Hey Stu. I flew with you many decades ago. Glad to see you're still around.

...wow, that's a long 'out and return'. Curious what the wind direction and velocity were...!

@@jwm239 Winds were out of the east at about 12 mph. Thermals were so numerous that there cloud streets galore. Pretty much crabbed to Flagstaff and then winds calmed to about 5 on the return trip. Cleared Mogollon rim and took the sled ride down to cottonwood.

The story goes that one pilot followed the other for the majority of the flight, I won’t say who did what. 👌

Gliders routinely fly 400 miles and the world record is 1869 miles. They are far more aerodynamic with much larger wings that are very thin. I prefer a hang glider myself more like a bird then a glider more like an airplane. Gliders can handle more weather conditions.

I guess he would log his trip with air traffic control (who would inform any light aircraft that would be flying that low in the vicinity). Also he’d definitely carry a radio (just like all aircraft do. So no different to a regular plane. He would also not be permitted to fly above airports or military bases ect (no fly zones).

I don't think it's too bad. It could be better. The pilots need to do their own video instead of the news. Just watch Wolfifly.

@@gushamilton5188 Yeah.

We don't fly when the conditions like that!

@@karolymegyesi1841 from what i understand lightning can come from 20 miles away.i guess what i was asking was is there some kind of grounding gor the flyer in the event lightning does hit the glider.as in jets it goes in one way out the other and harms no one

Again we just don't fly in that kind off atmospheric conditions, if a hangglider would be struck by a lightning that would be the end this are small aircraft made for termalling you can't compare it to bigger aircraft. Sorry I just can't explain it better.

Other than in an airliner there is no Faraday cage on a hang glider so no protection from lightning at all. But lightning usually doesn't strike out of the blue and the risk of getting struck isn't higher in the air than it is on the ground. And you can see a storm approaching 20 miles away very clearly when you're up in the air. If you do any kind of aviation you need to have a good understanding of how weather develops and you need to be very well informed about the current situation before you take off. Even more so if you do thermal flight. So if there is any probability of thunderstorms you should know about it and observe the cloud development very carefully. Any responsible pilot will abort the flight and land before things get too risky. By the way, lightning isn't the only or the even the biggest danger to pilots in thunderstorms. There is extreme turbulence as well (think of the gusts that usually come with thunderstorms) and there might be updrafts that might suck you up to altitudes where you might not get enough oxygen. It's rare but has happened. Lightning strikes are much less likely. Airliners can (and do) fly in much worse weather conditions than any hang glider pilot would ever do so they have a much higher chance of getting struck by lightning.

@@muc21 ...Scary and very sinister are embedded T-storms (or rapid buildup to same)..."innocently" hiding behind relatively benign-looking cloud or haze...

No, they are not standing there with welcoming arms. border guards control up and down the border all the time. Now and then, some may manage to sneak through. Others die in the desert heat.

@@StewartMidwinter sneak through as in walk through a border gate at 75,000 a day who dont return.then california lets em vote in federal elections.fuck that

Different class.

So what is the world record for rigid wing?

John Mc Donald OK so live in a big house with a big garage or store

So! what does a rigid wing hang glider have to do where you live!????

...My best guess...in order to qualify for a world record for a 'flex'-wing.

MrMilanoLau They can do #1 mid flight, unzip and "let er go", evaporates before reaching the ground. He even mentioned this briefly in the video.

Dan Blumel Then, they might have to wash the hang glider after use.

MrMilanoLau only a glider close behind and below could get a spraying.

Depends and I don't mean like depending on how he does it

@@jerricroft937 wear "Depends"

Before Zapata, in 1989, Kevin Christopherson set the world record from Whiskey Peak in Wyoming to North Dakota, flying 287 miles.

I met Kevin! I stayed at his airport and watched the eclipse in 2017 in Casper!

Didnt realize he had an engine.so i didnt realise that even with an egone u still need updrafts to gain altitude??? I would have thought you could go up at will and travel as far as your fuel sipply lasts???

@@robertjones1543 He did not have an engine. The previous person was referring to the fact that an engine powered Aircraft towed him up 2000 feet or so before releasing him. The entire flight was without power. Tow launches are a legitimate way to start a record attempt and there are strict regulations around how high you could be towed. Remember that all Record sailplane flights start with tow launches as well. Launching off a hill in the world record conditions often means taking off in strong winds which are intrinsically much more dangerous. Ask Kevin Christopherson about that.

There is a limit, I believe 1000 meters, to how high you're allowed to tow on a record flight. MANY mountain launches are higher, so really it's all the same. You don't just glide down - the proverbial sled run - you're trying to climb and glide FAST to maximize the potential of the day. Too slow? Don't go far as possible. Too fast? Lose altitude too quickly, landing short or need to find your next thermal too soon. BIG chess game!