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Parts of a hang glider

Hang-gliding Equipment
The basic equipment for hang gliding consists of the glider itself, the harness and a helmet. In addition, some
pilots have instruments and an emergency reserve parachute.

Hang Glider
The basic hang glider (flexible wing) consists of the following structures:
Aluminum tubes (aircraft grade) - make up the skeleton of the glider

Leading-edge tubes (2) - form the triangle shape

Keel bisects (cuts in half) the forward angle (nose) of the triangle
Crossbar - sits back from the nose and provides support by rigidly connecting the keel with the leading
edges
Control bar - smaller triangle-shaped tube connected at a right angle beneath the keel and behind the
crossbar, used by the pilot to maneuver (steer) the glider

Sail - the flying surface, usually made of nylon or Dacron

Kingpost - attached to the keel on the other side of the control bar, supporting the wires on the top of the glider
Steel wires (aircraft grade) - support the various weights and stresses on the glider

Nose wires (2) - connect the nose with the control bar
Rear wires (2) - connect the control bar to the back of the keel
Front wires (2) - connect the control bar with the junction of the leading-edge tubes and crossbar
Landing wires (4) - connect the kingpost with the nose, the back of the keel and each crossbar leadingedge junction
Plastic battens - insert into pockets in the sail to stiffen certain spots

A NEW WAY TO FLY THROUGH THE SKY

ASK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So7OMwNgy8
1. What makes a bird able to fly?
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2. Would it be possible for a human to use wings and fly? Why?
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3. What are some items that can fly in the sky without a motor?
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IMAGINE:
4. Why did Icarus and Daedalus want to fly?
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http://www.leonardodavincisinventions.com/inventions-for-flight/leonardo-davincis-glider/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU1zrdTws28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4288qgiPlho
5. Tons of engineers try to invent new ways for people to fly, why do you think
people would want to be able to fly like a bird?
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6. How could a flying machine help people? ______________________
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PLAN
So far, no human has been able to fly with wings. With a partner, you are going to create a
glider, or wings, that Daedalus and Icarus could have used to soar from the tower to safety.
How will you use your knowledge of gliders and wings to create a soaring device for our
Daedalus or Icarus?
1. Your design must be able to soar through the air while holding a flyer.
2. Your design must be able to harness in the flyer (you may NOT tape the flyer to the
flying device).
3. To fly, do your wings need to be light weight or heavy? Your design must weigh less
than two pounds.
4. You must provide all of the materials for this project by collecting recycled items this
week.

5. You must include at least 4 glider parts that were discussed in the article and label them
in your drawing.
Each partner will draw a design plan. Label each part, and list the materials you will need.
Once you have both created a design, explain your design to your partner. As a team, choose
which design you will create (pick the one you think will work bestit doesnt have to be your
design). If you cannot agree, maybe you can combine your designs to make one great design
together (maybe one person has a great wing idea and another has a great harness idea, so
you use partner ones wings, and partner twos harness).
Draw your design here, and label the parts (example: leading edge, crossbar):

List the materials you will need to gather to create your design:
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CREATE
Use the recycled materials that you and your partner have gathered to create your
hang glider or wings for Daedalus and Icarus. You may use glue sticks, tape, or
white glue to connect materials.
TEST
Launch your flying device, along with your glider, from the highest safe point on
the playground. Using your measuring tape, measure how far your device soared
in feet and inches. Test your device FOUR times and record the results (each
group member gets to do one launch). IF YOUR FLYER FALLS OUT OF THE DEVICE,
YOU MUST RECORD A ZERO FOR DISTANCE.

DISTANCE
FEET

INCHES

TRIAL ONE
TRIAL TWO
TRIAL THREE
TRIAL FOUR
1. Which trial worked best? Why?____________________________
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2. Which external factors influenced your flight (examples: wind, rain, no wind,
strength of thrower)?
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IMPROVE
3. How can you change your design to make it fly farther next time?
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4. If your flyer fell out, what do you need to change to keep him harnessed
in?__________________________________________
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RE-TEST

DISTANCE
FEET

INCHES

TRIAL ONE
TRIAL TWO
TRIAL THREE
TRIAL FOUR
1. Did your first or second design work better? Why do you think that design
worked better?
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2. Did you and your partner work well together? Why? __________
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3. Do you think that Daedalus and Icarus would have liked using your design
better than their wax and feather wings? Why?
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