NASA's Paresev glider in flight with tow cable . On November 23 , 1948, Francis Rogallo and Gertrude Rogallo applied for a kite patent for a fully flexible kited wing with approved claims for its stiffenings and gliding uses; the flexible wing or Rogallo wing, which in 1957 the American space agency NASA began testing in various flexible and semi-rigid configurations in order to use it as a recovery system for the Gemini space capsules. The various stiffening formats and the wing's simplicity of design and ease of construction, along with its capability of slow flight and its gentle landing characteristics, did not go unnoticed by hang glider enthusiasts. In 1960–1962 Barry Hill Palmer adapted the flexible wing concept to make foot-launched hang gliders with four different control arrangements. In 1963 Mike Burns adapted the flexible wing to build a towable kite-hang glider he called Skiplane. In 1963, John W. Dickenson adapted the flexible wing airfoil concept to make another water-ski kite glider; for this, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale vested Dickenson with the Hang Gliding Diploma (2006) for the invention of the "modern" hang glider. Since then, the Rogallo wing has been the most used airfoil of hang gliders. Judy Leden (GBR) holds the altitude record for a balloon-launched hang glider: 11,800 m (38,800 ft) at Wadi Rum, Jordan on October 25 , 1994. Leden also holds the gain of height record: 3,970 m (13,025 ft), set in 1992. Altitude (ft) Location Pilot Date Reference 38,800 Wadi Rum, Jordan Judy Leden October 25 , 1994 33,000 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada John Bird August 29 , 1982 Edmonton Journal, August 30 , 31, 1982; “Kerry Bissell, an official observer of the Soaring Association of Canada: It’s 33,000 feet. If the reading is taken at the top of the trace mark, the record is 11,400 meters” 32,720 California City, California, USA Stephan Dunoyer September 9 , 1978 Hang Gliding magazine, December 1978, p35. 31,600 Mojave Desert, California, USA Bob McCaffrey November 21 , 1976 17,100 San Jose, California, USA Dennis Kulberg December 25 , 1974 Sarasota Journal, December 27 , 1974 p4D.
NASA's Paresev glider in flight with tow cable . On 23 November 1948, Francis Rogallo and Gertrude Rogallo applied for a kite patent for a fully flexible kited wing with approved claims for its stiffenings and gliding uses; the flexible wing or Rogallo wing, which in 1957 the American space agency NASA began testing in various flexible and semi-rigid configurations in order to use it as a recovery system for the Gemini space capsules. The various stiffening formats and the wing's simplicity of design and ease of construction, along with its capability of slow flight and its gentle landing characteristics, did not go unnoticed by hang glider enthusiasts. In 1960–1962 Barry Hill Palmer adapted the flexible wing concept to make foot-launched hang gliders with four different control arrangements. In 1963 Mike Burns adapted the flexible wing to build a towable kite-hang glider he called Skiplane. In 1963, John W. Dickenson adapted the flexible wing airfoil concept to make another water-ski kite glider; for this, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale vested Dickenson with the Hang Gliding Diploma (2006) for the invention of the "modern" hang glider. Since then, the Rogallo wing has been the most used airfoil of hang gliders. Judy Leden (GBR) holds the altitude record for a balloon-launched hang glider: 11,800 m (38,800 ft) at Wadi Rum, Jordan on 25 October 1994. Leden also holds the gain of height record: 3,970 m (13,025 ft), set in 1992. Altitude (ft) Location Pilot Date Reference 38,800 Wadi Rum, Jordan Judy Leden 25 October 1994 33,000 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada John Bird 29 August 1982 Edmonton Journal, 30 August 31, 1982; “Kerry Bissell, an official observer of the Soaring Association of Canada: It’s 33,000 feet. If the reading is taken at the top of the trace mark, the record is 11,400 meters” 32,720 California City, California, USA Stephan Dunoyer 9 September 1978 Hang Gliding magazine, December 1978, p35. 31,600 Mojave Desert, California, USA Bob McCaffrey 21 November 1976 17,100 San Jose, California, USA Dennis Kulberg 25 December 1974 Sarasota Journal, 27 December 1974 p4D.
D
November
R
,
November
D
October
R
,
October
D
October
R
,
October
D
August
R
,
August
D
August
R
,
August
D
September
R
,
September
D
November
R
,
November
D
December
R
,
December
D
December
R
,
December