The photo shows a hang glider taking off.
A hang glider has a lightweight metal frame which is covered with fabric to make a V-shaped wing.
You wear a special harness, which is strapped firmly to the glider, so you do not have to hang on to keep from falling. You move the metal bar in front of you to speed up, slow down and turn left or right.
A hang glider weighs more than a paraglider, typically 40 kg for a hang glider verses 15 kg for a paraglider. The weight includes the harness, helmet, instruments and reserve parachute (just in case). This is a heavy load if you have to carry it to the top of a hill to launch. And, you have to spend maybe twenty minutes assembling a hang glider before you can fly it, whereas a paraglider is ready to fly in five minutes or less.
The big advantage of a hang glider is that flies faster than a paraglider. This means that you can fly farther if you want to cover long distances. It also means that you need more space to land in, and better judgment to land safely. HOME