance? Management? | |||||||||
| Urbanizing hang gliding. A very long-term activity involves reforming urban environments and hang glider systems so that safe and useful results arrive to society. The neighborhood roof systems, the aerial wires, the charge systems, the various kinds of hang gliding activity, the airspace rules, and more ...form part of the coming future of hang gliding within the urban now-congested environment. Who will work on the challenges here? Experiments? Bringing win-win to all parties. | |||||||||
| Moon-City Hang Gliding. Some people will choose to design hang gliding solutions for use inside Moon City. The low gravity will permit hang glider solutions that differ from earth systems. | |||||||||
| Sport inventing ... find niche corners of hang gliding and make a sport from such. | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| 1800s hang gliders Study, replicate, modernize, display, preserve, circulate in schools, describe, and publish? | |||||||||
| 1900-1920 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 1921-1959 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 1960-1975 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 1976-1999 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 2000-2008 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 2009 hang gliders | |||||||||
| 2010 hang gliders | |||||||||
| Add notes directly to the world's Hang Gliding Training Manual. Tiny note or longer note! | |||||||||
|
SPECIAL APPLICATIONS OF HANG GLIDERS |
|||||||||
Photography Specializations: Stills, motion,
editing, master movies, history of small and large happenings
|
|||||||||
| Advertising | |||||||||
| Bird care | |||||||||
| Dream fulfillment for the specially challenged amongst us: blind, aged, youth, | |||||||||
| Education. Exhibition, demonstration, visiting speaker, bridge nations, | |||||||||
| Inspection of hang gliders' condition In what condition is this hang glider? Tracking the shape of a hang glider? Status of flying cables? Sun hours? Challenge of knowing the fatigue status of parts invites creative inspecting. Managing risks. Flight log interpretation. Service persons? Flying cable condition? Unseen places? Corrosion? Wear? Cracks? Tears? Best practices? Monitoring real-time status of safety-critical parts. Checklist fulfillment systems. | |||||||||
Some people will make a hobby out of developing secondary uses of hang
gliders:
|
|||||||||
|
Some special sorts of hang gliders: Missing sorts, please send to Lift@HangGliderMagazine.com
|
|||||||||
|
Add to this collection. Yes! Send note tot he editor of HangGliderHistory to add your HG niche. Thanks. editor@energykitesystems.net |
|||||||||