Since 1975 the Arizona Hang Glider Association has represented free flight pilots in the Grand Canyon State. Our members - ranging from doctors to day laborers - share a fanatical interest in soaring hang gliders and paragliders, the sites we fly from, and 'the life' we all live. Sometimes we launch by running off a mountain (foot launch) or by being towed aloft by an ultralight or a ground-based unit, but to us it's all the same: get me up so I can play in the most amazing playground you'll ever know. If you're interested in the purest form of flight known to man - soaring like the birds - then you're in the right place.

Do you want to fly? Learning to fly will take some time and effort. Look at it this way: walking is something we were designed to do, and how long did it take you to learn to do that? Then again birds can fly and they have tiny little bird brains Talk to one of our instructors (linked in the sidebar on the left) to learn to fly hang gliders or paragliders. Either way get ready for an adventure that will last you the rest of your life.

References to hang gliders or hang gliding in the AHGA include all forms of foot-launchable, heavier-than-air soaring aircraft, including flex wing hang gliders, paragliders, rigid wing hang gliders, foot-launched sailplanes, and others. A comprehensive list of FAQs is available from the U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association.

The Arizona Hang Glider Association meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the El Torito Restaurant in the Metrocenter Shopping Center at 7:30pm. Meetings are open to anyone interested in hang gliding and/or paragliding, with any level of experience, if any. Discussions concentrate on site development and maintenance issues, organizing flying events, and other ongoing topics, plus the monthly eagle, turkey, and driver awards, and good, old-fashioned socializing.

Membership for Arizona pilots is $50 per year. Membership includes a subscription to The Thermal Flyer - our monthly newsletter, the opportunity to vote on issues and for officers, access to our private forums, and a free blog. Visiting Pilots are required to join the AHGA to fly our sites, pay only $25 per year, and get the Thermal Flyer. Additional fees and deposits are required for gate keys to some flying sites, flying events, and hang gliding merchandise.

Never attempt to fly a hang glider or paraglider without proper instruction! Always learn to fly only from a certified hang gliding or paragliding instructor. A nationwide list of certified schools and dealers is available from the U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association. Occasional ads for the sale of hang gliding and paragliding equipment appear in popular publications. Certified hang gliding or paragliding equipment should be purchased from an authorized dealer or manufacturer.