Last month the Oz Report (www.ozreport.com) forum had some great discussions regarding the finer techniques of launching a hang glider.

(PHOTO: submitted to the OzReport, by Steve Rathbun. Taken by Jeff Roberson)

After reading through it all, I was inspired by some specifics that are NOT readily found in any available training resources.

-Thanks to Davis Straub, Aaron Sweptson, Steve Rathbun, and others that contributed on the Oz Report forum.

Here's the cream, that I've filtered out, translated, and emailed to my students:

(Note: this is not the full breakdown of a launch, just some additional points...)

When starting the walk/jog/run make sure to drive the glider with the shoulders (not just the hands). This will help maintain the pitch control (no nose popping). -Here, the shoulders act as a fulcrum, a leverage point, to help keep the nose down.

As the glider starts to lift, we'll lose this point of leverage.....BUT.... (here's a tip that will help us all......) ....but, as the glider lifts off of the shoulders, be sure to keep some arm contact with the downtubes, where the hands are wrapped around the downtubes and the forearms are held firmly against the downtubes, allowing for continued pitch control. So, the forearms, will then act as the fulcrum. With just hand contact alone, and before the strap has gone tight, you will not have much leverage. (-keeping the nose down)

(photo: -some forearm action...my student, Kath, and I at Bald Hill, Stanwell Tops)