Like any of the Olympic sports, a world-class hang gliding championship brings together pilots so good that the rest of us can only imagine performing as well. Two hang gliding contests clustered right after Sun ’n Fun draw the best of the best, and 2001 was a banner year for top talent. This year the Wallaby Open and a contest at nearby Quest Air switched positions with the Quest meet coming first this year. The highest-ranking world pilots flew both week-long competitions. Cross-Country Tasks Some power pilots believe that hang glider pilots jump from mountains and slide into the valley. That may have been true 25 years ago, but today, meet organizers routinely call for racing flights from 50 to well over 100 miles. In daily events called tasks, competing pilots are out on the course trying to make goal. As many as 100 gliders are pursuing the destination as furiously as the lift will allow.
Quest Air
Forming two lines, the gliders stage for launch. As pilots judge the conditions soarable, a rush to launch ensues.
On hang glider lower surfaces, pilots often choose bright colors in a throwback to the early years of colorful wings.
A pilot tells his wingman to signal the tug pilot that he is ready to launch from his cart.
Contest director Steve Kroop used two launch lines and 14 towplanes to speed competitors into the sky.
The Quest Air international contest was held on Sheets Field in north central Florida.
Running a meet with more than 100 world-class pilots means having enough launch carts (20 were available) and moving them to where they are needed.