Being Superman

Hang gliding is the closest you will come to feeling like a bird soaring freely in the sky

Imagine shooting off a ridge clingingto a pair of rudimentary wings.Scary, isn't it? You would be hopingyour machine doesn't give wayand praying that nature stays calmtill you land. The sport is called hanggliding, and it's an embodiment of thehuman desire to soar like an eagle. Butit is an airy proposition; one tiny mishapand your trusted crony could go for atoss, and you'd be spiralling downwards.

In countries that have gliding schools,the activity is a full-fledged adventuresport. But most Indians got initiatedinto it in unconventional ways. TakeSamarth Sharma (31) for example. Nowa pilot based in Jodhpur, Sharma wasa child when he first saw someone hangglide on television. After some research,he learnt that the materials of a gliderweren't hard to procure and could beeasily assembled. So he got hold of someDacron cloth and aluminium rods todesign a scant chassis.

But members of a hang gliders' forumonline advised him against flying themachine. That's when Sharma importeda glider from the UK, and took lessonson YouTube from a USarmy officer. Now, after four years,he's ready for his first cross-countryexpedition in Rajasthan this June.

Flying time is usually from 7 am to5 pm. An ideal day has cumulus cloudshanging in the sky, and a gentle breezeof 15-20 kph, that indicates warm air isrising from the earth's surface. The gliderruns against the wind to launch, usingthe warm updrafts to rise in flight --during which he has to circle upwards-- and yaws away once he has gainedaltitude. For the craft to go straight, hemust maintain his centre of gravity.

Taking flight
Flights last for an hour or so dependingon wind direction. On cross-countryexpeditions, a glider might fly 15-20km straight. Even before taking off, hehas to plan where he's going to land.And before touching base, he has toestimate the glide ratio (for every onefoot decrease in altitude, the glider travels10 feet ahead) and decide when he'sgoing to flare out. "If you enter a cloud,tug at the yaw bar; the turbulencesometimes is massive," says Sharma.

An ideal landing ground is the sizeof a football field, and shouldn't be compromisedon. "I tried landing on a smallfield once, and wound up in a patch ofthick bushes," Sharma adds.

Gliding technology
Over the years, technology has madethe sport easier and safer. N JavadHassan, a Bangalore resident, who hashang glided across the Nilgiris, is oneof those who welcomed this change.

The 42-year-old moved to poweredhang gliding and set up a company thatsells motored gliders. "The motor is tohelp you take off without a ridge, andkeep you adrift in the absence of anupdraft," says Hassan.

Even if you're flying a manual gliderand the updrafts stop, you won'tplummet down. "You'll keep gliding inthe air unless there's a problem withthe structure of the glider, which youcan prevent with good quality equipment,"says 27-year-old Rajeev Barve,a Pune resident, who has glided in theWestern Ghats of Maharashtra.

Using a motor, however, means doingaway with the thrill of being completelyunassisted by any kind of device. "Themotor means you can take off from anywhereand you aren't at the mercyof the winds. It's incomparable to flyinga manual glider though," says Barve.

The dangers aren't too many if youuse safety gear like a helmet and reserveparachute. "Most mishaps occur dueto carelessness or inexperience. Theworst that's happened to me is a twistedankle," he says.

Start out on an expedition only ifyou're confident that you've receivedgood training and have quality gear. Youdon't need to have very high fitness levels.Gliders say that if you can climb upto a ridge with the glider and run 15-20feet to launch, you're ready. SaysHassan, "I've had gliding students upto 65 years of age. You only shouldn'thave heart disease or a fear of heights."

It's never advisable to fly solo as youneed a group to report any misadventure."Flying together is more fun too.That's when you experience what wecall the Superman syndrome -- the feelingof soaring in the skies just likeSuperman," says Sharma.

Start hang gliding
For powered hang gliders, contact NJaved Hassan of Albatross FlyingSystems at +91-9945651775 or log onto www.albatrossflyingsystems.com.For manual hang gliding lessons,contact Samarth Sharma on+91-9460481356.Companies like RnR Adventures,Pankaj Tyagi Importers, WillswingManufacturers, Moves, and AirborneAustralia can help import gliders.

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