Hang Gliding - The New Freedom

[Music] so [Music] flight one of man's eternal fascinations in his desire to fly a blind of a child's kite and fashioned it into an amazing flying machine called a hang glider but enthusiasts still call it a kite a man's heart is the engine his feet the landing gear a mountain is his runway and his flight schedules are set by weather hang gliders are constructed of the strongest most durable man-made materials however they must be lightweight for easy maneuvering and maximum safety they are built according to the size of the flyer and they weigh from 25 to 35 pounds the kite must be simply constructed so that it may be assembled and taken apart quickly and easily the movement of the kite corresponds to the movement of the body so by transferring his weight a pilot may die or soar like a bird using the wind to his best advantage with a lesson or two by an experienced flyer and a lot of nerve anyone can learn this new freedom hang gliding from higher elevations a pilot can achieve a graceful free flight some flights have been recorded which lasted over eight hours and many pilots have flown their kites for several miles however before a flyer reaches that kind of skill he needs practice although it looks easy there's more to hang gliding than jumping off a hill with a kite on your back as with any sport these athletes must start with a few lessons some practice runs and a bit of coaching kite manufacturers make it a point to offer personalized training courses for beginners flyers learn to handle their gliders both in the sky and on the ground an instructor teaches the students everything they'll need to know for a perfect free flight of course at first things don't always work out as planned [Music] up up oops [Music] [Music] beginners learn to fly from lower safer elevations but the thrill is still there jumping into space is never dull but takeoff from higher elevations enables the flyers to have more freedom in flight they can cut nature's apron strings the seeming simplicity of the sport makes it attractive to many people one person one kite one hill and a bit of wind those are the only things needed to enjoy the experience of free flight just pack up your kite head for the nearest hill and fly around the neighborhood for a while and who knows it may even become fashionable one day to leave the car at home and glide to the office each day at the end of the day of instruction it is time for the master to demonstrate his skill by flying from the top of the hill the people who live in the surrounding neighborhood look in awe that the large birds flying down from the hillside [Music] you can usually find any hang glider enthusiasts at a kite meet several times each year this meet held in san diego california attracted hundreds of hanged gliders and spectators from everywhere [Music] the atmosphere of a kite meat is festive carnival-like and there are always plenty of attractions kite flyers come from all walks of life one enthusiast is a computer programmer during the week but he hasn't missed one weekend of gliding in the past two years other adventurers include off-duty airline pilots stewardesses policemen musicians businessmen doctors teenagers and even a few housewives anyone who fantasizes over the freedom of birds in flight will tell you that there's nothing that fulfills those dreams better than a swooping gliding flight through the skies [Music] what goes down must come up [Music] kites seem to vary almost as much as the pilots who fly them they seem to reflect the personalities of their owners [Music] discussing flights and sharing each other's experience is as much a part of the sport as flying itself the talk fills the time when the flyers must be earthbound for some gliding is a perpetual search for the perfect flying conditions these true adventurers seem compelled to seek the ultimate experience of a perfect free flight at last these adventurous men do discover a giant hill on a perfect day the challenge is set excited by their discovery and anxious to meet the challenge these top flyers realize that such high elevation flights are serious business at these heights wind currents can change drastically even the most experienced flyer can lose control of his glider and find himself in serious trouble if he doesn't focus his mind on what he's doing the flyers examine the hill closely discussing their flight patterns they must take advantage of the terrain of the hill as well as the wind currents and wait for just the right moment to take off [Music] so [Music] so [Music] uh [Music] would like to fly up in the sky [Music] one two three [Music] the feeling of ecstasy that comes after an exciting flight is evident on their faces they have shared a rare and intimate experience with nature they have soared together in formation as gracefully as the birds whose skies they have shared their experience will linger in their minds for days to come and yet they will continue the endless search for a longer and longer flight as long as the birds [Music] is [Music] so [Music] you