SAFA Skysailor Magazine

45 WINTER 2026 | June-July-August SKY SAILOR and signal intentions in different ways. When I’m flying with other hang gliders, there’s a lot of familiarity. We know where people are likely to turn, how they move along the ridge, and what their body po- sition means. Paragliders can change direction very quickly, and they have a lot more vertical space because the wing is high above the pilot. Hang gliders have a wider wingspan but less vertical height. So we’re managing different shapes, speeds, and turning patterns in the same air. That can be stressful at small coastal sites, especially when hang gliders are working hard to stay up or paragliders are flying in stronger conditions. For me, the most important thing is communication on the ground. Talk to each other on launch. Say what you’re planning to do. Understand what matters for the other aircraft. When we know each other, we’re much more likely to take care of each other. Building rapport on the ground makes a huge difference in the air. What has it been like being a female pilot in a discipline like hang gliding? There aren’t many of us, but I’ve been fortunate to know some excellent female hang glider pilots. My first hang gliding experience was a tandem flight with Judy Leden, who is well-known in the UK. I also had a female instructor, Rona Webb – that was rather special. In South Australia, there are a couple of other very experienced female hang glider pilots, so I’ve had a lot of posi- tive experiences and excellent mentoring. Yet there aren’t many women in hang gliding. People often ask me why that is, and I don’t think there’s one simple reason. It’s social and cultural. Anything dominated by one gender tends to be less easily taken up by the other. Hang gliding can also be harder to get into than paragliding. There are fewer schools, fewer instructors, a smaller com- munity, and the gear is harder to store and transport. I don’t think hang gliding will disappear. I think it will stay a niche sport, a bit like windsurfing. There may not be as many people doing it as there once were, but those who value it, will keep doing it, and keep teaching others. My hope is that both Photo: Courtesy Lynelle Williams