Learn to hang glide or paraglide

The closest Rich Selgrad has ever gotten to achieving his lifelong dream of flying like a bird is when he is up in his hang glider or paraglider.

“I’ve been wingtip to wingtip with a bald eagle,” said Selgrad, 34, of Lake Grove. “You’re completely untethered from everything in the world.”

Hang gliding and paragliding are described as a “combination of adventure sport and aviation,” according to the sports’ governing body, the U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association. These activities, which use no fuel, don’t require a lot of muscle but rather rely on “finesse” by using fingers or small movements to direct the craft.

A hang glider pilot lies face down, suspended by a harness attached to a metal frame holding wings of sailcloth-like material, while a paraglider sits in padded webbing attached to a wing-like canopy of lightweight material, often rip-resistant nylon.

Each craft provides a different experience, said James Bradley, the association’s interim executive director. Hang gliders can go faster, stay up longer and withstand stronger weather, while paragliders might have a more relaxed experience in a natural sitting position, with less strain on the neck, he said.

Speeds range from less than 30 mph to more than 50 mph. Gliders have been known to travel more than 200 miles, according to Guinness World Records.

A paraglider is less expensive, can weigh as little as 15 pounds and be carried in a backpack, Bradley said, while a hang glider usually weighs more than 50 pounds and folds up into a tube of six to 18 feet.

There are no hang gliding or paragliding schools on Long Island, due to the area’s housing density. Inconsistent weather conditions are also a factor on the Northeast, so taking a lesson may require a day or weekend trip.

Selgrad, a technician at the Northport Power Station, said he generally travels upstate and beyond to hang glide. He has paraglided from the Tides Beach launching point in Rocky Point, which allows him to fly over the Long Island Sound.

Above the Island, it’s often quiet enough to hear the waves and even talk to a nearby paraglider, he said.

“I love the idea of not having an engine and being out there,” Selgrad said. “It’s incredibly relaxing. You’re in a whole other world.”