More about Hang Gliding

I had written before about this up and coming sport.

Here's another location: Wings of Rogallo.



10 things to know about hang gliding
1 "It is aviation," says Pat Denevan, founder and owner of Mission Soaring Center in Milpitas. Pilots are expected to figure out what kind of flying conditions are appropriate for their skill level, he says. When you land, you have to create your own runway.
2 Hang gliding is not an extreme sport. Flying high is not a prerequisite to enjoying the activity, says Wayne Michelsen, a hang glider from Mountain View. Beginners can experience the sensation of gliding through the air by flying a few feet above the ground.
3 You don't need a license. You might one day work your way to flying a few hundred feet in the air -- pilots can legally fly up to 18,000 feet -- so lessons are strongly recommended.
4 Newbies can start for a little as $3,000, which covers the cost of the equipment and lessons. Used gear saves even more money.
5 But because new advancements mean improved, more sophisticated equipment, consider buying new gear. It also has become easier to carry; some of the latest gliders are small enough -- 61 2 feet long -- to check onto a plane as luggage.
6 The Bay Area is packed with hang gliding hot spots, from Mount Diablo in the East Bay to Fort Funston in San Francisco to Ed Levin Park in Milpitas to Tres Pi os near Hollister.
7 Pilots maneuver by shifting or twisting their bodies, which allows them to perform midair pirouettes. They also can ride thermal updrafts thousands of feet. Birds of prey have been known to accompany hang gliders because they often mean an updraft is nearby.
8 The roots of hang gliding go back more than 1,500 years to China. Otto Lilienthal of Germany developed and documented aircraft in 1874 that influenced later hang glider designs.
9 Hang gliding is a social scene, offering ways to meet up and share the skies with others. As many as 40 pilots might show up on a day with perfect flying conditions. "There's lots of room up there for everyone," Denevan says.
10 Hang gliding information is available through Wings of Rogallo at www.wingsofrogallo.org and Mission Soaring Center at www.hang-gliding.com.
-- Mark de la Vi a, Mercury News