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kite takeoff hang gliding

air power vto
  (+7, -2)
(+7, -2)
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Use a giant kite on a long line in fairly good winds to assist a rapid ascent saving a climb or drive up a steep hill.

The kite would have a light weight hand and foot hold in the back, simple handholds and possibly a toe catch, or ski boot type attachment for easy release enabling a hang glider equipped passenger to hold on and catapult skyward when released.

Benefits- free launch, option to release early for inexperienced fliers, cool zoom straight up at high speed factor.

nth, Nov 15 2005


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       Couldn't the hang glider itself serve as the kite?
DrCurry, Nov 15 2005
  

       Quite possibly so. My thoughts on this are that they are sized to a certain extent for the fliers weight and would not have enough wind catching area for a very rapid ascent.   

       But, I'll be blunt... I really don't know. :)
nth, Nov 15 2005
  

       Don't they use a winch to launch sailplanes? Wouldn't that accomplish much of what you're after?
NoOneYouKnow, Nov 16 2005
  

       BAKED   

       Hangliders in the MidWest often use a winch to launch hang gliders.   

       Trucks have been used, as have aircraft in unusual situations.
subflower, Nov 17 2005
  

       [subflower], it's not unusual to use an aircraft to tow up a hang glider. People do that all over the place.   

       A great spot in Florida stays busy using an ultralight for the job.   

       A winch is a very different thing than how this would turn out because you wouldn't have to be running to lift off with the kite. I give it a bun. [+]
zigness, Nov 18 2005
  

       As a former hang glider pilot, I can attest that this has been done -- and seems to me a slight bit riskier than the preferred way of 'foot launching' off of a big hill.
pathetic, Nov 18 2005
  

       I'm just remembering the nose dives my kites always seemed to do at the beach just after launch...
BunsenHoneydew, Dec 03 2006
  

       Dreaded "lock-out" kills. However, there will be a day when kited hang glider pilots stay an hour on kited format in order to drag a grounded railed electric generator back and forth ...left and right of the wind window ...in order to have fun and practice piloting while making electricity for the neighbors.
joefaust, Jan 29 2009
  


 

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