The invention relates generally to the field of hang glider construction and more particularly to an adapter mechanism or camel to permit rapid fold-up and unfolding of a hang glider frame.
As those skilled in the art are aware, particularly hang glider flyers, considerable effort and time is involved in unfolding and preparing the hang glider for flight. Parts must be bolted together and cables tensioned after the glider has been transported to its take-off location. In like manner after flight the process must be reversed so that it may be transported. The current state of the art is such that parts have to be detached and the sail cloth rolled and cables coiled so that as much as half an hour may be involved in preparing the glider at or near the take-off site. Another half hour may be needed at the landing location for dismantling and folding the unit so that it can be transported back to the take-off area. Each piece of framework or cable which has to be disconnected or adjusted represents a point of human oversight or error and therefore a potential point of failure when the glider is in flight. Accordingly, the need has been recognized for rapidly folding up and unfolding a hang glider unit in such a way that the absolute minimum number of glider structure has to be touched.