New guy here, jes' call me Red.

[Firehawk068]

Red,
Is there somewhere that someone(like a newbie who's never done it) can get an intro to hang-gliding weekend class, for relatively little money?
It's something I've always dreamed of trying (one of my bucket list items)
Also, where do you hail from? (I can't remember if you stated it anywhere her already)

[red]

Red,
Is there somewhere that someone(like a newbie who's never done it) can get an intro to hang-gliding weekend class, for relatively little money?
It's something I've always dreamed of trying (one of my bucket list items)
Also, where do you hail from? (I can't remember if you stated it anywhere her already)       

Firehawk068,

Sure.  Depending on where you live, the quickest way to fly is usually to make a tandem flight.  The experienced HG pilot deals with the launch and landing, and when you two get away from the dirt, you can do some real flying for yourself.  Some new guys do not want to try that, but talk to the tandem pilot about it, and that can happen, no sweat.  I taught HG for a living for more than a decade, so I wrote up this FAQ sheet to answer a lot of questions.  Click on the first topic there, for some information, and on the Lessons topic, for more.  Take your time with it, because I put in stuff for lots of pilots, at various levels of skill.  I live in Utah, near the Rocky Mountains.
http://user.xmission.com/~red/
I started flyin' back when sex was safe, and hang gliding was dangerous.  Now, we joke that the reverse is true.      It costs a fair bit more to start out now, but we have a lot to teach, and 'way better gliders, to keep new pilots a lot safer than in the bad old days.  Even crossing a street is not risk-free, but most HG pilots like what I wrote there, as the best and cheapest way to go.  After your flight, don't walk into any light-poles, watching the sky.  This flyin' stuff is risky, but not in the way you might think.    

Cheers,
Red