Before Towing...
...there was only hill training. On the hill, training involves many low level hops down shallow slopes either in the hang glider or running alongside holding onto rope tethers tied to the hang glider. Once a student becomes confident enough to fly free, achieving a longer flight without the friends and tethers, a progressivly larger hill is chosen, facing into the wind. To achieve a 17 second flight a student has to carry the glider 200 feet, or so, up a hill. It was, and still is, hard work. Managing to do 3 training flights a day on the hill is a significant achievement.

We can do better than that
With Lejair, the training group will be introduced to ground skimming flights on their first day. If air conditions are rough, friends will be used in the same way as for hill training by running alongside holding tethers. Running along a flat clean grass field is physical but easy, there are no pot holes, ditches, barbed wire fences or cow pats.

Starting out with Lejair
At Lejair the student's first day begins with their registration followed by some brief instruction on the simulator.
After a chat about the day or in some cases watching a training video, the student will proceed to rigging and pre-flight inspection of their wing which is a basic requirement for all pilots.
Lejairs experienced instructors are diligent in the pre-flight checks, to safeguard the student's well being. Course progression includes students gradually taking the responsibility for these checks, preparing trainees for flying in a club environment. With the pre-flight checks completed the student is shown how to hook into the glider and ground handle the initially awkward craft.

Our towing winch is placed upwind from the launch point and the tow cables are dragged across our field, downwind, to the launch point. When the cable is attached to the gliders release point the instructors conveys their commands, by radio, to the winch operator, who then starts to tow the glider very slowly towards the winch. As the airspeed over the gliders wing gradually increases the sail fills with air and the glider becomes airborn.

During the tow the winch speed can be varied and initial flights always start very gently. Tow training does not involve sudden jerks or snatching, so no sprint starts! The secret of all towing techniques can be summed up by the phrase Smooth Transition

After attaching rope tethers to the gliders wing, with help of fellow students, and with the instructor running alongside, a few tentative hops are made allowing the student to become familiar with the glider and our towing rig.
Then, students will typically be guided across the field for one or two trips and then be allowed to float across on their own.

In calm air conditions students are soon gliding across the field unassisted. For a day or two the student will fly solo at 5 to 10 feet above the ground, becoming familiar with how to control the hang glider.
A maximum of eight flights are made in one session and low solos continue until the student is flying automatically and is comfortable. Then it is on to higher flights and releasing the cable.

Usually by day 3 or 4 a student will be perfecting their landings following height gains of up to 150 feet above takeoff.
The next stage is to turn the glider in flight after releasing the cable. The student must demonstrate their ability to carry out 'S' turns on the hang glider before being allowed to fly their first circuit.

A circuit is when the student climbs up to the top of the tow to gain height, releases the cable, and flies around the field to land back at take off. A students first circuit is a significant milestone in learning to fly a hang glider.

At this stage the student is considered an Elementary Pilot and is awarded their Elementary Pilot Certificate (EPC Tow). To obtain their CPC-(Tow) the student will complete a further 15 circuits and make the transition to flying prone.