Comparison of Gliders, Hang Gliders and Paragliders
There can be confusion between gliders, hang gliders, and paragliders. Paragliders and hang gliders are both foot-launched glider aircraft and in both cases the pilot is suspended ("hangs") below the lift surface, but "hang glider" is the default term for those where the airframe contains rigid structures. The primary structure of paragliders is supple, consisting mainly of woven material.
| Paragliders | Hang gliders | Gliders/Sailplanes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undercarriage | Pilot's legs used for take-off and landing | Pilot's legs used for take-off and landing | Aircraft takes off and lands using a wheeled undercarriage or skids |
| Wing structure | entirely flexible, with shape maintained purely by the pressure of air flowing into and over the wing in flight and the tension of the lines | generally flexible but supported on a rigid frame which determines its shape, but note that rigid wing hang gliders also exist | rigid surface to wings that totally encases structure |
| Pilot position | sitting supine in a seated harness. | usually lying prone in a cocoon-like harness suspended from the wing. Seated, and 'supine' are also possible. | sitting in a seat with a harness surrounded by a crash-resistant structure. |
| Speed range (stall speed – max speed) |
slower – typically 25 to 60km/h for recreational gliders (over 40km/h requires use of speed bar) hence easier to launch and fly in light winds, least wind penetration, pitch variation can be achieved with the controls. | even faster - maximum speed up to about 280 km/h (170 mph); stall speed typically 65 km/h (40mph). Able to fly in windier turbulent conditions and can outrun bad weather. Exceptional penetration into the wind. Semi- or fully aerobatic. | |
| Maximum glide ratio | about 10, relatively poor glide performance makes long-distances more difficult. The current world record is just above 500 km (310 miles) | Open class sailplanes typically around 60:1 but in more common 15-18 meter span aircraft, glide ratios are between 38:1 and 52:1., high glide performance enabling long distances, 3,000 km (1,800+ mile record) | |
| Turn radius | tighter turn radius, allowing circling in the rapidly rising center of thermals | somewhat larger turn radius, not allowing such a high rate of climb in thermals | even greater turn radius but still able to circle tightly in thermals |
| Landing | smaller space needed to land, offering more landing options from cross-country flights. Also easier to carry back to the nearest road | longer approach & landing area required, but can reach more landing areas due superior glide range | Specialised trailer needed to retrieve by road |
| Learning | simplest and quickest to learn | teaching is done in a two seat glider with dual controls | |
| Convenience | packs smaller (easier to transport and store) | more awkward to transport & store; longer to rig and de-rig; transported on the roof of a car | trailers are typically 10 m (30 ft) long. Rigging & de-rigging takes about 20 minutes |
| Cost | cost new €1500 up, cheapest but shortest lasting (around 500 hours flying depending on treatment) but active second hand market | cost of new gliders very high but long lasting (several decades), so active second hand market typically from €2000 to €145,000 . |
Read more about this topic: Hang Gliding
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