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Frequently Asked Questions - General

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The only one I've really enjoyed is FlightClub - it's a free java game online. It's actually quite realistic for cross-country (XC) flying.

Find it here

Yes. If you're signed off to scooter-tow, we'll tow you as high as we can. Tow heights are anywhere from 500' to 1000' depending on the winds and are $10 a tow.

You have to have your HPAC insurance and a member of SOGA to tow.

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We 'can'. The scooter is certainly capable and ideal for towing paragliders. Our operators though, do not have the experience. We're willing to learn so if you are a PG pilot with lots of tow experience, we're keen on learning how to tow you safely. Or if you are an experienced PG scooter-tow operator, we'd be keen on learning from you.

To be able to tow on our scooter you would need HPAC insurance and be a SOGA Club member. Cost of a scooter tow is $10 per tow.

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"Depends". :) (seriously...that is an option)

It's not easy, but possible to perform the 'aerial-whiz'. But it's best to follow your parents' age-old advice, "go before we leave".

In decent soaring conditions we can go cross-country. You find a thermal and climb in it as high as you can and then venture off in search of your next thermal. You can't see them so this is where experience comes into play.

The World Record for distance covered in a single flight is just over 700km's! It took him over 10 hours to do it...no landings, no pit-stops. This happened in Texas.

The Canadian record is 330km achieved in Alberta. The Ontario record is 202km.

As long as you can find lift, you can stay up as long as you want.

Thermal lift is obviously dependent on heat so it's limited to day-light hours but ridge-lift can continue on indefinitely. Ridge-lift is when the wind blows up the side of a hillside and deflects the air vertically - the hang glider gets in that and up it goes! A long time ago a pilot in Hawaii stayed airborne 30 hours by riding the sea-breeze coming in. He would adjust his speed and hover close to the ground and people on the ground would hand him drinks and something to eat.

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We use a 'scooter-tow' which is the industry standard method of instruction to introduce people to getting in the air...even with no prior instruction.

The scooter is ideal for smoothly pulling a trainer glider into the air and keep it at only a few feet off the ground. The trainer glider is a state-of-the-art, modern, super-easy-to-fly glider designed for first timers to fly. It's light and easy to handle and rather impossible to get it turned in the wrong direction....especially with the experienced winch operator ready to release tow pressure at a moment's notice.

It really is fun to float along the ground....even veteran hang glider pilots enjoy taking a scooter tow. They never had it this easy when they learned!


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Anywhere you are! In South-Western Ontario that is. Mainly between Toronto and Kitchener but if you can get a group of at least four people wanting to take the full Beginner Course, we can come to you to do the in-class portion. We just need a quiet comfy place to set up a computer. Someone's living room or a community meeting room is fine.

The Intro Sessions (including the on-glider portion of the Beginner Course) is possible to do elsewhere as well but we prefer doing that out of our main locations. The ideal location for first-timers attending our Scooter Sessions is at the SodFarm we use on Hwy 7 between Kitchener & Guelph. We certainly do do scooter sessions at our main flying location in Arthur.

Permission & Site Insurance is needed for doing the scooter towing at other locations so we'd have to inspect any remote sites and do the paperwork to get it insured ahead of time. It's just easier to come to our facilities.

All tandems are done by getting aero-towed up behind our Dragonfly Ultralight at our site near Arthur.

Minors (under the age of 18) need parental consent. It usually more of a question of weight and maturity.