Wing ribs were bamboo heated and bent to shape then stuck in bottle caps screwed to the spars to hold them in place. Wings were covered in plastic sheet, stapled in place. I seem to recall all the gussets were cardboard. Mostly it was "door jam" wood 3/4" thick, 1 1/2" wide X 14 foot front and rear spars and the tail/longerons (?). Right and left wing sections were connected with simple metal straps and 1/4" bolts. Struts were stuck in bottle caps screwed to the spars. It had a 28 foot wing span made from four 14 foot wing sections with 4 foot chord and 4' struts beween the wings. You could search the web for plans (popular mechanics even published some), build a bamboo and polyethylene plastic wing like the pioneers - but you may very well learn a hard lesson that has already been learned.īack in 1973 I built a "Hang Loose" chanute type glider. Please note the number of the early pioneers who died learning how to make safe gliders. Please read-up on the history of hang-gliding on wikipedia. Or use this as motivation to find a job or a second job, and save your $ for flying. If you are really low on funds, then I suggest you look for work with a hang-gliding business or airport, volunteer your services in exchange for flight time or lessons. There are many hang-gliding schools around the country (even here in Canada), just find one and invest in some lessons.īuilding an airchair is also an option, but will cost you as much or likely a little more than a used hang glider - and again, getting some training is very important. But you will almost certainly get hurt if you try it without some training. If you are low on funds, you can buy a used hang-glider for as little as 1,000 (less than that is likely junk). It does none of us any good if you injure or kill yourself. I want you to get into both activities safely and survive to enjoy them for your whole life. Īsk any pilot: the most dangerous phases of flying any aircraft are taking off and landing - you are proposing that because you will be conducting your entire flight in this "low to the ground" phase that you will be safer. A short flying career and a long time in a wheelchair or pine box is defintiely not what you have in mind. Ryan: I understand your desire for flight, and really want you to succeed.
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