Hang Gliding

The dream Realized ... a winged man who can fly free ... Ever since Leonardo's famous designs it has been man's dream to fly without an engine, not just to fall with or without a parachute, but to control his flight and work with the wind. 

The first practical glider is a very recent invention. It was designed and patented in America by Dr Francis Rogallo more than twenty years ago, but the explosion in the sport is a phenomenon of the 1970s. With hang gliding associations in over fifty countries and five continents, active participation and spectator interest more than doubles with every year. Martin Hunt, first Chairman of the British Hang Gliding Association, and David Hunn, sports writer of The Observer, join forces to explain the magic of hang gliding for the uninitiated. They describe the principles of unpowered manned flight and its rapid history; they explain in detail the materials and designs of the lightweight wings used by the modern birdman and, most important, they define the sites which best favour the sport, both for pilot and spectator, and direct the reader towards a safe source of instruction. 

The progress and prospects for hang gliding around the world are indicated in a special chapter, but the story of hang gliding in America, first and largest arena for the sport, is told by Dan Poynter, doyen of hang gliding not only in the USA but around the world. 

With over 70 illustrations, 16 in full colour.