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Human-powered aircraft (HPA) and hang gliders interact and interface each other. Technologies from the hang glider realm have and will affect human-powered aircraft; human-powered aircraft challenges feed back things to hang glider technology. This topic thread invites all to focus on HPA with the background mission that such will form a garden of ideas that will affect hang gliding.
Some thoughts:
1. Take a hang glider; add a minor thrust from pilot power during launch (like running the wing down a ramp using pilot leg power): human-power combines with gravitational potential energy to effect launch into flight. OK, we know this particular space fairly well. But even this realm may have some tweaks of potential interest. Consider minor but important saving a few minutes of pilot muscle power into a thruster of some sort to be used for emergency spurts during hang gliding flight (launch, course, or landing).
2. Consider hybrid hang gliders that permit slow climbing in thermal lift that normally brings level flight; muscle power to climb ever so slowly in that minor lift.
3. Consider calm sledding with wispy craft that effect HPA flight in calm. Launch from a mountain in the calm and sled a very long distance; put in some muscle when wanted.
4. Consider the technology of building HPA; as has happened and will more: let the lessons teach hang glider craft some things.
5. Getting ready craft for Space Colony Rotating Torus of low gravity sense or for Moon Dome City low gravity. Such craft may borrow from HPA and hang glider crafting.
Others and I will have various speculative thoughts and questions during the HPA exploration. Watch for ways to advance hang gliding while exploring the HPA world.
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