Today I took a trip to Lake Conroe in Texas to work on my hang gliding tow launch qualification.
There are a number of ways to get a hang glider flying. One way is to launch yourself off the side of a hill or mountain. In Texas there aren’t too many mountains so I have been tow training.
Just after launch
A tow launch involves being pulled behind some motor vehicle, a boat or a truck for example. For my training I am pulled by a speed boat. I am attached to a winch on the boat which releases the tow line until I get to about 2000 feet from which point the boat stops. When the boat stops I can see there is no wake from behind the boat and so this is my cue to release the tow line and glide.
Gaining altitude!
This is my second day of lessons, although my first day was a couple of months ago. I have am qualified to launch solo off of a mountain (foot launch) but not tow launch and as there is a number of additional safety requirements I had to fly tandem with an experienced instructor several times before my first solo.
I took 4 tandem flights my first day, and 2 tandem flights today making a total if 6 tandem flights. My instructor felt I was ready to fly solo today so I got my first tow launch solo in, and am now qualified.
Whats great about this is that it means I can do a lot more gliding now. Gregg (my instructor) can take me up for $20 a time now so I can get plenty of airtime in for not too much expense. This will help me build confidence and experience and expose me to a lot more airtime so that I can begin to work towards my next qualification, the hang 3 license.
Way up there!
