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Hang gliding 2020 onward

This page continues from Hang gliding 2015 to 2019.

Hang glider at Mere, Wiltshire, England, in June 2020 — Moyes (Australia) Litespeed RX3

These photos were taken at Mere, Wiltshire, UK, in June 2020.

The RX3 is typical of high-performance hang gliders in that it has no king post and upper rigging. Negative loads are borne internally by a carbon fiber cross-tube assembly. This one is flown by Greg Emms. See also the Moyes related topics menu.

Paragliders and a hang glider flying at Mere, Wiltshire, UK, in June 2020 — Crowding (Tim King flying the rigid hang glider)

Close-up of hang glider pilot flying at Mere, Wiltshire, England, in June 2020 — Pilot in command

And this is a light-weight single surface (exposed cross-tubes) Freedom made by North Wing of Chelan, Washington State, USA. In the variable conditions at this site on this day, with sink and patchy lift, the highly maneuverable Freedom outperformed even the rigid wings most of the time.

Like the North Wing Freedom, the Aeros (Ukraine) Target is a light-weight single surface hang glider with exposed cross-tubes. However, while the Freedom has curved wing tips tensioned by fiberglass extensions of the leading edge tubes, the Target does not.

The red streamer indicates that the pilot has fewer than ten hours air time.

Paraglider and hang glider at Mere, Wiltshire, England, in June 2020 — Paraglider and hang glider maneuver around each other

Gang gliders flying at Mere, Wiltshire, England, in June 2020 — Luisa shows the boys how it is done

Here, the flex-wing (made by Moyes, Australia) and the rigid wing (a Solar Wings, UK, Eclipse) are contrasted. The Moyes wing is steeply banked to stay in the core of a small thermal while the Eclipse has flaps lowered and pilot head-up for a landing approach. The Eclipse is derived from the Ghostbuster, made by Flight Design (Germany) — not to be confused with 1970s flex-wing manufacturer Flight Designs (California).

Hamish is flying an AIR (Germany) ATOS. Notice the control surfaces activated to cause a right turn.

Like the North Wing Freedom and the Aeros Target (pictured earlier on this page) the Wills Wing (California) Falcon is a light-weight single surface hang glider with exposed cross-tubes. It dates back to 1994, but it has remained in production continually since then. Wills Wing manufactured 5,780 Falcons as of August 2021. See Wills Wing glider production history.

Wills Wing U-2 hang glider flying at Mere, Wiltshire — Wills Wing U-2 at Mere, Wiltshire, in June 2020

Rigid hang glider at Mere, Wiltshire, England, in June 2020 — British rigid hang glider champion Tim King on approach to landing

Tim has the trailing edge flaps lowered. They increase the camber of the wing, which increases both lift and drag. The result is slower airspeed and a steeper approach, which is easier to judge and it reduces the risk of over-shooting the chosen landing spot.

Tony Woodley launches in an Avian Rio hang glider at Bell Hill, north Dorset, UK — Tony Woodley launches in an Avian Rio at Bell Hill, north Dorset, in September 2020

The following photos were taken at Kimmeridge in Dorset, England, in October 2021.

Gary Dear in an Airborne (Australia) Fun 190

Gary Dear at Kimmeridge — Gary in ridge lift

Here, long time sail-maker Roly Lewis-Evans is on the front wires. The mountain-biker in the blue helmet is Arthur from the USA, who has flown paramotors in Utah and was at this time studying at Bournemouth University, just a few miles from Kimmeridge.

Roly Lewis-Evans launches at Kimmeridge — Roly launches for his first flight in a hang glider for 22 years

Roly Lewis-Evans flying at Kimmeridge — Roly at home in the air

See the Roly Lewis-Evans, sail maker related topics menu.

External links

Dennis Thorpe YouTube channel for the 43rd New Zealand Hang Gliding Nationals in early 2021

Dreaming Awake with the Monarchs video by David Aldrich on YouTube. Featurning Monarch butterfly migration south from north America to Mexico and hang glider pilots doing the same

Katy Cole has been hailed as the new Bettina Gray by some British hang glider pilots. (See Photographers of early hang gliding for Bettina Gray.) Here are links to some of her photos:

Cambridge aerotow 09.06.20 — Cambridge, England, in June 2020, photos by Katy Cole on Google Photos
Cambridge aerotow 25.05.20 — Cambridge, England, in May 2020, photos by Katy Cole on Google Photos
Katy Cole Hobby Photography Facebook page. Subjects range across scenery, wildlife, and hang gliding in Britain.

Paul Voight classic photo from his wing-mounted camera in USHPA Pilot, Nov/Dec 2020