Phone: 02 4294 4294

Email: Chris Boyce

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Maps and Other Things

Below you will find information on where we are, how to get there, places to stay and things to do around 'Bald Hill' Stanwell Park.

Location

Sydney Hang Gliding is located at world famous 'Bald Hill' Stanwell Park the Birthplace of Flight and gateway to the spectacular Illawarra Coast. This allows us to instantly access the conditions maximising your opportunity to fly.

Our customers prefer and we choose to fly from this premier location and we offer you the convenience of three instructors to take full advantage of conditions when suitable.







Directions

By Car from Sydney

From Sydney, follow the Princes Highway south by-passing the suburbs of Engadine and Heathcote. Just after Waterfall the highway becomes a Freeway.

Follow the Freeway approximately 6 kilometres and take the first exit on your left to the 'Lawrence Hargrave Drive'.

Go straight through the roundabout and follow the road to the car park on top of Bald Hill. Ask for Chris Boyce when you arrive.


By Train

We are 1 hour south of the city by train and we can collect you from the Stanwell Park station. Check the timetable for your most suitable train City Rail South Coast Timetables.


Available

Weather permitting we are available to fly any day. So for those of you that have some flexibility with your time please call us to arrange a midweek flight.

During day light saving a flight after work may be a possibility, so if this suits you please contact us. What a great way to finish the day, hang gliding and fish and chips on the beach!


Accommodation

Tumbling Waters Retreat - Stanwell Tops - For something a little special accommodating only four couples and very exclusive contact Sonya and Andrew.

Tudor Lodge - Stanwell Park

Otford Cottage - Otford

Southview - Bulli

Email Fernleigh Cottage - Stanwell Park - Steve & Gail - 02 4294 1991


Other things to do in the Stanwell Park area

Or simply just go for a quiet stroll on the beach, have a swim or catch a wave.

Accommodation around Sydney

Other things to do in Sydney...

Stories

Weather

Information Courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology

Credits and special thanks...

FAQ's???

  1. What is hang gliding?
    Hang gliding is sport flying in a light weight glider which can be launched by running down a hill.
  2. How do you control a hang glider?
    The most common type of hang glider is controlled by shifting of the pilot’s weight. Pulling your body to the left makes the glider turn left, pulling your body forward makes the glider speed up, etc. Some hang gliders have moveable control surfaces like an airplane
  3. How do you take off?
    The most common way to launch is to pick up the glider and run down a slope until the glider has enough speed to fly at which point it lifts you away from the ground. Hang gliders can also be towed aloft, either by a truck or car, by a boat, by a winch or by an ultralight airplane.
  4. What happens if the wind stops?
    Flight in a glider does not depend on the wind, and gliders can be flown when there is no wind at all. Flight in any winged aircraft does depend on what we call "relative wind" which is the movement of the air over the wings, or, from another perspective, the movement of the wings through the air. It is this "relative wind" or air movement over the wings which creates the "lift" that supports an aircraft against the pull of gravity.
  5. Is it hard to hold on?
    You don’t have to hold on to remain attached to the glider. In the most common type of hang glider, the pilot is securely supported in a harness, which is then attached to the central balance point of the wing. You hang in this harness (hence "hang gliding") within a triangular "control bar." You hold on to the "base tube" of this triangular bar in flight, to give you a place to push and pull against to shift your weight in order to control the glider.
  6. How long can you stay up?
    It depends on your skill and on the weather conditions on that day. On a good day, a reasonably skilled pilot can stay up for as long as he or she wants to. On some days, even the best pilots will only manage a flight of a few minutes duration.
  7. Do you need a license?
    In Australia, the answers is yes. Hang gliders come within the Federal Aviation body CASA but allow the sport to govern itself. The national body is the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia. Training programs may be conducted at approved facilities through out Australia.
    In other countries, other regulations apply.
  8. How do you learn to fly?
    Under the guidance of a competent instructor, just like you would learn to fly an airplane. Many hang gliding instructors offer "dual" instruction, where the instructor is with you in a specially designed two place hang glider. Your first solo flights are normally made from a small, shallow slope, where you will get just a few feet off the ground for just a few seconds on each flight. As you learn and practice proper techniques for take-off, landing, and speed control and steering control you will move up to higher and higher launch points for longer and longer flights.
  9. How hard is it to learn hang gliding?
    The learning of the physical skills is roughly comparable to learning other physical skills such as riding a bicycle or snow skiing or water skiing. In addition, a pilot needs to learn at least some basics about weather, and the aerodynamic principles of flight.
  10. Is it very physically demanding to fly hang gliders?
    That depends. A skilled pilot can fly a hang glider in mild weather conditions with very little physical exertion. A day on the training hill for a new student, or a long soaring flight in strong weather conditions for an advanced pilot, can be pretty tiring experiences. To a large extent, you can adjust the way you choose to participate in hang gliding to fit your physical abilities. For launching, the basic requirement is the ability to lift and balance the glider on your shoulders, and run down a slope with it at a moderate jogging speed.
  11. How much does a hang glider cost?
    Brand new hang gliders commence from around $4500 and good used gliders from about $2000.. Other required equipment would include a harness, which costs $400 to $800, and a helmet, which costs $50 to $450. Equipment designed for beginning pilots will usually fall at the lower end of these price ranges. Good used equipment may sometimes be available for half the cost of new equipment. When new pilots start making flights at altitudes of more than about 200 feet above the ground, they will normally also purchase a backup emergency parachute, which will cost between $400 and $1000. Intermediate level pilots who are beginning to learn extended duration flight - called soaring - will usually add some simple instruments for measuring altitude and rate of climb, which will cost between $100 and $1000.

© 2011 - Sydney Hang Gliding Centre Pty Ltd

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