Building Dreams

[@apaul13150]

When I was a kid growing up in South Africa, must have been the late 70's, there was and advert for Blue Stratus deodorant. A white hang glider flying against a blue sky with snow covered mountains. I had such a desire to feel this experience, only I had a very real fear of hights. The ambition to fly a hang glider had infected me like a parasite. Twenty years later, in the late 90's I went through an intense training course. For my first flight was off a 2500ft mountain, without a doubt the most terrifying experience of my life. With the following flights the fear slowly began to fade as my confidence grew. I flew in South Africa, later a lot in England which is not the greatest. Now living in France, on to high performance topless wing I was flying Laragne-Monteglin. One of the greatest hang gliding meccas in the world. What an experience to launch off a 2000 meter mountain and, climb another two or three thousand more. The view of the surrounding Alps, the feeling of freedom. With out a doubt the purest sensation of flight a human can experience. When you climb a thermal until the shadow of your glider disappears and becomes a giant halo on the ground, caused by light bending around you to reach the ground. There are no words to express the magic of hang gliding. This video is a great testament to this amazing sport. Wills Wing is one of the best hang glider manufacturers in the world 👍

[@JacoVila-Botsw]

Very well said. I share the same sentiment. Do you still fly in South Africa?

[@0Bateleur]

@@JacoVila-Botsw Do you both still fly? I want to get back into it . I took a break from flying due to living and working abroad for many years

[@JazzLowrider]

In my opinion hang gliding is the most exciting form of flying ever, its the dream of every child to fly like a bird, hang gliding is the closest thing to it, its simple yet amazing, i hope i can do it one day.

[@billS-c3n]

My buddy Karl told me "you don't have a choice anymore, you have to fly. "I've heard the name Steve Pearson more times than I can remember but this movie was a special treat to see into the mind behind the gliders we fly."Hang gliding is like wings coming out of your back." So true.

[@penrynbigbird]

Found this today while having my morning coffee - what a great way to start the day! Love WW!!

[@HGAviator]

Thank you David Aldrich! You have come a long way since we met years ago. Your cinematography is amazing! A shout to the crew at Wills Wing. Especially Ken Howells, who is always willing to to help with advice and repairs.

[@corymiller6839]

Thank you for accurately and beautifully capturing how unique and special it all really is.

[@IANRPARKER]

Thank you David and Steve for all you bring to this incredible activity. It makes me feel better to have watched the film in this period of poor weather when we ache to fly.

[@wingnutzster]

Brilliant, brilliant! I watch 30 - 50 (sometimes more) YT uploads a day around aeronautics and aviation and in years of doing that this is hands down 'top 3 ever' for me! The chief designer echoes my life and passions nearly to a tee and I identify strongly with Wills Wing design philosophies, also to be given a little insight into this specific industry and manufacturing is rare and for me invaluable. I am passionately and fervently pursuing my 1st own-design build which despite having hundreds of designs ranging in complexity from wingsuit mods to an LSA Jet is a fairly simple yet aesthetically notable, collapsible foot launched rigid wing (swept wing, 3 axis, in the category of Swift, Icarus and the like but closer to the Easy Riser in weight), so you can understand my enthusiasm at this. I've built several experimental types in metal, welded frame, composite and wood but the experience of developing my own design from conceptual drafts to first flights with near zero resources is one I am enjoying immensely. Thanks for the upload!

[@wingnutzster]

To speak a little of passion: Is there even the smallest chance of being put in contact with a designer like Steve to run my ideas past and get feedback on my concepts?

[@designbydave]

@@wingnutzster Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed! I suppose you can always just email Steve - [e-mail]. He's pretty busy as you can imagine but he definitely loves talking "shop."

[@wingnutzster]

@@designbydave thanks so much

[@elaeroplano]

Thanks for sharing this. The emotion of hanggliding comes over.

[@vkswamy3036]

Great to hear from simple people with passion. Very few are born genius. Wish you continue with your efforts to make more people take up Hang Gliding as a Hobby. God Bless.

[@jamesbest3952]

Good to see you again on this great KZbin show Steve . I saw you back at Wills Wing with Rob Kells in September 1976. We had a real good week flying together. Hope to see you again someday. Jim Best

[@vistaworx634]

Wow, what a truly sensational film. I was one of the early HG pilots to fly in 1975/76 in the UK. I was hooked, and flew through until 1981. I miss it even today. A great time in my life. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful film.

[@user-oz6vy5ch8o]

love hang gliding since I started in 82 .... these new generation gliders are superb ..

[@rd7400]

Great Video Story David , thanks for doing all these on WW / Steve Pearson !

[@MdniteLongboarding]

I'm going to KittyHawk in a week to be an instructor for KittyHawk Kites - this video really gets my fire burning. The cinematography is astounding, the editing is flawless, the shots are inspiring, and the music really glues everything together. This is some absolutely A+ work, and it makes me feel like flying!

[@logmeindangit]

I'm a fan of Wills Wing, too. My favorite glider is my Wills Wing Super Sport 153. It is like a Mazda Miata for fun amd maneuverability. It has let me scratch back up from LOW saves, get a couple miles high, and go tens of miles XC out, and then make it back again! It didn't dissapoint when I flew into the top of a dust devil, which flipped me alnost conpletely upside down. No, iy held together and then allowed me to turn and follow behind the DD and climb out at 600fpm late in the day when everything else was sink. I climbed to 6-7000 and did a sled-run several miles to the airport and a nice grassy LZ where I could check my shorts. I have towed at Wallaby, too, to gain flatland tow experience, and that was a blast! Thank you, Wills family, and thank you Malcom Jones!

[@scotyfilms]

Wonderful video. I also remember the National Geographic edition featuring the Dave Cronk plastic wing hang glider. It was from that issue I was stuck on becoming a hang glider pilot way back in 1974 I think I owned my first wing. From there to my last flight in Comox BC soaring my U2 above the amazing 120ft coastal sand bluff that provided consistent 500 - 2000 feet of lift in front of my house where I still live.

[@eggenergy]

Dave! You have out done yourself! Well done, this is epic! thank you!

[@danielventuramartins6347]

Fantastic!!! And I thank you, my glider is amazing...most people will never understand. I do. And it is awesome. Thank you and congratulations!!! Please keep developing the most insightful things a man can make: hang gliders. I humbly thank you!

[@madebydoug]

Love the video brings back such sweet memories loved my WW falcon it was just pure joy

[@maxcastiglia]

Amazing movie and excellent cinematographic skills! Thank you 🙂

[@nefelibatics]

That´s just too awesome!!! Thanks for this work David and all!!!!

[@henderthing]

Well done, Dave!

[@Nimrodrs]

David, I love and appreciate your work. I guess your profit is not financial. It is getting our unique community going, I want to thank you for it. keep on hold on. Nimrod Sapir

[@JoeFerreira]

Thanks a lot

[@rhawinncolleges380]

Hi, how much it ll cost now ?

[@JoeFerreira]

RHAWINN COLLEGES in my country about 2500 US$

[@GeekBuildersNet]

Beautifully Shot! Great work!

[@designbydave]

Thank you so much!

[@Ihaveausernametoo]

Awesome! Thank you for this. Will definitely be a Wills Wing when I'm done with my flying lessons. It's a great responsibility to design gliders, you seem very competent. Happy flying!

[@designbydave]

That sounds great! Hope to see you in the air soon!

[@scotyfilms]

How you guys did it all still absolutely amazes me more and more every day.

[@bradrochow9181]

I have a 1981 Wills Wing, Harrier. It is still being flown at the training hill. 😍

[@Korpimaeki]

Wonderful and enjoyable video, really a pleasure to watch!

[@johnneumayer9134]

Very nice video I've watched it over three times. I've always been into hang gliding but this video makes me want to get out there and fly right now. Keep up the amazing work Steve, and the rest of you all at Wills wing.

[@stevenkampmann9680]

Thanks for sharing I grew up in OC and knew most of the WW crew and bought a HP2 off Jaimie loved that wing!! Was living in Santa Barbara when Rob Kells let me fly the attack duck I had the regular duck, most memorable moment was when it was blowing so hard at Edward's the Wills crew were not gonna test fly and I begged them to wire me off they couldn't talk me out of it and went 4k over, yer looking fit Steve take care!

[@emoraes]

I had the flying dreams when I was five, you film brought back memories !! thank you

[@peterb01]

Did you fly yet, Enaldo? I, too, had flying dreams at 5yo. After about 15 years flying hang gliders -- 33 years total now -- I discovered that the flying becomes better than the dreams. I can't fly any longer but I still have the memories of my experiences like playing tag with a hawk for 20 minutes at cloudbase.

[@jamesbarros950]

This is a beautiful documentary. I started training with Windsports a few years ago, and got pulled away due to some other commitments and am hoping to get back into it as soon as the crisis is over. I can't wait to get my own Falcon =)

[@HVYMETL]

Well done film.

[@MrMavnkaf]

A very well produced short film!! Cheers Marc

[@SVSky]

Simply fantastic!

[@artemkorogodin7571]

Beautifully filmed. Thank you for sharing, David.

[@waterdrop154]

Have you ever made Jesus your Lord and savior? Jesus offers you His Righteousness as a gift He will wash you completely Clean from ALL your sins and wants you to Come to him it says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Meaning the punishment for our sins is Hell Because we are not obedient to God. But Jesus was completely obedient to God He went to the cross to die for us and now we do not trust in our obedience but His it says, “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” Gods wrath and Judgment went on Jesus Because He was carrying our sins so God treated Him like the worst sinner now God will Justly treat you like you have never sinned after you believe upon Him so when the blood of Jesus is over you God cannot treat you like a sinner! He never wants to but now He can Justly treat you like you never sinned Jesus was our sacrifice for our sins! Tell God you admit your a sinner and ask Him to wash you with His blood and receive His Gift of righteousness. Come out of darkness and into light! it’s your part to receive Jesus to believe upon Him. It says, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Don’t think it’s not wrong to sin -because He loves us.

[@ianclark2373]

Very well put together and informative. Good work!

[@AndresJoan]

Beautiful, great work!!!

[@ernie548]

Great movie. Thank you.

[@DustyCowdog]

Spectacular video! I wish I had the balls to do that! I'm a private pilot, but that looks so beautiful. Wills Wing sold me if I ever start hang gliding.

[@robertsiegl8164]

If you're already a private pilot there should be no much problems to taking lessons. Enjoy it.

[@seaneckstein7247]

Well done, I really enjoyed this.

[@nice2care]

Can't believe I didn't see this until today. Really amazing!

[@fly1327]

Steve is a classic designer who takes his creations into the field, personally tests them extensively, modifying and repeating until right. You don't know how rare this is today, but I do. I've got a couple offers to assist getting me back into HG. Don't know how many even fly anymore, me figuring it had almost died out. I do miss this.

[@VTSifuSteve]

Why did you stop?

[@mikelane8814]

slippery & topless...... ...very clean wing!

[@foesfly3047]

From about about 16:00 on, are you towing from Ak Chin (A39) in Arizona? I sometimes practice touch and goes in my Amateur Built Skystar Pulsar III as hang glider pilots are towed from there. Considering I flew hang gliders avidly in Arizona during the 1980 1990s, it's fun to me, sharing the sky with these soaring pilots. Furthermore my best glider was a Wills Wing Sport AT150 with every performance upgrade. I performed well with that wing. Can only imagine how much new models improve over that 7075 T6 framed, Dacron, Kevlar, Tri-weave sailed 'Advanced Technology' design. I wonder if you designed mine.

[@designbydave]

Yep, that is the place. www.sonorawings.com/

[@MrMavnkaf]

Very nice video! The wing looks very clean in flight.

[@MassimoPugiDelta]

Excellent!!!! Bravo :)

[@kondor40]

Wonderful!

[@80hitultracombo]

Inspirational. Thank you.

[@aerozg]

Wow. Just epic. So much passion. Wills Wing is hang gliding equivalent of SpaceX

[@JJJennings007]

Great motivating inspiring beautiful video, thx for sharing (used to hang glide in the 80's...intermediate level.)

[@wood469]

Awesome video David.... :)

[@jonasharris6]

This is very well done David.

[@kostashellas]

inspiring, great 👍 👌

[@SeeBird686]

When the great unwashed and grounded say to me " If god had meant you to fly, he would have given you wings" I say, "He did, my wings hanging in my shed" An Airborne, but i sure do like the look of those WWs.

[@KybambyKatana]

Very very impressive 👍

[@justinf1343]

Thanks for sharing.

[@GerardoC01]

Grazie per questo video.

[@retoflyhi]

Awesome!

[@alexismorgan1523]

Amazing. Getting my first glider soon!

[@designbydave]

Awesome! What glider are you getting? Hope we can fly together some day!

[@KNosnhoj]

Inspirational on many levels.

[@uniqueview1593]

Great movie David! Just stepped up from a relax to a sport 2, beautiful:)

[@MrPennenridder]

Thank you for this great movie! Myself, I’ve been flying for years now (watch my first solo altitude flight on my profile). Last year I broke my right upper arm during landing. Took me nine months to recuperate. Do you think that’s holding me back? Think again. Absolutely love this sport.

[@owntor1]

What is the purpose of the loose string on the control bar?

[@designbydave]

That's the VG (Variable Geometry) chord. Pulling it adjusts the geometry of the airframe to tighten or loosen the sail. Tight sail = faster, better glide angle but poorer handling, loose sail gives the opposite effect.

[@GolfFoxtrot22]

I really enjoyed that video. I'm new to flexwing flying and found the construction side really interesting.

[@ChancetheCanine]

I love my Super Sport!!

[@christheother9088]

Loved the Pine Flats story.

[@designbydave]

Me too! That's why its in there.

[@wuffos]

8:40

[@vitalyo1152]

Wow breath taking

[@xchawk47]

Wills Wing Rocks!

[@jimfcarroll]

Where's my damn folding base tube!!!! Best invention ever

[@Z1trum]

It's on my HP AT 145.

[@jimfcarroll]

@@Z1trum I'd consider upgrading my T2 to a T3 if they'd make one with it. I'd also upgrade my Falcon 1 to a Falcon 4 if I didn't have to give it up.

[@BenjaminLothe]

beautiful video ! thx :D

[@aamaminah3594]

I am from Indonesia tanks for your information

[@obxfishing1800]

Very nice!

[@dkjens0705]

Wasn't that Ken Howells mounting that T2C sail onto the frame? I used to fly with Ken in the 80s and 90s.

[@designbydave]

Yep, that's Ken

[@rags623]

Beautiful!

[@JonMcG]

Its a shame WW doesnt have much presence in South Africa . You make stunning gliders

[@219GlowWorm]

that was a fantastic video. Definitely makes me want to fly again. a year is too long to not fly. thanks for posting. flyflyfly.

[@redsock4843]

Nice Factory! Squeezed between paragliders and rigids. Young paragliding pilots who want to try hanggliding choose a rigid cause a 10 years old model is abaut 1500-2000 € and still peformes as good as a brand new high performance full carbon flex wing for 12000 €. Bad hanggliding pilots often switch to a rigid cause at the week end with poor conditions they have more airtime at their flying site than their flexwing collegues or on a hanggliding vacation in the alpes they manage to do some crosscountry, what they couldn't do with a flex. Others stopped hanggliding and now fly a paraglider cause it' s easyer to stay up in weak conditions, they don't fear landing during a cross country flight and retrieve is less time consuming. Average hanggliding pilots choose a rigid cause now they fly same distance like very good flex pilots. I know a guy who never made more than 200 km on a flex, but more than 500 km out and return on his rigid. Would have been world record if properly documented and it's obvious that he won't come back to a flex wing. Good hanggliding pilots don't fly rigids, cause flexwings are more fun.. In the last years lot of 300 km FAI triangles have been flown by paragliders in the alpes. Something to my knowledge none of the Wills Wing boys has ever managed yet. 750 km tail wind flight in conditions even stones start flying and another day for retrieve is nothing to get jealous. These 10 to 11 hours triangles were flown in very weak conditions at the beginning and the end of the day and on tracks a flex wing pilot cannot choose cause even with a magic wingover- full stall and dive- dragchute- toes scratching the ground- landig technique he won't finde a landing field which makes survival likely. High performance flex gliders are optimezed for final glide in competition, that means for speed between 75 and 120 km/h . (If you have to go 140, you did something wrong in advance). But nobody cares anymore about competition results, except the very small remaining number of competion pilots. If Wills Wing want do build dreams, then this is what flex wings need to survive: design should focus from short distance flights in strong thermal conditions (race competion) to long duration and long distance crosscounty flights (8 to 10, 5 hours) on weak conditions for half of the day and over difficult landing Terrain (XC competition).Price over 10000 € is rediculous and the high performance sail should have an effective UV protection so that it is not already fucked up after 3 or 4 seasons. The magic future gliders should come with same handling (wills wing T2C, moyes litespeed) and same highspeed performance (icaro laminar, aeros combat) like the actual top full carbon models but better minimum sink rate and better maximum glide ratio at low speed (at least as good as the lttle rigid wing ATOS VRS with carbon keel). Much better landing characteristics like lower stall speed and easy to find stall window combined with effective reduction of glide ratio for landing would help a lot to regain a larger amount of customers. Flaps? Battens which can change their profile during flight? Spoilers? Whatever, they know better than me, but I guess it's impossible. At least if they don't manage, Steve has no need to look for a successor before he goes to the happy hunting ground (happy flying sky).

[@elaeroplano]

I want to say it is also not this closlely coupled experience on an ATOS likes on an flex wing hangglider. I just had several flights on an ATOS. After that I thought: "Than I can fly Paraglider" its closer to compare than teel an hangglider. I allways say: Only on an Hangglider you feel that your body is the major influence on speed and direction. and I missed it on an ATOS as well. My aileron controlled IMPACT rigid wing has the same feeling as an Hangglider. But everything works lighter with less forces and more precise defined control. The feeling is these unique feeling of HANGGLIDING

[@Florentin-Parapente]

amazing video :)

[@_Per_Aspera_Ad_Astra_]

very interesting -- great sport ! Two Davids now : You and DaveThePilot

[@ryanbrooks1277]

This is a very nice piece David! How did you get your arial shots so smooth?

[@designbydave]

With a gimbal!

[@GalacticHunter]

That was absolutely fantastic!! Love every bit of it, I didn't know hand gliding was a thing, but your video made me dream. Those shots while flying were just amazing. Was this all filmed with a 7d mii? I need to start researching where I can learn how to fly those magnificent things. Awesome job, hoping for maybe more of those mini films in the future.

[@designbydave]

*Hang* Gliding ; ) Thanks so much! Everything in this was shot with my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. Where do you live? Most of this was shot in Southern California.

[@GalacticHunter]

Oops my bad on the typo. I live in Vegas, I looked it up and it seems like there are a couple places around my area, I don't know how affordable or expensive it is but I'll try to contact them. Thanks for the awesome discovery.

[@designbydave]

It's a common type / mistake. I think some people actually think its called "hand gliding." A lot of people from Vegas come down to San Bernardino to fly.

[@marioaureli7301]

Galactic Hunter y

[@ericruffat5067]

Top vidéo, top dream achieved, top man 👍

[@Vladancz]

Wonderful, fascinating footage !! Do I have a chance to experience this at 55?

[@beachbeemer]

Sure do!

[@sacitmanav]

amazing shot.. congrats David you living the dream. by the way what do you think about Ruppert Archaeopteryx

[@designbydave]

Thanks so much! The Archaeopteryx is pretty damn cool. Wish I had one for sure!

[@nategirvigian411]

So how do you get back to your car that you parked on top of that hill? :D

[@designbydave]

Usually have a driver, but sometimes we just hike back up for it!

[@DavisStraubOz]

Removing the last barriers?

[@thomascasey9950]

David I am thinking of making a hanglider, what materials should I use.

[@designbydave]

Some combination of aluminum, carbon fiber, Dacron and Mylar.

[@thomascasey9950]

@@designbydave thank you

[@VTSifuSteve]

@@thomascasey9950 NO! go back to basics. Build a rogallo wing out of bamboo, poly sheeting, duct tape and strapping tape. It will fly even better than a picnic table!

[@LeireVaz]

0:32 What camera did you use?

[@designbydave]

Leire Vaz black magic pocket cinema camera

[@HanggliderDelta]

Made by heart and strong emotins.

[@DirkHav]

You make me doubt again. Should I start hang gliding (my first idea) or traditional gliding in a plane ? Wind in face or videogame ?

[@designbydave]

I'd say it depends on which you have better access to. If there's a sail plane operation closer to you, go for that. Do what ever is going to get you the most fling days as possible. But, yeah, Hang Gliding for sure ; )

[@DirkHav]

They are both close, but I live in Belgium, no ridges on oour coast ( NOTHING is allowed there anyway) , no mountains. I am afraid hangliding in Belgium means winch you up and come down after 15 minutes. Or make long trips with your adapted car.

[@designbydave]

Oh I'm sure you can soar there. There are thermals over the flat lands. Sometimes flatland soaring is great fun!

[@IANRPARKER]

There are some advantages too. Keep your glider in a hanger. Never have to carry to launch at possibly challenging site. Never have to fight for space on the ridge that may be occupied by paragliders!

[@PAdi-wk2iu]

Where can a wing be bought?

[@sommattipkon5989]

Wow. Wow. Wow....

[@bend1951]

Wow! No king post or keel pocket? I used to fly a WW Harrier.

[@aidanlacey9988]

what is the song name at 10:46? great work!

[@designbydave]

The music was written just for this film by Matt Harwich and the tracks don't really have a name.

[@whathappenedtoclaudio]

Is anyone here familiar with the company Waspair and the Tomcat HM81 model? I'd love to hear your feedback on it.

[@ЭркинАбдугапаров-е2й]

Менинда калом тилегим учуш Иншааллах 💓👍🇰🇬

[@MarceloPupo1]

Show 👏👏👏👏👏