However, in the U.S., aero-tow is currently more common. This is because in the past, general aviation aircraft have been readily available and inexpensive to operate in the U.S. - much more so than in Europe. The greatest advantage of aero-towing is the ability of the towplane to take a glider directly to a source of lift. The cost advantage in the U.S., however, has disappeared, and there is a renewed interest in ground launching. Many feel that the reduced cost of learning to fly using ground launch will be the thing to draw more people into this exciting sport.
Many people ask if soaring is the same as hang gliding.
Although the principles and goals are about the same, soaring and hang gliding are different, but increasingly less-distinguishable, sports. In the meantime, some sailplane pilots, for fun and nostalgia, are returning to open-air primary gliders. These changes blur the distinction, but you can still pretty well distinguish the sports and aircraft by the fact that hang gliders usually have glide ratios of 15 or less, and are open fuselage craft, exposing the entire body of the pilot to the breeze. Soaring and hang gliding today can best today be differentiated legally. Sailplanes are aircraft that are certificated and registered with the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. and their pilots must hold an FAA license.