Flying
a hang glider gives an unparalleled sense of freedom, feeling the
movements of the air across your body by using only the wind's
force to stay aloft. For 15 minutes Experience the pure
flying sensation, that is hang-gliding........
Hang Gliding
is a daytime flying mountain activity this means that Hang Gliding can
only operate when the weather conditions are right for
flying and during ski lift opening and closing times. The
first flight is around 0930hrs allowing time to catch the
first lift in order to get to the departure site on time.
With the last flight around 1600hrs allowing enough time to
get back to Courchevel after the flight has finished.
From
Courchevel 1850's main lift area you will need to catch
Verdons cable car (bubble lift). At the top you will need to
collect your skis and walk across the snow to the Vizelle
bubble car which will be directly in front of you. At the
top of the Vizelle bubble you will need to put your skis on,
turn right and ski straight forward as if you were skiing to
Meribel. You will meet the Hang Gliding pilot at the
Chalet des Pilotes (the last wooden hut on the right hand
side that will have a
Hang Glider out side).
Hire a
Whitetracks Host to ski with you for
½
or a full day, they will meet you at a pre-prescribed
meeting point at the time requested. They will ski with you
taking you to some of the best snow and runs in the
Courchevel
Valley or even the three valleys and will make sure that you
get to the activity on time. Whitetracks
Host
.
Hang
Gliding - OPERATION / LEVELS /
DURATION / format
5-10 minutes
sorting equipment and returning to takeoff point via lift
.
You should
arrive to meet the pilot 5-10 minutes before the requested time.
The pilot might keep you waiting but PLEASE do not keep them
waiting. If you need to catch lifts to in order to get to the
meeting point please allow time for lift queues and time to
travel up on the lift.
.
When you first
arrive the pilot will provide you with the harness, he will then
put it on you making sure that it is all fitted correctly. Once
you are in the harness he will collect the Hang Glider and place
it in its take off position on the edge of the run next to the
steep slope, he will then call you over. Carrying your skis or
snow board he will put you in the correct position you will then
need to put your skis or snowboard on. The pilot will then
attach your harness to his and the Hang Glider ready for
takeoff.
.
After a short brief you
put your left arm around the waist of the pilot and put your right
hand across your body holding onto the pilots right elbow. The
pilot will then pick up the Hang Glider, when ready you will
both edge forward until you start heading down the steep slope
in front of you. After a few meters traveled you and the Hang
Glider will lift off the ground and will be airborne.
.
Once airborne, the pilot
holds the base bar and controls the glider by moving his body weight relative to the glider. Moving to the left initiates a
left hand turn and vice-versa. Speed is varied by pulling the
pilot's weight forwards to go faster and backwards to slow down.
The pilot will cater the flight to the passenger needs providing a
gentle flight for the nervous client and an exciting flight for
the thrill seekers amongst you.
.
When landing, the
pilot will push forward on the base bar which in turn moves both
of your bodies weight backwards opening up the glider above you
forcing it to push against the wind causing the hang glider to
be slowed to the point where it
comes to a complete stop as the pilot reaches the ground.
epilepsy, fits,
Heart
deficiencies
, Vertebral problems or Pregnant women
.
The
pilot will adapt each flight to the excitement threshold of
each individual passenger.
If
you are confident the pilot may perform some aerobatics - if not
just ask.
The Hang
Gliding pilot / instructor will supply a harness and will
make sure that it is fitted correctly for you before you
take part in the Hang Gliding activity. For some reason you
are not supplied with a helmet - If you wish to wear one
PLEASE bring a ski helmet with you to take part.
Due to the
Hang Gliding being a daytime mountain activity you should
already be correctly dressed to take part. Unfortunately if
you are on skis you will need to leave your poles at the top
of the mountain at the takeoff point. If you are skiing with
friends and don't wish to come back up the mountain to
collect your poles it is advisable to get a friend to ski
down to the bottom with your poles. If a friend takes your
poles to the bottom you will be free to continue skiing from
where you landed without the need to go back to the takeoff
site this gives you the flexibility to be able to ski
somewhere different for the rest of the day.
Tandem Hang
Gliders
are only able to carry one passenger at a time. Unfortunately,
there is only one available pilot / instructor in Meribel or the
three valleys. If there is a
small group of you wishing to take part in the activity at the
same time it is impossible. For a small group to take part we
would need you to go one after the other.
Base
bar: the
bar which the pilot holds in flight.
Battens:
aluminum "ribs"
inserted into the hang glider sail to give shape to the wing.
Flare:the manoeuvre performed to land a
hang glider when the wing is deliberately stalled to halt all
forward motion as the pilot reaches the ground.
Variometer/Vario:
instrument measuring rate of
climb or descent. It has a visual display, but also an audio
function so the pilot does not need to see the dial. The pitch
of the tone increases with the climb rate.
Wave:
this phenomenon occurs only in
certain conditions when the wind is forced upwards over a hill
or mountain and is then amplified by the next mountain setting
up a standing wave. Large height gains are possible in wave
conditions.
.
A hang glider allows the pilot to fly
around in ridge lift on a hill, take the occasional thermal to
gain height or leave the hill and fly cross-country. A hang
glider's speed and performance allow many hours of air time and
big distances to be flown.
