Hang Gliders and Equipment For Sale

If you are thinking of buying a cheap, used hang glider to practice with before taking your training, so you can save money on lessons; think again. Here is how it works:

You find an instructor by going to ushpa.aero. Click on "learn to fly" and you will find a list of schools and a list of indiviual instructors. You can contact anyone on these lists directly to arrange for lessons.

The school or instructor will have all the equipment (glider, harness, helmet, radios, wheels) needed for your training. You need not buy anything (except the training manual) to learn to fly. Use of all the gear is included in the lesson price.

It is very important to have an instructor guiding you from your first run on the training hill. Flying is not intuitive for humans. We were not meant to fly. It takes serious effort to learn something that is so un-natural for us. At best, you will inculcate bad habits. At worst, you will break a very important bone, so instead of gaining the freedom of flight; you might lose the freedom of walking.

By definition, a teacher is one who has knowledge of a subject, and can impart it to others. By logic, if you have no knowledge of the subject then you are not a teacher and cannot teach yourself. You can learn some things by trial and error. I strongly advise against learning to fly by trial and error. While the trials are free, the errors can be costly, painful, cripling or fatal.

No one tries to learn on their own, mainly because doctors charge a lot more than hang gliding instructors.

See Red's website for futher advice on learning to fly hang gliders.

UP Comet 185 An oldy-but-a-goody. This is a very clean expample of the original large-size Comet. Light blue bottom surface, gold top front and a white trailing edge. 50 hours. No tears in the sail. A few minor scuffs. Both uprights un-bent. New spare upright included. Inspected, test-flown, nearly-new condition. For an advanced-rated pilot weighing 200-270 pounds. $1500.

UP Predator 142, Aramid leading edge cloth, black, yellow and red bottom surface, standard Carbon fiber airframe, optional carbon fiber king post, stock Finsterwalder aluminum airfoil downtubes, includes two carbon fiber down tubes, advanced-rated high-performance HGMA-ceritfied wing. This glider has always been properly stored inside. Excellent condition, $1800, Contact Richard Diamond in Huston TX, 713-777-0945, theinterconnect@att.net

Flight Designs Cocoon Harness, Excellent condition. Fits a pilot of thin to average build, about 5' 7" to 5' 10". This harness is well constructed with continuous webbing, internal reserve container, one-inch thick foam padding, steel carabiner, large Cordura external storage pouch for cover bag and pads, foot bar, nice-looking harness, $300 plus $20 shipping.

Nico-press Tool Excellent condition, Little used, This is the original one by National Telephone Supply Company, Carry pouch included. $150 plus $25 shipping.

UP Gemini 134, Biginner / training glider for very light pilots, This was the single-surface version of the Comet. Manufacture date circa 1985, Nice flying glider. For pilots weighing 100 to 160 pounds. Good sink-rate. Excellent condition. Properly stored by original owner, Flight manual and rib chart included. $850.

Brand New Windgypsy harness. 7-class stitching, type 18 mains, 3-inch leg loops, steel carabiner, built-in back-pack feature, zipper glove compartment. Fits pilot with shoulder height of 56-60 inches. $350 plus $20 shipping.

conventional reserve chute. 20 gores, weighs 6.5 lbs, inspected and repacked, excellent condition. Bridle is type 18, fifteen feet long, old but still serviceable, no swivel. $200 plus $20 for shipping.