History of Hang Gliding - Rigid Wing Hang Gliders

Rigid Wing Hang Gliders

There have been several rigid wing hang gliders flown since Otto Lilienthal took his first flights in the 1890s. The first two high performing modern hang gliders however were the Mitchell Wing and the Icarus.

In 1908, a gliding club in Breslau had the pilot hung behind a cable-stayed triangle control frame for weight-shift control. Hang gliders with similar control were also built by Percy Pilcher, Augustus Herring, John J. Montgomery, Gottlob Espenlaub, Charles Richards, Barry Hill Palmer, George Spratt, Mike Burns, and John Dickenson.

Jack Lambie from California designed in 1971 the popular Hang Loose Chanute hang glider, Jack Lambie was a schoolteacher. He helped build the first Human powered Aircraft, the Gossmer Condor, and many of his innovative design concepts have made their way into modern everyday life. He designed the first cab over Diesel Semi Truck fairing (the Fuel Saver) that is now used "stock" on practically all 18 wheelers. His teardrop/Dart Vader Bicycle helmet (the Lambie Lid) was first used by U.S.A. 84’ Olympic Bike team to win Gold. Jack was singularly responsible for organizing the first modern era hang glider meet, the original Otto Meet, on the hills of Balboa in Sept., 1972.

Lambie organized the Otto Lilienthal Universal Hang Glider Championships held on a hilltop in Corona del Mar, California on May 23, 1971.

In the early 1940s Don Mitchell, an aeronautical engineer, first became involved with flying wing glider design and construction. WWII interrupted his research until 1974, with the advent of hang glider mania; adventurers were experimenting with design and exploring records worldwide. It was then that Mitchell's flying wing resurfaced. Dr. Howard Long took an interest and asked Don Mitchell to make him a refined 'flying wing' hang glider. The result was the foot-launched Mitchell Wing. When the foot-launched Mitchell Wing B-10 flew in the 1977 U.S.A. Nationals, the hang gliding world was completely astounded. The Mitchell Wing then went on to set and hold every world record in its class. In 1980, George Worthington soared to 17,000 feet (5,200 m) high and glided 105 miles (169 km), setting two new rigid wing records. The Mitchell Wing had a single "D" spar with aircraft birch plywood torsion proof leading edge and 3-axes control. Foam ribs placed every 4.5 inches (110 mm) hold the D shape. The built-up truss ribs aft of the spar are covered with fabric. This structural design is simple, extremely strong and light (under 80 Lbs).

In the 1950s Volmer Jensen designed the VJ-11, and VJ-23 biplane rigid wing hang glider.

On 1971 and 1972 the Icarus I and Icarus II were built, respectively. These were rigid biplane flying wing designs by Taras Kiceniuk, Jr. The Icarus V was essentially a monoplane version of the previous Icarus designs. All of the hang gliders in the Icarus series had hand-controlled rudders and the pilot flew in a reclining position (rather than a prone position as with other hang gliders). Although many Icarus II and Icarus V gliders were built from plans sold by Kiceniuk, they were never commercially produced.

Since the 1980s, there has also been research into hang gliders with joined wings.

The Flight Design Exxtacy designed by Felix Ruehle In the early 1990s, followed by the IXBO, became the first two rigid wing hang gliders on the market with a leading edge of carbon fiber. Ruehle then produced the ATOS in 1999. The nose angle and wing span of modern rigid wings are a little larger than flexible wings and the sail is rather stiff.

In 2004, Seagull Aerosports developed the "Escape pod", which shields the pilot from wind and precipitation.