Page 146 - How It Works - Book of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, 12

� AMAZIG ANSWERS TO CURIOUS QUESTIONS -------------------

Leading edge tube

Batten King post

Rigging wire
Crossbar
Sail

Flight bag

-­
Control bar Trailingedge

How do hang

gliders fly?

Propelled upwards solely by hot air, hang
gliders make engine less flight possible

angglidersworkby materials allow gliders to have
generating lift through significant glide ratios, usually
H both their body and wing oven5:1.
shape, as well as exploiting the Construction consists of two main
natural meteorological updrafts parts, the control frame and the
created in Earth's atmosphere. wings. The wings (usually made
Through these factors, hang gliders from composite-framed fabric) are
can use gravity as a source of designed to generate as much lift as
propulsion, yet stay airborne for possible as air passes over them, as
lengthy periods of time, extending well as maintain pitch and yaw
their lift-to-drag ratio considerably. equilibrium when gliding. The
This relationship between the control frame is attached to the
amount of lift the glider is capable centre ofthewingsand is triangular
of and the amount of drag inflicted in shape; it provides a fixed platform
on it by the atmosphere's air for the pilot to be strapped to and
molecules is key to its sustained shift within to alter course and
night, with the more metres of altitude. Control is achieved by the
forward glide to every one metre of pilot moving his weight fore or aft in
descent, the better. opposition to the frame. Modern
When hang gliders were first control frames feature docking
invented, their heavy construction points for navigation
materials (wood and heavy metals) instrumentation such as GPS, as
prevented pilots from achieving a well as for other electronics such as
good ratio. Today, however, radios and variometers (rate of
super-lightweight carbon composite climb/descent indicators). 0
I I e sk1s are steered by controlling the
Carbon composite � d1rect1on of the steenng Jet at the rear of
the sk1 Th1s IS done by attach1ng two steenng
lines to the handlebars wh1ch run throug th
materials allow gliders to have craft to e1ther s1de of the nozzle mean1ng tlia
1f you turn left. the noz le IS pulled to the left,
significant glide ratios the 1et sk1 turns left and v1ce versa.

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