Welcome to the Berkeley Hang Gliding Club information page. We are a
club dedicated to promoting, teaching, and most importantly participating
in hang gliding. For those not familiar with it, hang gliding is the coolest
sport in the world. For an introduction to hang gliding, see the
Hang
Gliding FAQ.
Who are we?
The Berkeley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club is a non-profit group
comprised of pilots ranging in experience from true beginners to
advanced pilots. Originally formed in the 1970s, this hang gliding
club is one of only a select few in the United States that operates as
a cooperative, where students are taught by instructors within the
club. Upon gaining experience and knowledge about the sport of flying,
they will in turn be able to share that knowledge with new students.
The ongoing interaction between students and instructors is one of the
great pleasures and benefits of the club. And because the instructors
are volunteers, learning to hang glide is inexpensive. With more than
fifty active pilots, the club plans weekly trips to the mountains
during flying season, has weekly meetings, and organizes lessons for
new pilots biannually.
More about lessons
Each fall and spring, the club organizes lesson sets for new pilots.
The lessons include both ground school, where the basic concepts of
hang gliding are taught while one's feet are still on the ground, and
three weekends of actual flight training. Don't worry about equipment:
the club owns training gliders, harnesses, and helmets. Contrary to
popular belief, one's first flight is not from a cliff. Training
begins on level ground and gradually proceeds uphill as one gains
necessary skills and experience. The emphasis of early flights is on
perfecting launches and landings. Training does not culminate with the
end of formal lessons; hang gliding involves continual learning, and
instructors are always willing to help. Soon you will be heading to
the mountains.
The Mountain Experience
Pilots in the club enjoy flying at some of the best sites in the
world. The Bay Area is conveniently located in California, the Mecca
of hang gliding. The Coastal Range, the Cascades, and the Sierra
Nevada offer superb flying conditions and extraordinary views. Even
closer to the Bay Area, Mt. Tamalpais entices pilots with beautiful
vistas of San Francisco and the Pacific. For further excitement, club
pilots have recently traveled as far as South Africa and Europe in the
search for big air.
Contacting the Club
If you would like to be informed when we teach our next lessons,
click here. If you want to learn to fly in the Bay Area
but can't wait for the club,
we have information about some other instructors.
While many people in the club fly paragliders, we don't teach paragliding,
so if you are interested you might contact
the Bay Area Paragliding Association.
If you are already a pilot and are interested in the club, or want to go
flying in Northern California,
chances are someone in the club will be going soon.
Come to a club meeting, which happen every Wed, 7:30-9ish at
Raleigh's Pub and Grill.
This is on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, between Haste and Channing.
We meet on the back porch. Ask any waitperson to identify us. If we are
not there, we are probably having a party and will return the next week.
Some Flying Pictures to Whet your Appetite