March 1, 2003

The Hand Gliding FAQ

Q: Is Hand Gliding safe?

A: Like all sports, there is an element of risk involved. But through proper education and training, those risks can be minimized.

Q: Who can Hand Glide? Do I have to be strong/thin/smart?

A: Anyone with at least one hand can participate. Long graceful fingers are considered to give the best flight efficiency, but even those who have lost all their fingers can continue to hand glide. Or at least palm glide.

Q: What type of car works best for Hand Gliding?

A: For individual hand gliding, try to get your hands on a fast convertable. But if you have a few dozen kids, a schoolbus works best.

Q: I've been hand gliding for a while now, but I still don't have good control. I have to use my arm muscles to keep from whacking into the window frame. What can I do?

A: The shape of the hand is very important in determining its aerodynamic properties. If properly shaped, the flying hand can smoothly and effortlessly lift and steer your arm. The key is a good airfoil shape. Wortman type airfoils are very efficient, but require extrordinarily precise finger positioning. The hand shown above is using simpler and more forgiving finger positioning. The leading edge (thumb side) is sharply curled, while the remaining fingers are straighter and tightly pressed together. Slotted airfoils are beyond the beginner's grasp. At speeds of 50-60 mph, the hand should be extended out the window. The angle of attack can be rotated so that the lift forces acting on the hand just balance the weight of the arm. Now relax and enjoy the journey.

Q: As I slow the car, my hand suddenly drops against the door frame, leaving a painful bruise on my forearm...

A: This is called a "whack". a properly timed "flair" can prevent this painful and embarrassing condition. As the car slows, the hand should be flown down towards the lower part of the window frame, and levelled off at about 2". The pitch angle must be steadily increased as the car slows. At the first sign of buffeting, the hand can be deeply cupped to increase the lift and drag temporarily. The hand should then lightly settle to the door frame.

Q: Are there competitions for Hand Gliders?

A: Yes. There are two popular kinds of competition in hand gliding, Cross Country or "XC", and Chicken. Cross Country meets are just what they sound like. The idea is to cross the country as quickly as possible. In countries like the USA, this is a high speed endurance contest. In Lichtenstein, precise, rapid manuevering over short distances are favored.

Q: What about Chicken?

A: Briefly favored in drag racing circles, Chicken requires two players who start at opposite ends of a long road, and fly towards one another at high speeds. The first one to flinch, or steer away from the impending collision is called the "Chicken".