Can anybody help me. I am chasing information about hang gliding schools/ organisations in the Perth region, specifically where I can get lessons, training and licence etc... Thanks

Gorgo is on the money there.
Need a big van to get your HG kit inside - even with the break-down wing sections.
Having said that - I always felt safer in an HG - U have much more control over your direction in dodgey moments..

I had hours and hours of fun ground hogging with mates along hill lines at the sea side -for that matter on non-thermic days in-land too (quiet alot of those in UK!!).

Once U learn the progression is for x-country flying - never did this on a PGlider (jellyfish[}:)]) but remember being surprised at catching up (finally!!) to one approx 60 Kms along the course at 3500 metres - over Forbes way. The performance although levelled out like HG's is really good.

BTW the kit for both is not cheap, but once you have your basic set-up (way more sophisticated than when I started) it is manageable (without kids[}:)])

Inventory:
1. MBike helmet.
2. 1 Hanglider (Homemade)
3. 1 Harness (Homemade)
4. 1 big dose of can do -- yeeee hhhaaaaa.
...
9. 1 fortune cookie -- Tomorrow U Will fly high!!

When I stopped a few years back, for X-C, the inventory was huge.

Good luck - research B4U Buy

AP

after years of large traction kite flying I wouldnt even go near a paraglider!!

(some para dude crashed into Bells beach cliff recently too)

Hanglider - definately!!
much more control in those critical moments in the lulls and gusts.

Theres heaps on youtube, some guys even done a step by step tutorial on there.

Gorgo - is on the money again - but having supplied the answer - decided to broaden the scope...
I flew 168.75 hours on home made HG's
Never used tarp
Never used Bamboo
Used aircraft quality ALI, SS lock tight bolts, would have to look up the low speed profiles we adopted at the start for pattern profiles (alot of static flight testing) - and wire / swaging done at the yatch chandelers at the time started with 4 oz rip stop (double stitched - phew) and moved on from there -First up tried a rogallo - pile of cow dung - first flying design had a bow-sprit High aspect ratio - will try and find a photo started flying at the same time as the proto-type Gryphon came out - went in size from 136 sq feet down to 123 and back up to 134. Used wind tunnel tests (student at the time) and alot of experience from designing / flying RC gliders.
Got the static testing, low gentle slope tests, and then off the southern downs - and beyond - loved it - great experience.

AP

evlPanda said...

felixdcat said...

I did a lot of H G back in the 80's in Europe mainly in the Swiss Alps. When I came here I gave it a miss and went into gliding, lot more comfortable, safer, faster, longer distance flight, competitive and not that expensive. I was member of the Beverley Soaring Society and it was a great club to join. Glider hire was $0.60 per minute up to 3 hours and then free, a tow to 3000 ft about $ 20.00 the club has a school with instructors and charge nothing for tuition (done at the weekend) or you can join a fast track course done over a week that would give you your licence for a modest fee.
Check it there www.beverley-soaring.org.au

WHAT?! Oh god yes! I figured you had to buy your own glider and store it somewhere. Thanks

Lot of pilots do buy shares in gliders I guess starting at $ 5000-00 (1 glider 4 to 6 shares) and as the wing can be removed very easily the glider can be stored in the trailer coming most of the time with it. Some pilots build a "T" hangar that can be installed on the club property and cover just the glider and wings.
You can buy a PW class glider (international class) for about $ 25000-00, not the best glide ratio but allow you to compete on the net against the rest of the world.

Gorgo said...

The man asked about hang gliding and I gave him the info requested.

Hang gliding and paragliding are both expensive. The days of building your own out of bamboo and old tarps are long gone.

Used para and hang gear can be bought quite cheaply and this is a good idea at the start. The performance and safety of new gear is far superior. The continued and recent developments in equipment is amazing.

Many of my friends are moving on to sailplanes. Buying is expensive but you can rent and you only have to rent when you are flying.

All forms of flight, and hang and para in particular, require a lifestyle committment. You can't just rock up and go for a fly when you want to. You have to put in the hours and gain experience.

All forms of flight cost about $100/hour of airtime. It can cost a lot more if you factor in fuel, accommodation and time off work to go flying (the biggest expense).

Hang glider pilots tend to break arms and necks. Landing is a particularly dodgey time for them. They are known as "lawn darts".

Paraglider pilots can break ankles and crush vertebrae. Poor launches can be a problem or collapses at low altitude.

While hang gliders are the superior aircraft in terms of glide and speed, paragliders can fly in weaker lift. In terms of acro flying, adventure flying, fun flying and general all-round accessibility paragliders have well and truly left hang gliders behind.

what about para motors? The ones with what looks like a doona kite on quite short lines and a two stroke backpac on the back with a prop. are they dodgy? I reckon they would be a fun way to go exploring?

Gorgo said...

Paramotors used to be crap. Now they are getting good. It is still a bit of a fringe activity.

Everybody I know who bought them sold them fairly soon after. They are slow, they are noisy, they are expensive, you can't fly in windy conditions or near where people live (noise). You need to fly with landing options within glide (as you do for all wings), so you can't just punt off over the nearest mountain or cross the sea or something.

There are people who live in the country and have their own paddocks. They sneak out for a fly in the morning or the evening. They enjoy it.

Some guys are putting motors on mini-paragliders and acro wings and whizzing around on them. It sounds kind of fun.

there was a dude on a beach north of cairns with one tryying to take off a few weeks ago. no wind at all made it hard for his kite to fill. looked just like a peter lynn kite with 10m lines and a mower engine on his back. Reckon I could have done it. along the beach and over the shallow coast would have been real nice

Nice to see all these other seabreeze members who have an interest/finger in flying!
Im 13 hours into my PPL and am planning on getting my Commercial license too. Its expensive tho at $200 a lesson for 7 more lessons then i need to start using the bigger faster plane at $250 and hour. Worth every cent its sooo much fun,

Am very keen for a fly in a glider tho, and the price of roughly 25k quoted above is very tempting to buy one! power planes start at 40k for a old worn out nugget with loads of hours. The one i have been drooling over is priced at $675k and its still only a 4 seater!

one day i keep telling myself haha

Gorgo said...

... They are slow, they are noisy, they are expensive, you can't fly in windy conditions or near where people live (noise)...

Gorgo said...

Most of them use Rotax engines...

Far far out of reality
1- PPG wings can fly up to 65 km/hour (above 30 knots) and we can easily takeoff in <18 knots wind with a proper wing.
With an old PG wing we can takeoff in <15 knots

2- New paramotors are not any louder than a motorcycle

3- Average cost of PPG + wing + course is less than half of the cost of a jet-ski (Approximately $10,000)

4- Rotax engines are only used in ultra light air crafts not PPG and we are only using typical 2 stroke engines like kart engines or lawn mowers

5- We are taking of from a 20m patch of land and I can land on back of my ute.

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In Perth there is a group of pilots (Sky Pirates) who gathered to help the new pilots on choosing their equipment and give them all the technical knowledge they need

http://skypirates.freeforums.org/

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As we were talking about hang gliding at the start I suggest you watch this too;

www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3175999.htm

Hi surfnsirhiss
I took up Hanggliding about 7 years ago and its gotta be the best thing ive ever done in my life! Starting with Instructor Tony Barton in Newcastle, Learning on Stockton sand dunes then high flying off the Hills along Newcastles beaches, Awsome stuff.
From there i went flying inland on thermals achieving a best distance of 308km in a single flight. The sport is mentaly challenging and there is allways a level to step up to no matter how experienced you are.
The Hang gliding scene in Australia peaked in the 80's, it was a macho sport back then and every playboy had a Porche, Speedboat, Several Blondes and a hang glider.
Similar to the windsurfing "craze" Popularity dropped off to small numbers. This was a shame as the progression of equipment really made the sport much safer and user friendly. Right now is a good time to be a hangglider pilot.
On the East coast there is a small increase in pilot numbers with 2 of the worlds best manufacturers - Airborne, Who make Hanggliders and Trikes. They make a sweet beginner glider called the "Fun" aawesome intermediate glider - The sting 3, and have just released the Rev, A high performance wing capable of 140kmh! then there's Moyes who have just released a bigginner glider- The Malibu. Not many on the second hand market yet so expect to pay Big$ for this wing. They also have several world champions on thier books, They make top wings.
Sadly the scene in WA is much smaller, Due i beleive to limited sites...? However the guys ive met from WA are keen as anyone so get on the HGFA website for contacts and also a forum with for sale stuff too.
Give the "Bags of shame" a miss, Freinds dont let freinds parraglide! Ive seen heaps of wing collapses and rapidly descending screams, Many back injuries and uncrollable backwards flying when the wind picks up a bit. While flying at Manilla Nsw once i remember looking down from 6000ft at the launch where they were holding a parragliding comp, 4 of them had landed in trees and from above it looked funny as the canopys were covering the crown of the tree.... Hereby known as tree condoms.
I'll probably get flamed for the last comments but I stand firm on it!

7crwolf said...

hangtime said...

Hi surfnsirhiss
I took up Hanggliding about 7 years ago and its gotta be the best thing ive ever done in my life! Starting with Instructor Tony Barton in Newcastle, Learning on Stockton sand dunes then high flying off the Hills along Newcastles beaches, Awsome stuff.

I'm also in Newcastle, and lately I've been really intrigued by the prospect of getting into hang gliding. So I gather Newcastle is a good place to be for it? I wish the wife was supportive of the idea. "All you need is something else to get you out of the house"... :D I totally want to learn.

Hey Wolf youre in the right place! There's a very active club with very helpfull people in Newcastle and Tony is the best instructor around. Give it a go! Tony Barton Airsports 0412607815