Rouse Hang Glider – Technology for A New Generation Of Hang Gliders

Original Technology
For A New Generation
of Hang Gliders
by James Allen Rouse

CONTENTS

PREFACE ——-

“SOAR LIKE A BIRD”

DISCUSSION —

“ACE CONCEPT by James Allen Rouse”

— “PURPOSE

——– “BENEFITS”

——– “HOW IT WORKS”

SUMMARY ——— “EASIER, SAFER, MORE NATURAL FLIGHT”

FOLLOW UP —— “STEPS TO IMPLEMENTATION”

SOAR LIKE A BIRD

Birds have inspired mankind’s desire to fly for thousands of years.

In recent decades, hang gliders introduced the possibility for personal, non-powered flight with wings that a single person can carry and launch on foot, can guide in flight to great heights, over great distances, and land safely on their own feet.

There remains a desire for human flight that is more versatile, convenient, safe, and natural; in other words more like birds.

Jim Rouse has invented a way to make that happen by adding a tail wing to hang gliders. The “magic”, however, is not simply in the presence of tail feathers. it’s in the innovative way Jim links the forward wings to each other, to the tail wing, and to the human who controls them all.

It’s a new class of Hang Glider. Jim calls it the “ROUSE” Hang Glider”.

You will call it “Brilliant” and “Easy”.

It is BRILLIANT in the way Jim’s innovative, flexible linkage give you flight control more like that of soaring birds.

It is EASY in the way the ROUSE Hang Gliders are “Easy to launch”; “Easy to Fly”; “Easy to Land”; “Easy to Assemble, Disassemble, and Transport”.

The ROUSE Hang Glider will speed your ascent to new levels of flight, new levels of accomplishment, and ever closer to the time when mankind may truly

SOAR LIKE A BIRD

The ACE Concept
by James Allen Rouse

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION

The purpose of this discussion is to introduce a novel hang-gliding flight control method.

The concept is given the acronym, ACE. ACE may stand for Articulated Control Enhancement or Avian Control Enhancement. The ACE method of flight control is as much of a discovery as it is an invention. An improved understanding of how predominantly non-flapping or soaring birds control their basic gliding flight eventually led to the ACE conception.

ACE utilizes biomimicry to emulate how avian lifeforms control their rudimentary gliding flight. ACE is a synthesis of two different methods employed to control flight. Weight shift is integrated with avian-style interactive aerodynamic flight control. These diverse methods provide synergism by working together to heighten each other’s effect…. A hang glider that would embody ACE technology is signified herein by the name, Rouse. The Rouse is the archetype for a new category of a hang glider. Instead of being referred to as a flexible or rigid winged glider, it should be called an articulated winged hang glider. The Rouse gives rise to a realistic bird-like style of humanoid flight. The superior capabilities exhibited by soaring birds can be made available to people through the implementation of a Rouse type of hang glider.

BENEFITS

The Rouse hang glider may be launched and landed by foot. The pilot flies in the prone position. The Rouse is quick and simple to set up and break down. It is easy to load and unload for transport. The identical physical actions performed to control a conventional hang glider are also those used to control the Rouse. Nevertheless, the same maneuvers cause a potentiated effect.

Every activity of the flight process, including the takeoff run and the landing flare, can be improved through the actualization of a properly engineered Rouse type of hang glider based on the ACE method of flight control. No empirical evidence is to be presented at this time. However, it is intended that the feasibility of the ACE concept be established by the rational logic of the principles upon which it is founded. This paper strives to explain the ACE method of flight control and some of its potential benefits for the reader’s pragmatic consideration.

GLOSSARY

“ACE” – Articulated Control Enhancement

“ACE” – Avian Control Enhancement

“Flexible Winged Glider” – (brief definition)

“Rigid Winged Glider” – (brief definition)

Articulated Winged Glider -(brief definition)

The ROUSE Hang Glider – The Rouse is the archetype for a new (articulated wing) category of hang glider using ACE technologies for a realistic bird-like style of humanoid flight.

The text in this discussion does refer to a full-scale hang glider. However, the graphics depicted along with the text is that of a scaled-down model. Of course, model gliders are made differently than full-sized versions. Parts for the scaled-down model are intended to be made with a three-D printing process. The pilot is going to be a radio-controlled robot. Even though the graphical representations are only symbolic, they may help the reader visualize how the glider’s wing segments can be manipulated.

Triadic Wing

The Rouse hang glider has a unique wing. The singular wing is segmented into three main parts. Each part or wing segment is linked to the other two as an interconnected trichotomy. The wing segments fly together as a singular articulated wing that creates a mostly confluent airflow.

The wing segments are named according to their respective locations. They are the left wing, right wing, and tail wing. This triad or united set of three wing segments along with a mainframe assembly that holds them together is given the name triadic wing.

When the left wing and right wing are referred to as a couple, they are called primary wings. The primary wing segments are aligned as a nearly collinear pair. They provide the prime source of lift. The Rouse is so much larger than a standard weight-shift hang glider that it does not require deep-cambered high-lift airfoils. The primary wings have double surface high aspect ratio airfoils. They are designed to maximize the laminar flow and the glide ratio when flying at the glider’s best glide speed. The primary wings interact with each other to produce roll control. By hinging or pitching in opposite directions, they interact with each other to function as full-wing-sized ailerons.

The leading edge of the tail wing segment connects to the aft end of the keel tube. This juncture is near the trailing edges of the primary wings. The tail wing provides a secondary source of lift and is designed to enhance the slower airspeed performance of the primary wings. The tail wing functions as a dynamic multipurpose control device. At different times, it serves as an active flap, spoiler, drag brake, and pitch dampener. By interacting with the primary wings, the tail wing produces gravity-actuated pitch stability, yaw control, and dive recovery.

A linkage system integrates weight shift with avian-style interactive aerodynamic flight control. The Rouse hang glider is mechanized by the linkage system. Hence, the wing segments of the triadic wing are integral links of the greater linkage system. The mechanics of the linkage system is adjustable and governs how the actions of the pilot manipulate the wing segments. The coalescence of weight shift with avian-style articulated aerodynamic control culminates as an amplification of direct three-axis flight controls.

A mainframe assembly is the nexus of the linkage system. All the movable joints that allow mechanical flexibility or articulated motion to take place between the wing segments are contained within the mainframe assembly. The triadic wing is constructed by plugging the three male wing segments into the female sockets of the mainframe assembly. Because the wing segments can be manipulated in relation to one another, the Rouse is understood to be an articulated winged glider.

Nylon bushing inserts serve as both rotary and linear bearings. They reduce friction and prevent wear where rigid tubing turns and or slides telescopically. Flexible but somewhat stiff material is used as faring to provide a smooth shape-changing transition between the primary wings and between the primary wings and the tail wing.

Mainframe Assembly (as viewed from above)

Mainframe Assembly (as viewed from below)

Triad-of-Lift

Tripods are often used for the stable support of fragile and expensive instruments such as telescopes, cameras, transits, lasers, etcetera. The minimum number of legs that can guarantee balanced freestanding support is three. This explains why most portable stands have three legs. Tripods derive their equilibrium by establishing a counterpoised configuration. Each leg is positioned and adjusted in a way that counterbalances the other two.

The triadic wing is engineered to create flight support in the form of ongoing counterpoised lift. Hence, it could be said that the triadic wing provides stability with a metaphorical tripod-of-lift. To eliminate the metaphor, the triadic wing is described as producing a stable triad-of-lift.

Avian Analogy

Millions of years ago, avian lifeforms adapted to flight by evolving three movable lift- producing appendages to perform three-axis of flight controls within the three dimensions of the atmosphere. Birds have been soaring aloft ever since. There are thousands of avian species in existence today. They can be found almost everywhere on the planet. Their highly successful three-winged planform is a classic example of convergent evolution. It has been perfected by an exacting process known as natural selection or survival of the fittest.

Avian lifeforms have three major lift-producing appendages. These airfoil surfaces are their left wing, right wing, and tail wing. A soaring bird’s ensemble of wings interacts with each other as though they were a singular but segmented and articulated trichotomy. While gliding, soaring birds produce a mostly confluent airflow and a stable triad-of-lift.

The three largest lift-producing appendages of avian lifeforms also function as control devices. During gliding flight, birds direct their flight path with relative motion between their wings and wing shape changes. Thus, their rudimentary flight control occurs in response to the dynamic exchange of forces that take place between their three wings and the surrounding or ambient atmosphere. This is a three-way interactive form of aerodynamic control. The use of three-way interaction provides versatility. Birds do not require control devices such as those used by sailplanes and powered planes. No ailerons, elevators, rudders, flaps, spoilers, drag brakes, etcetera are required because birds exploit the interaction between their three wings instead. Simply stated, their wings are also their control devices.

The singular segmented and articulated wing of the Rouse hang glider is analogous to the three wings of avian lifeforms. The relative positions of the wing segments are the same as the wings of birds. These conspicuous resemblances are not a coincidence. The Rouse hang glider and the birds both apply aerodynamic controls with the interaction between three airfoil surfaces. The ACE method of flight control is in large part based on the examples provided by soaring birds.

The wing segments of the triadic wing do not have the same strict shape as the wings of avian lifeforms. This is because the size and the Reynolds number regimes are proportionally different. The wings of birds have evolved to emphasize the reduction of viscous drag. The wings of a full- size hang glider must be designed with more concern for the reduction of inertial drag. Nevertheless, the fundamental slow-speed fluid mechanics is the same.

The three wings of soaring birds create a potentially stable triad-of-lift. Birds perform efficient flight and highly effective flight control with this elementary arrangement. The source from which birds apply flight control is naturally stable. Yet, it is well known that birds practice unstable flight. The instability is caused by how birds choose to control their flying, not the ever- shapeshifting configuration from which they control flight.

When on the ground, the larger birds have a competitive advantage. Even so, when airborne the pecking order is inverted. Smaller birds can often be seen chasing bigger birds out of contested airspace. This is because the smaller birds can usually perform the nimblest flight maneuvers. When birds compete over territorial rights, flight agility is of more consequence than size. Hence, aerial superiority is determined chiefly by quickness in control response, not size.

For the reason stated above and others omitted for the sake of brevity, avian lifeforms prefer to sacrifice much of their stability in exchange for quickness in control response. Applying flight controls in a destabilizing manner is acceptable for birds because they have lightning-fast reflexes. Birds balance their three-dimensional flying around on three wings as easily as we balance our two-dimensional walking around upright on two legs. Birds execute numerous manipulations of their wings to direct their flight path and adjust their triad-of-lift. Most of the shorter movements happen so fast that they are difficult to see. The speed and frequency with which birds input flight controls permit continuous balancing to work for them.

Analogous to soaring birds performing rudimentary gliding flight, the aerodynamic flight control of the Rouse hang glider occurs in response to the manipulations taking place between its wing segments. Even so, the pilot is not required to have reflexes as prompt as the birds. One explanation for this is that the pilot plus glider center of gravity is located below the three sources of lift created by the triadic wing. This setup establishes some manifest pendulum stability.

When wings create lift in an essentially straight line, they are said to have a planked winged planform. Another reason the pilot is not expected to have superfast reflexes is due to how the primary wings of the Rouse hang glider are arranged. Because the primary wings of the triadic wing are planked wings, they have some innate pitch stability. They tend to wind-vane or merge into alignment with air current directional changes as they are encountered. The Rouse is affected less by turbulence because its articulated primary wings tend to go with the flow or merge with the changes in air current directions instead of opposing them. This is explained under the titles, “Planked Winged Planform” (page 25) and “Articulated Versus Fixed” (page 26).

Soaring birds do not shift their weight much while gliding. For birds to apply aerodynamic controls, they must push against the air. Newtonian physics asserts that the force that alters the bird’s flight trajectory is the equal and opposite reactionary force of the air pushing back against the bird. To affect pitch control, birds push against the air with their tail wing to acquire the required reactionary forces. How birds intentionally use their tail wings to assist with the pitching action of their primary wings and bodies is the greatest cause for their sacrifice in stability.

The most important reason lightning-fast reflexes are not a requirement when flying the Rouse hang glider has to do with how the tail wing segment interacts with the primary wing segments. Because the ACE method of flight control employs weight shift in addition to aerodynamic controls, the tail wing of the Rouse hang glider may be used differently than how the birds normally apply their tail wing. The tail wing of the Rouse hinges or pitches in the reverse direction from that of the birds as that motion relates to the angle of attack changes of its primary wings.

Birds flick the trailing edge of their tail wing up, to quickly raise the angle of attack of their primary wings and bodies. Birds flick the trailing edge of their tail wing down, to quickly lower the angle of attack of their primary wings and bodies. Applying their tail wing in this way hastens pitch control response but sacrifices pitch stability.

In contrast, the tail wing segment of the Rouse hang glider hinges or pitches its trailing edge down as the primary wings raise their angle of attack. The tail wing segment pitches its trailing edge up as the primary wings lower their angle of attack. The Rouse hang glider acquires pitch stability by reversing how the birds sacrifice their pitch stability. This is explained under the titles, “Pitch Stability” (page 8) and “The Kite Flyer” (page 11).

Pitch Stability

For a given set of conditions, the airspeed of a hang glider is determined by its angle of attack. Trim speed is the airspeed at which a glider flies when its angle of attack is not being controlled by the pilot or affected by turbulence. While cruising at trim speed, the center of lift is in vertical alignment with the center of gravity and the hang glider flies in a state of equilibrium. An aircraft is said to be pitch stable when it has a passive propensity to return to its trim speed angle of attack

Another attribute of the ACE method of flight control is referred to as sequential transposition. This reversal in the succession of the center of lift with the center of gravity occurs when the hang glider’s airspeed crosses over from one side of its trim speed angle of attack to that of the other. The sequential transposition takes place automatically regardless of what causes the change in the angle of attack to happen.

Instead of just the usual hang loop, the pilot flies suspended from the bottom end of a small mechanism. This simple device is another integral link of the linkage system. Because it functions as the glider’s control lever arm, it is given the familiar name, control stick. The upper section of the control stick is attached to the glider’s keel tube providing a hinged joint. This permits the control stick to swing fore and aft or longitudinally relative to the keel tube and glider. The keel tube is mounted in nylon bushings up inside the triadic wing. That allows the keel tube to rotate for part of a turn as the pilot swings sideways or laterally relative to the glider.

The outer parts of the control stick are made from two sections of rigid tubing. The lower section is larger in diameter than the upper section. The upper section is overlapped by the larger diameter lower section. Because the upper tube is sleeved by the lower tube, the control stick can retract and extend telescopically. There is a hang loop on the inside of the control stick. While flying, the pilot’s weight is supported by the internal hang loop. There is also a slightly longer internal aircraft cable. The cable serves as a failsafe in case the hang loop were to break.

The pilot’s harness is equipped with a spreader plate. As the pilot puts on their harness, they belt themself through the spreader plate and to the harness. The spreader plate is adjustable. It protects the pilot’s backside and prevents the harness from pinching in too hard against the pilot. Before takeoff, the bottom end of the control stick is attached to the spreader plate establishing a hinged joint. This connection takes place against the pilot’s backside quite close to their center of mass. It lets the pilot pivot between the upright and prone positions.

When a relative motion takes place between the pilot’s center of mass and the glider, the rigid control stick must stay pointed toward the pilot’s center of mass. This is because the control stick can swing longitudinally and laterally relative to the glider and the pilot hangs from the bottom end of the control stick. Thus, as the angle of the glider changes relative to the pilot’s center of mass, it also changes relative to the angle of the control stick from which the pilot is suspended.

The control stick is linked mechanically to the tail wing by two push-pull tubes. This arrangement causes the angle of the glider relative to the control stick to determine the pitch angle of the tail wing relative to the primary wings. In other words, the nose up or nose down pitching action of the glider relative to the control stick and pilot forces the tail wing to pitch up or down in relation to the primary wings and glider.

Trim Speed

Best Glide Speed

From trim speed, as turbulence and or the pilot causes the primary wings to raise their angle of attack, they pitch nose up relative to the angle of the control stick the pilot hangs from.
The increase in the angle between the primary wings and the control stick forces the tail wing to lower its trailing edge.
The hinging action of the tail wing takes place at its leading edge. Thus, as the tail wing hinges its trailing edge down, it raises its pitch angle relative to the primary wings.
Raising the pitch angle of the tail wing relative to the primary wings causes the tail wing to create more lift.
Because more lift is produced at the aft end of the glider, the center of lift moves rearward.
The center of lift moves in the same direction as the center of gravity.
The center of lift travels further rearward than the center of gravity does.
Transposition of the center of lift to behind the center of gravity results in the pitching moment force becoming negative.
The negative pitching force tends to lower the primary wings and the glider back to their trim speed angle of attack.
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From trim speed, as turbulence and or the pilot causes the primary wings to lower their angle of attack, they pitch nose down relative to the angle of the control stick the pilot hangs from.
The decrease in the angle between the primary wings and the control stick forces the tail wing to raise its trailing edge.
The hinging action of the tail wing takes place at its leading edge. Thus, as the tail wing hinges its trailing edge up, it lowers its pitch angle relative to the primary wings.
Lowering the pitch angle of the tail wing relative to the primary wings causes the tail wing to create less lift.
Because less lift is produced at the aft end of the glider, the center of lift moves forward.
The center of lift moves in the same direction as the center of gravity.
The center of lift travels further forward than the center of gravity does.
Transposition of the center of lift to in front of the center of gravity results in the pitching moment force becoming positive.
The positive pitching force tends to raise the primary wings and the glider back to their trim speed angle of attack.

In the same duration of time, the center of lift moves further than the center of gravity. Because the center of lift travels faster than the center of gravity, the center of lift separates a longer extent from the center of gravity as it progresses further away from the glider’s trim speed angle of attack. The longer the distance becomes between the center of lift and the center of gravity, the stronger will be the pitching moment force that tends to return the glider to its trim speed angle of attack. This happens because the increase in separation between the two centers provides an increase in mechanical advantage. Because the pitching force increases with the distance traveled, the pilot must progressively exert a stronger force to make the primary wings and glider raise or lower their angle of attack to a further degree or distance away from the glider’s trim speed angle of attack. Hence, the pilot experiences increasing feedback pitch stability.

This method for achieving pitch stability is unusual because it is gravity-actuated. Because it is activated by gravity, it happens as an automatic or passive process. Therefore, whenever the pilot is not applying a control input, the pitch stability takes place as autopilot-like pitch control.

The Kite Flyer

William Beeson an American pioneer of untethered flight or free flight was granted US patent number 376,937 in 1888. His invention was entitled, “Flying Machine”. The Flying Machine combined weight shift with aerodynamic control. The Flying Machine had an unusual method for providing the automatic or passive pitch stability of an untethered kite.

The top end of a pendulum was connected to the keel of the kite with a hinged joint. The bottom end of the pendulum was weighted and gravity forced the pendulum to hang nearly vertical. There was an elevator hinged to the trailing edge of the kite. A push-pull stick linked the pendulum to the elevator. When the kite’s angle of attack was disturbed by turbulence, the angle of the kite changed relative to the angle of the pendulum. This forced the elevator to hinge up or down relative to the kite. The pitching action of the elevator caused the center of lift to move in the same direction but further than the center of gravity. That resulted in a sequential transposition of the center of lift with the center of gravity. Hence, the pitching moment force tended to return the kite automatically or passively to its trim speed angle of attack when disturbed by turbulence.

Most movable horizontal airfoil surfaces located behind a wing are called elevators. Elevators are usually used to provide pitch control. However, because the elevator of Beeson’s kite was linked to the pendulum, it was actuated by gravity. This method for achieving pitch stability is unusual because it is gravity-actuated. Because it was activated by gravity it took place as an automatic or passive process. Thus, pitch stability occurred as autopilot-like pitch control.

Gravity causes a pendulum to hang vertically. When flying a weight-shift hang glider, the pilot hangs like a plumb bob or weight on the end of a pendulum. The pilot moves the glider relative to their hanging or pendulous position by exerting force against the glider. Due to gravity, once the control input is no longer being applied and the inertial forces have subsided, the pilot settles back into hanging nearly vertical just like the pendulum of William Beeson’s Flying Machine. Hence, when the pilot is not applying a control input, the tail wing of the Rouse hang glider is gravity-actuated in the same manner as the elevator on the Kite Flier’s untethered kite.

Ironically, William Beeson invented this method of achieving autopilot-like pitch stability more than a hundred years before the author of this paper realized that the pitch stability of a planked winged hang glider could be acquired by reversing how the birds sacrifice their pitch stability.

Some people attempted to duplicate Beeson’s kite-flying experiments but failed. This was probably because they did not realize that the center of lift must travel further than the center of gravity. Hence, the sequential transposition did not take place and the gravity-actuated pitch stability was insufficient. At normal flying speeds, the ACE method of flight control does assure that the center of lift outruns the center of gravity. This is going to be explained under the titles, “Hole Drilling Analogy” (page 12), “Received Forces” (page 20), “Applied Forces” (page 21), and “ACE Fights Fire with Fire” (page 21).

Hole Drilling Analogy

The swinging motion of the control stick and pilot is impeded by the closed-loop circuitry of the linkage system. Because it is not immediately apparent why this happens, it is worthwhile to present an analogy. Therefore, we shall analyze the difference in the travel of forces when drilling a hole in a steel plate with a hand drill and when drilling the hole with a drill press.

When using the hand drill, the steel plate is often clamped to a workbench. If the drill bit jams while drilling the hole in the steel plate and the plate resists turning, the hand drill kicks back in the hand of the operator. This happens because the transfer of force travels along an open-ended course or force train. The hand drill scenario is analogous to flying a standard weight-shift hang glider. If the glider resists being moved when the pilot pushes or pulls against the glider, the applied force kicks back against the pilot. That causes the pilot to mostly move their self instead of the glider.

When using the drill press, the steel plate is clamped to the drill press itself. This establishes a closed-loop circuit or force train through which the transfer of force must pass. If the drill bit jams while drilling a hole in the steel plate, the interacting forces kick back against themselves. The acting and reacting forces counteract against one another. They tend to cancel each other out because the transmitted forces are contained within the closed-loop circuitry of the drill press. The drill press scenario is analogous to the linkage system of the Rouse hang glider. When the pilot applies force against the glider and the glider resists, the interacting forces counteract against one another and tend to cancel each other out. That impedes the swinging action of the control stick and pilot. Therefore, as the resistance increases so does the firmness of the pilot’s pendulous position. This enables the pilot to exert a greater force to make the glider move in relation to the pilot’s center of mass.

If the pilot’s center of mass were to swing too far relative to the glider, the pilot and glider’s center of gravity could travel further than the center of lift. That would result in the loss of gravity- actuated pitch stability and be unacceptable. Moreover, because the glider must do most of the moving relative to the control stick and pilot, the pilot’s center of mass does not actually travel very far in relation to the glider. This makes it clear why at normal flying speeds, the center of lift travels further than the center of gravity. Hence, the sequential transposition does take place and the glider’s unusual kind of gravity-actuated pitch stability is preserved. How pitch stability is maintained at faster and slower than normal flying speeds is going to be explained under the titles, “Wing Segment Manipulations” (page 17 line 7) and “Landing Approach” (page 29).

Enlarged Control Surface Area

Avian Wings

For a given set of conditions, the potential for strong gusty winds to toss about a bird on the wing is increased by a bird’s wings being larger in proportion to the size of their bodies. Most species of soaring birds have wings that are enormous in comparison to their bodies. These facts evoke the following questions. How is it possible for soaring birds to stay in control when gliding in severe turbulence? How could birds have ever evolved wings that were proportionally big enough to become predominantly non-flapping or soaring birds in the first place?

One answer to the previous questions has to do with how birds use their three main lift- producing appendages. Because birds employ interaction between their wings to control flight, their versatile lift-producing appendages also function as their control devices. Thus, the outside surface areas of a bird’s wings are used to control its gliding flight.

For a given set of conditions, the amount of force that a bird can apply against the air to control flight depends on the size of the control surface area being applied. The interaction between a bird’s wings causes them to function as control devices. Thus, their wings are their control devices. The larger a bird’s wings become the bigger its control surface area becomes. The bigger the control surface areas become the stronger the forces that can be applied by the birds to control their gliding flight.

Avian lifeforms adapted to soaring flight by gradually evolving larger lift-producing appendages. Because the control surface areas were enlarged at the same time and by the same amount as their wings, the birds were enabled to apply stronger control forces. Therefore, the principle of using their wings to function as both lift-producing airfoils and control surfaces compensated for the increased influence allowed to the wind by having bigger wings. Thus, avian- style interactive aerodynamic flight controls made it possible for certain species of birds to evolve wings that were proportionally big enough for them to become soaring birds.

Triadic Wing of the Rouse Hang Glider

Control forces applied by the pilot and pressure forces caused by strong turbulence sometimes compete for dominance over the flight of the glider. One of the most decisive factors involved in the struggle is the size of the wing. The ACE method of flight control makes use of the same principle that explained how it was possible for some species of birds to have evolved wings that were proportionally big enough for them to become mostly gliding or soaring birds.

For a given set of conditions, the amount of force that a pilot can apply against the air to control flight depends on the size of the control surface areas being applied. The Rouse’s wing segments form the outer surface area of its triadic wing. Besides serving as lift-producing airfoils, the interaction between the wing segments causes them to function as aerodynamic control devices.

Because the control surface area is enlarged by the same amount as the triadic wing, the pilot is enabled to apply greater control forces. Hence, the principle of using the versatile wing segments of the Rouse hang glider to function as both lift-producing airfoils and control surfaces tends to compensate for the increased influence allowed to the wind by having a bigger wing. Therefore, the unification of weight shift with avian-style interactive aerodynamic flight control makes it feasible for humans to fly an extra-large hang glider with a much bigger wing.

Yaw Controls

The pilot applies a roll control force and banks the glider by lowering the angle of attack of one primary wing segment on its side of the glider while raising the angle of attack of the other one on the opposite side. This means of applying role control is powerful but also causes an adverse yaw force. This source of adverse yaw occurs in addition to the other known causes of adverse yaw. Hence, an even stronger provers yaw control force must be applied to counteract the total amount of adverse yaw force so the turn can be coordinated.

The third law of motion states that accelerating air in one direction produces an equivalent reactionary force in the opposite direction. The ACE method of flight control provides two means for applying yaw control forces. The first technique is to swivel the cruciform tail wing and its vertical fin about the vertical axis in relation to the glider. The second technique is to bank the primary wings and glider relative to the horizon and the tail wing. Both methods result in some of the tail wing’s downwash becoming deflected or directed off to one side relative to the glider’s direction of flight. A yaw control force occurs as a reaction to accelerating some of the tail wing’s downwash sideways.

First Technique (Exaggerated)

Because the two rigid sections of the control stick are telescopically sleeved and held together with a flexible hang loop, the lower section can swivel for part of a turn around the upper section. The top end of the lower control stick section has arms fixed to and protruding out from each side of it. Push-pull tubes connect with universal joints to the outside ends of the arms. The other ends of the push-pull tubes connect with ball joints to the upper leading edge of the tail wing socket. The tail wing is plugged into and secured to the tail wing socket.

The tail wing socket is connected to the aft end of the keel tube with two joints. One joint permits the tail wing socket along with its tail wing to hinge or pitch up and down. The other joint allows the tail wing socket to swivel for part of a turn at its point of juncture to the keel tube. The pilot flies in the prone position hanging from the bottom end of the lower control stick section. As the pilot points their body to one side or swivels relative to the vertical axes and glider, the lower control stick section is forced to turn along with the pilot. Turning the lower control stick section moves its arms. This causes one push-pull tube to push against the tail wing socket while the other pulls on the tail wing socket. That forces the tail wing socket and its tail wing to swivel about the vertical axis for part of a turn relative to the glider. When the cruciform tail wing swivels relative to the glider, its vertical fin acts like a rudder thereby deflecting some of the tail wing’s downwash off to one side relative to the glider’s direction of flight. That applies a yaw control force.

Second Technique (Exaggerated)

The top end of the upper control stick section is attached to the keel tube. The keel tube is mounted in nylon bushings up inside the triadic wing. The keel tube is free to rotate for part of a turn relative to the glider. The pilot flies the glider wearing a harness attached to the bottom end of the lower control stick section. The tail wing socket is attached to the aft end of the keel tube. Thus, as the keel tube rotates, so does the tail wing. Hence, as the primary wings and glider bank in relation to the horizon, they bank in relation to the pilot, control stick, keel tube, tail wing socket, and tail wing. Because the primary wings and glider become banked in relation to the tail wing, the tail wing’s downwash becomes directed off to one side relative to the glider’s direction of flight. That applies a yaw control force.

As the primary wings and glider are banking relative to the horizon, the linkage system forces the tail wing to bank in the opposite direction relative to the glider. Most of the change in angle relative to the horizon is the banking of the primary wings and glider. Thus, the tail wing remains somewhat parallel to the horizon. Because the tail wing remains to some degree level with the horizon, it continues to do work against gravity and provide a significant amount of lift while all so providing the necessary provers yaw control force.

Both techniques used to apply yaw control forces occur due to the interactions that take place between the primary wings and the tail wing. The pilot could swivel the cruciform tail wing and its vertical fin without banking the primary wings relative to the tail wing. The pilot would do this by pointing their body to one side without swinging their center of mass laterally. The pilot could bank the primary wings relative to the tail wing without swiveling the tail wing and its vertical fin. The pilot would do this by swinging their center of mass laterally while keeping their body pointed straight ahead. Thus, either one of the two yaw control methods could be applied independently of the other. However, both techniques are usually carried out concurrently in one sweeping motion. The pilot does this by swiveling their body relative to the keel tube and glider while swinging their center of mass laterally. By blending the two yaw control techniques correctly, the pilot counteracts the total amount of adverse yaw force and coordinates the turn.

Combined Techniques (Exaggerated)

How pilots maneuver their bodies to perform coordinated turns when flying a standard weight- shift hang glider is the same as how pilots maneuver their bodies to apply both yaw control techniques when flying the Rouse hang glider. The pilot accomplishes this by pulling in with one hand while pushing out with the other hand. This works out perfectly because these are also the hand movements applied to force the primary wings to pitch in opposite directions. Thus, the identical physical actions typically exerted by the pilot to bank the glider applies both yaw control techniques needed to counteract the totality of the adverse yaw force and coordinate the turn.

Wing Segment Manipulations

For the Rouse hang glider to be both lightweight and have robust structural integrity, it is essential that the primary wing sockets be attached to the glider near their inside trailing edges in addition to their inside leading edges. Hence, the trailing edges of the primary wing sockets are connected to a rocker arm link located near the aft end of the keel tube. This results in the primary wing sockets being securely attached to the glider at their trailing edges while still being permitted to hinge or pitch in relation to each other at their leading edges. Because of the rocker arm link, the primary wing socket, and its primary wing segment on one side of the glider cannot hinge or pitch relative to the glider unless the other side becomes pitched to the same degree in the opposite direction. There is merely one way for both primary wings to change their pitched angle in the same direction. That is for the glider itself to raise or lower its overall angle of attack.

The rocker arm link is bolted to the keel tube and cannot rock around the keel tube. For the rocker arm to rock as the primary wing sockets hinge or pitch in opposite directions, the keel tube must rotate. For the keel tube to rotate, the pilot must swing sideways. Thus, the pitching action of the primary wings is linked mechanically to the lateral swinging action of the pilot and vice versa. Therefore, as the pilot swings themself laterally, they also force the primary wings to pitch in different directions, and as the pilot pitches the primary wings in different directions, they also force themself to swing laterally. This works out physically because the same hand movements exerted by the pilot to swing themself laterally are also those applied to pitch the primary wings in different directions. Because the leading edge of the tail wing is attached to the aft end of the keel tube, it banks as the keel tube rotates. That causes the ends of the tail wing’s leading edge to stay near and aligned with the trailing edges of the primary wings as they pitch in opposite directions.

To prevent confusion at this time, the pilot’s actions are described as taking place separately. However, they are typically carried out simultaneously with a single fluid maneuvering of the pilot’s body. When a control input is being applied, it feels to the pilot as though they swing their center of mass relative to the glider and they do a little. Even so, most of the relative motion is the glider moving in relation to the pilot’s center of mass. Responses to control inputs are immediate.

From trim speed, the pilot pushes out an equal distance with both hands in unison. The pilot swings rearward some but mostly the primary wings raise their angle of attack in unison by raising the angle of attack of the glider itself. This increases the degree of angle between the primary wings and the control stick. That causes the tail wing to pitch the nose up relative to the primary wings by lowering its trailing edge. The glider’s airspeed slows.

The pilot pushes out further an equal distance with both hands in unison. The same description stated above takes place until the glider’s airspeed slows to its minimum sink speed. At minimum sink speed, the glider descends through the atmosphere as slowly as possible over time.

The pilot pushes out even further an equal distance with both hands in unison. The same description stated above takes place until the glider slows to its stooping flight speed. The root section or central area of the wingspan and the tail wing both become stalled. That causes a large loss of lift and a huge increase in drag. Thus, the tail wing interacts with the primary wings to function as a spoiler and drag break. The outer and much larger extents of the primary wings continue to create lift. The glider keeps flying but descends at an extremely steep angle. The tail wing goes into a flutter oscillation and vibrates the control stick the pilot hangs from. That serves as an impending stall warning alarm.

The pilot pushes out as far as they can an equal distance with both hands in unison. The same description stated above takes place until the entire triadic wing becomes completely stalled and stops flying. If the glider is high above the ground, it falls into a steep nosedive. The nosedive is the glider’s means of stall recovery. If the glider is close to the ground, the pilot who has already pivoted to the upright position puts their feet down and lands.

From trim speed, the pilot pulls in an equal distance with both hands in unison. The pilot swings forward some but mostly the primary wings lower their angle of attack in unison by lowering the angle of attack of the glider itself. The degree of angle between the primary wings and the control stick decreases. That causes the tail wing to pitch its nose down relative to the primary wings by raising its trailing edge. The glider’s airspeed increases.

The pilot pulls in further an equal distance with both hands in unison. The same description stated above takes place until the glider accelerates to its best glide speed. The tail wing becomes aligned with the downwash streaming from the primary wings. The tail wing creates a negligible amount of lift and causes much less drag. The glider achieves its longest glide ratio relative to the ambient atmosphere.

The pilot pulls in even further an equal distance with both hands in unison. The same description as stated above takes place until the glider dives to a steep and very fast airspeed. This causes the center of gravity to move to in front of the center of lift. That would be pitch divergent and unacceptable if it were not for the actions of the tail wing. The tail wing hinges its trailing edge up out of alignment with the downwash streaming from the primary wings. That deflects air up and produces a downward force at the aft end of the glider. Thus, the tail wing interacts with the primary wings to function as though it were the reflexed trailing edge at the root section of the primary wings. This is the glider’s dive recovery.

The pilot points their body to one side or swivels about the vertical axis relative to the glider. The bottom section of the control stick turns along with the pilot. This forces one push-pull tube to push against the tail wing socket while the other pulls on the tail wing socket. That swivels the tail wing socket and its cruciform tail wing. The tail wing’s vertical fin acts like a rudder thereby deflecting some of the tail wing’s downwash off to one side relative to the glider’s direction of flight. A yaw control force is applied.
The pilot pulls in with one hand while pushing out an equal distance with the other hand. The hand that pulls in lowers the angle of attack of the primary wing on its side of the glider. The hand that pushes out raises the angle of attack of the primary wing on its side of the glider. In this way, the primary wings interact with one another to function as full-wing-sized ailerons. A roll control force is applied. The pilot swings their center of mass laterally some but mostly the primary wings and glider bank relative to the horizon, pilot, control stick, keel tube, tail wing socket, and tail wing. Because the glider banks relative to the tail wing, the tail wing’s downwash becomes directed off to one side relative to the glider’s direction of flight. A yaw control force is applied. While the primary wings and glider are banking relative to the horizon, the tail wing is banking in the opposite direction relative to the primary wings and glider. Because the tail wing remains somewhat parallel with the horizon, it continues to do work against gravity and provide a significant amount of lift.

Misleading Truths

The above statements are true but somewhat misleading. They make the ACE method of flight control seem more restricted than it really is. That is because they do not describe the many ways in which the pilot may apply all three-axis of flight control concurrently in a single fluid maneuver.

As previously stated, the linkage system’s rocker arm link will not let one primary wing segment pitch relative to the glider unless the other side becomes pitched to the same degree in the opposite direction. This eliminates the bird-like instabilities associated with asymmetrical pitching actions of the primary wings. Nevertheless, it does not prevent applying pitch control, roll control, and yaw control at the same time with one graceful maneuvering of the pilot’s body.

When the pilot moves their hands either forward or rearward an equal distance in unison, they control the angle of attack of the glider but do not alter the bank angle of the glider. When the pilot pulls in with one hand while pushing out an equal distance with the other hand, they control the bank angle of the glider but have little effect on the glider’s angle of attack. For the pilot to control both the angle of attack and the bank angle of the glider simultaneously, all they need to do is simply move their hands an unequal distance in relation to one another.

For example, suppose the pilot wants to initiate a left-hand turn by lowering the angle of attack of the glider while also banking the glider to the left. One scenario for accomplishing this is to hold the right hand in place while pulling in forcefully with the left hand. Suppose the pilot did this until the left primary wing lowered its angle of attack by twenty degrees. That would cause the glider itself to lower its angle of attack by ten degrees in relation to the right primary wing. Because the pilot’s right hand prevents the right primary wing from pitching up relative to the glider, the glider is forced to pitch down relative to the right primary wing. In other words, the linkage system’s rocker arm makes the glider lower its angle of attack so that the primary wings become pitched to the same degree in reverse directions relative to the glider. Of course, the pilot would also swivel their body to the right while swinging their center of mass to the left. Thus, both yaw control techniques counteract the total amount of adverse yaw force and coordinate the turn. Hence, the rocker arm link prevents the destabilization that might be caused by the bird-like asymmetrical pitching action of the primary wings but it does not prevent the three-axis of flight controls from being applied concurrently in one continuous sweeping motion of the pilot’s body.

Besides the previous example, the pilot could have pulled in with both hands while pulling in an unequal and greater distance with the left hand. That would have lowered the angle of attack of the glider even further while banking the glider to the left. To bank the glider to the left while raising the angle of attack instead of lowering it, the pilot would push out an unequal and further distance with the right hand than they do with the left hand. To bank the glider to the right instead of to the left is performed by reversing hand movement sides. How pilots maneuver their bodies to control the Rouse glider is as natural and intuitive as flying a standard weight-shift hang glider.

Simplistic Statements

Extreme simplification of a rather complex subject leads to the following generalizations.

These rules of thumb are not altogether true but are useful for the purpose of comparison.

The flight controls of a conventional hang glider are operated by moving the center of gravity relative to the center of lift, (weight shift).
The flight controls of birds and sailplanes are operated by moving the center of lift relative to the center of gravity, (aerodynamic control).
The flight controls of the Rouse glider are operated by the concurrent translocation of both the center of lift and the center of gravity, (duality of weight shift plus aerodynamic control).

Control Evaluation Method

When a control input is applied, a relative motion takes place between the pilot and the glider. One method to evaluate flight control effectiveness is based on how far the pilot must swing their center of mass to make the glider respond as needed. Weak flight control is indicated by the pilot having to do most of the moving relative to the glider. Strong flight control is apparent when the glider does most of the moving relative to the pilot. Powerful flight control is demonstrated when the glider is made to do most of the moving relative to the pilot even though the glider is extra- large and the turbulence is intense.

Control Differences

Conventional Weight Shift Alone

With weight shift as the only method used to apply flight controls, the pilot swings about freely beneath the wing. The pilot cannot apply a strong force against the glider because they do not have a firm position from which to exert force. Higher wind speeds and severe turbulence can make it difficult to execute enough control, especially when flying a larger size hang glider.

Because the pilot dangles from the end of a flexible hang loop, they depend mostly on their inertial resistance to force the glider to move relative to their center of mass. Because the pilot has more mass than the glider, they have more inertial resistance than the glider. Hence, the glider usually does most of the moving relative to the pilot. However, if weather conditions and or the size of the glider prevent the glider from moving readily relative to the pilot, the pilot ends up doing most of the moving in relation to the glider. The pilot has only a short distance that they can swing their center of mass to activate the necessary response. For the pilot to have adequate control over the glider their inertial resistance needs to be about twice that of the glider.

For anything to have inertia, it must have mass. Due to the Earth’s gravity, an increase in mass demands an equivalent increase in weight. Therefore, to have sufficient control over a standard weight-shift hang glider, the pilot needs to weigh about twice that of the glider. In conclusion, with weight shift as the principal method used to apply flight control, the size of the glider is limited by inertial dependency, and having a heavy wing loading cannot be avoided.

Weight Shift plus Aerodynamic Control Received Forces

When the triadic wing is struck by a gust of wind, its wing segments receive the blast. This air pressure as force transmits from the wing segments back to the base tube and control stick. The bottom end of the rigid control stick pushes against the pilot at its point of juncture to the pilot.

Any received forces that attempt to manipulate the wing segments also attempt to move the control stick and base tube mechanically linked to the wing segments. Any forces that try to swing the control stick in one direction tend to prevent the control stick from swinging in the opposite direction. Resistance to the movement of the rigid control stick impedes the swinging actions of the pilot attached to the bottom end of the control stick in the direction needed to oppose the received forces. Impedance to the pilot’s pendulum motion causes their pendulous position to become firmer. The stronger the received forces that attempt to manipulate the wing segments, the firmer the pilot’s pendulous position becomes. Therefore, the inertial resistance of the pilot’s body is augmented by increased pendulous resistance. Having a firmer position from which to pull and push off enables the pilot to exert stronger control forces as needed.

Applied Forces

The ACE method of flight control causes weight shift to work in conjunction with avian-style interactive aerodynamic flight control. The pilot applies aerodynamic control forces by moving the wing segments in relation to each other. The wing segments are manipulated by the pilot moving their hands relative to their center of mass. The interactions that take place between the wing segments produce strong aerodynamic control forces. Aerodynamic control forces occur when control surfaces push against the air. The wing segments that make up the triadic wing are also the Rouse’s control surfaces. When the wing segments push against the air, the air presses back against them with an equal and opposite reactionary force in compliance with the third law of motion. Thus, the manipulation of the wing segments is opposed by the force of air pressure.

Resistance to the manipulation of the wing segments causes resistance to the motion of the rigid control stick and base tube mechanically linked with the wing segments. In different words, resistance to the pilot’s exertions makes it more difficult for the control stick to swing relative to the glider. Resistance to the pendulum motion of the control stick impedes the swinging actions of the pilot attached to the bottom end of the control stick. Impedance to the pilot’s pendulum motion causes their pendulous position to become firmer. The stronger the resistance to the pilot’s exertions, the firmer the pilot’s pendulous position becomes. Therefore, the inertial resistance of the pilot’s body is augmented by increased pendulous resistance. Having a firmer position from which to pull and push off from enables the pilot to exert stronger control forces as needed.

ACE Fights Fire with Fire

The outcome is always the same for either received or applied forces. Whether air pressures are resisted by the pilot or the pilot’s exertions are resisted by air pressures, all resistance is exploited or utilized by the ACE method of flight control to increase the potential to apply stronger control forces. This increase in control becomes automatically available on demand.

When flight conditions allow the glider to react readily to control inputs, the pilot only needs to swing their center of mass a short distance to cause the glider to respond as desired. In different words, it is easy for the pilot to make the glider move relative to their center of mass. However, when the glider does resist being controlled, the ACE method of flight control still guarantees that the glider must do most of the moving in relation to the pilot. This is because all kinds of resistance impede the swinging action of the rigid control stick and the pilot is attached to the bottom end of the control stick. That makes the pilot’s pendulous position firmer in the opposite direction to the resistance and for the duration of the resistance. The stronger the resistance becomes; the firmer the pilot’s pendulous position automatically becomes. By having a firmer position from which to apply force, the pilot is enabled to exert stronger control forces to make the glider move as intended. Therefore, the pilot is being empowered by the resistance to the control effort itself.

Whenever the pilot moves their hands in relation to their center of mass, a relative motion must take place between the glider and the pilot’s center of mass. Therefore, the more the pilot is prevented from moving relative to the glider, the more the glider has to move in relation to the pilot. The faster the wing segments are forced to move relative to one another, the stronger will be the resistance to their motion. The stronger the resistance to their movement, the stiffer the pilot’s pendulous position becomes. Thus, the ACE method of flight control assures that the pilot will always be empowered to apply greater control forces whenever needed.

Because the potential to apply stronger control over the glider is derived from the resistance to the control effort itself, more becomes spontaneously available on demand. Paradoxically, ACE technology literally uses resistance to control as its strategy to overcome resistance to control. Hence, the saying, “ACE fights fire with fire”.

Elimination of Inertial Dependency

Aerodynamic controls are applied by forcing relative movements to take place between the wing segments. Manipulation of the wing segments occurs when the pilot moves their hands relative to their center of mass. For so long as a relative motion is taking place between the glider and the ambient atmosphere, the pilot will always have aerodynamic controls at hand. Aerodynamic control forces are much stronger and have a greater effect on flight control than is even possible by weight shifting. Therefore, ACE technology eliminates inertial resistance as the principal method used to apply flight controls. Because dependency on inertial resistance is eliminated, it is no longer compulsory for the pilot to weigh more than the glider.

In conclusion, because aerodynamic control works in conjunction with weight shift, the size of the glider is not limited by inertial dependency, and having a heavy wing loading can be avoided. This makes it practical for pilots to fly an extra-large hang glider with a much bigger wing. If all the other factors were to remain the same, having a larger wing provides a lighter wing loading. That reduces the rate of descent and facilitates soaring success.

Power Steering

Because the pilot is attached to the bottom end of the control stick and because the control stick is a rigid lever arm, the pilot exerts force to control the glider from an already leveraged position. Due to the mechanical advantage, a weak input applies a strong force, and a strong input applies a powerful force. Therefore, the ACE method of flight control provides a sort of three-dimensional power steering. This makes it easy for the pilot to manipulate the wing segments as desired even when the glider is exceptionally large and the turbulence is severe.

Due to the mechanical advantage involved, the pilot must move their hands a greater distance to manipulate the wing segments to a lesser degree. This keeps the control response from being too sensitive and it helps to prevent the pilot from over-controlling the glider.

Control Summary

ACE integrates weight shift with avian-style interactive aerodynamic flight control. This duality exploits the concurrent translocation of both the center of lift and the center of gravity.
ACE uses avian-style interaction between the wing segments to provide aerodynamic flight controls. This causes flight control forces to increase along with the size of the triadic wing. That makes it feasible for humans to fly an extra-large hang glider with a much bigger wing.
ACE augments inertial resistance with increased pendulous resistance. That enables the pilot to apply greater control forces as needed.
ACE eliminates inertial dependency as the principal method for applying control forces. This makes it practical for pilots to fly an extra-large hang glider with a lighter wing loading.
ACE literally uses resistance to control as its strategy to overcome resistance to control. This makes the potential to apply stronger control forces spontaneously available on demand.
ACE takes advantage of the pilot’s already leveraged position. This makes it easy for the pilot to manipulate the wing segments even in extreme turbulence. It keeps the control response from being too sensitive and helps to prevent the pilot from over-controlling the glider.
ACE causes the glider to do most of the moving relative to the pilot even when the glider is extra-large and the flying conditions are severe. That demonstrates powerful controllability.
ACE makes hang gliding safer by providing immediate, intensified, and direct three-axis flight control with only a negligible sacrifice in stability.

Some Benefits of Amplified Flight Controls

For the reasons previously stated and others yet to be revealed, the overwhelming ACE method of flight control subjugates the glider to the pilot’s position of dominance. The imperative to maintain flight control dictates the upper limit to the size of the hang glider. The Rouse’s obedient and responsive attributes make it advantageous to fly an extra-large hang glider while enjoying enhanced three-axis of flight control at the same time. Flying a larger size hang glider with a bigger wing provides a lighter wing loading. If all other factors are the same, wings having a lighter wing loading provides a better minimum sink rate. Slower descent through the air requires less updraft velocity to achieve soaring flight. Descending slower through the air results in topping out higher when soaring in ridge lift and climbing out faster when working thermals.

Gliders with a lighter wing loading can fly slower before a stall ensues. When flight speed is achieved at a slower airspeed, it makes launching and landing less difficult and safer. Flying slower while turning carves smaller radius circles. Because smaller diameter circles can be made without having to bank the glider as much, the minimum sink rate is improved. The ability to execute tighter turns facilitates circling within the thermal’s core zone. Because the thermal’s core zone rises faster than the rest of the thermal, spending more time within the core hastens the ascent.

When it comes to the slower airspeed requirements of a foot-launched and foot-landed hang glider, a good method to attain soaring success is to increase flight control. On those days when the updrafts are very weak, a soaring flight is not possible unless the glider has an unusually light wing loading with an exceptionally slow descent rate. To have those benefits, a comparatively large wing is indispensable. The ACE method of flight control fulfills the need to fly an extra- large hang glider while providing increased flight control at the same time.

On those days when the updrafts are strong, flying a larger size hang glider with a lighter wing loading is not necessary to soar. Even so, when the updrafts are stronger, other flight conditions are typically stronger as well. Intense and gusty winds can make it difficult to keep the glider under control. The ACE method of flight control alleviates that problem by providing direct, powerful, and accelerated control over the flight of the hang glider.

There are visual air movement indicators but the air itself is invisible. The severity of turbulence changes over time and varies with differences in altitude. Because flight controls are substantially increased with a minimal reduction in stability, the pilot gains an advantage in coping with unpredictable flying conditions. All human flight is inherently dangerous. Hence, nothing is of more importance than flight safety. Therefore, safety is the paramount design criterion. ACE exploits direct and potentiated three-axis of flight control as its tactic to mitigate the risk.

Modular Construction

Because the Rouse hang glider has a segmented triadic wing, it may be constructed in several different ways. The wing segments could be rigid and have a hard shell-like outer surface or they could be flexible and be made from sailcloth, tubing, and battens. A third alternative is the D-tube leading edge method of construction. With the D-tube method, the leading edges are rigid but the remainder of the wing is made from flexible materials reinforced by battens.

The mainframe assembly is in the center of the wingspan. It makes the linkage system possible. All the movable joints that permit articulated motion to take place between the wing segments are contained within the mainframe assembly. The triadic wing is constructed by inserting, bolting, and safety pinning the wing segments to the mainframe assembly. Hence, the kinematics devised to manipulate rigid wing segments are also applicable for flexible wing segments. Therefore, hang gliders made with any of the three constructional methods can be mechanized by the same linkage system. There are advantages and disadvantages to whichever method of construction that might be chosen. Trying to explain them all would be too confusing. For this discussion, the wing segments are going to be described as having a rigid or hard exoskeletal-like outer surface.

Handmade hang gliders require well-trained and skilled artisans to assure the quality of the product. It is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive to build hang gliders in a series of individually customized products. Because the triadic wing is segmented, its wing segments can be manufactured as standardized interchangeable parts. Hence, the Rouse may be mass-produced in collective runs of identical prefabricated modular units. This is conducive to a semi-automated mass production process. Therefore, the Rouse should be less expensive to manufacture.

Since the wing segments are interchangeable modules, they are easy to replace. It takes about the same amount of time to exchange a broken wing segment with a replacement as it takes to set up the glider. Hence, when one wing segment is damaged beyond repair, it is only necessary to purchase another wing segment and avoid having to buy a completely new hang glider.

Over time, the hang glider manufacturer will surely make incremental design improvements. The owner of an older model hang glider may choose to modernize their glider by replacing the older wing segments with an updated set. By continuing to use the same mainframe hardware, the pilot can upgrade their glider without the expense of having to purchase the entire hang glider.

Breakaway Design Scheme

Being that the triadic wing is cantilevered; the greatest stresses are focused on to the movable joints within the linkage system’s mainframe assembly. Besides allowing swivel action to take place, these focal point junctures also serve as shear pins. If an outright crash were to occur, they would first bend and then break into. While the triadic wing is crunching in and snapping apart, the glider and pilot are being slowed down. The maximum magnitude of the impact is lowered by extending the duration of time it takes to come to a complete stop.

The breakaway design scheme is not expected to prevent the glider from being damaged. Regardless, it is intended that the sacrificial loss of the glider will diminish the likelihood of injury to the pilot. The best-case scenario for an outright crash would be the destruction of the glider while the pilot walks away uninjured.

Planform Comparison

Sweptback Planform

When a standard sweptback hang glider flies into an updraft, its nose is knocked up. That raises its angle of attack, which results in the wing becoming more misaligned with the change in the airflow direction. When a standard sweptback hang glider flies into a downdraft, its nose is knocked down. That lowers its angle of attack, which results in the wing becoming more misaligned with the change in the airflow direction. Conventional sweptback hang gliders respond this way because the leading nose area of the wing enters the change in air current direction before its trailing wingtips. Thus, a sweptback hang glider reacts against differences in vertical air currents as they are encountered. Flying through turbulence causes a sweptback glider to be knocked up, dropped, then slammed back up, and dumped again repeatedly. Flying faster only increases the severity of the pounding.

Planked Winged Planform

Because the primary wings of the Rouse are planked wings with their center of lift in an essentially straight line, they react to changes in vertical air movement differently than wings having a sweptback planform. When the primary wings of the triadic wing fly into an updraft, they tend to lower their angle of attack thereby aligning with the change in the airflow direction. When the primary wings of the triadic wing fly into a downdraft, they tend to raise their angle of attack thereby aligning with the change in the airflow direction. Thus, the planked primary wing segments of the triadic wing tend to wind-vane or merge into alignment with the changes in air currents as they are encountered.

The Rouse inherits some naturally occurring pitch stability because of how its wing segments respond to vertical changes in the airflow directions. The primary wings receive less impact because they have less of a tendency to oppose the wind gust. The glider experiences less stress because the primary wings tend to wind-vane or merge with the changes in air currents instead of opposing them. Thus, the pilot enjoys a smoother ride. This is especially beneficial when flying faster. The Rouse flies more efficiently because going with the flow consumes less energy than pounding through turbulence.

Articulated Versus Fixed

When wings encounter rising airflow on one side and sinking airflow on the other, the side that enters the updraft receives an upward push while the side that enters the downdraft receives a downward push. Hence, the forces involved tend to bank and subsequently turn the glider away from the updraft or lift and towards the downdraft or sink. Being pushed out of the lift is detrimental to the purpose of soaring. Thus, the pilot that flies a conventional non-articulated winged hang glider must struggle to prevent being turned in the wrong direction for soaring.

When the Rouse’s triadic wing experiences rising airflow on one primary wing segment and sinking airflow on the other, the primary wing that encounters the updraft tends to lower its angle of attack while the primary wing that encounters the downdraft tends to raise its angle of attack. Two attributes of the articulated triadic wing make this happen. One is that the primary wings are essentially planked wings that naturally merge into alignment with the air currents as they are encountered. Another is that the primary wings may be permitted to pitch in opposite directions.

When one primary wing segment has a lower angle of attack than that of the other, the side having the lowest angle of attack rolls down while the side having the highest angle of attack rolls up. Therefore, the Rouse hang glider has an innate tendency to bank towards the lift and away from the sink. This compensates somewhat for the forces attempting to bank the glider in the wrong direction for soaring. Because of this compensation, pilots flying the Rouse in normal flying conditions, do not have to struggle as much to prevent being pushed out of the lift or thermal.

Because of how the primary wings react to differences in vertical airflow on opposite sides of the glider, the same benefits that pertain to the pitch axis are also applicable where the role axis is concerned. Hence, the Rouse hang glider inherits some roll stability, experiences less impact, receives less stress, flies with greater efficiency, and is more enjoyable to fly than any glider having a non-articulated sweptback planform. ACE reduces the amount of physical exertion usually required to prevent being forced out of the lift or dumped over the falls of a thermal.

When the difference in vertical air movement on one side of the glider is smaller compared to that of the other, the primary wings have a weaker tendency to wind-vane or merge into alignment with the air currents. This is acceptable because less compensation is needed. When the difference in vertical air movement on one side of the glider is larger compared to that of the other, the primary wings have a stronger tendency to wind-vane or merge into alignment with the air currents. This is acceptable because more compensation is needed. Therefore, additional compensation against being banked away from the lift and towards the sink increases automatically as needed.

When the pilot wants to go down, they simply stop the wing segments from pitching in relation to each other. This causes the Rouse to fly more like a conventional non-articulated hang glider that normally banks and subsequently turns away from the lift and towards the sink. On the other hand, when the pilot wants to go up, they should assist some with how the primary wings tend to react to differences in vertical air currents on opposite sides of the glider. In normal flying conditions, this comparatively easy-to-apply force is approximately the same whether the difference in vertical air movement on one side of the glider is either smaller or larger compared to that of the other.

How the primary wing segments interact when reacting to differences in vertical airflow, informs the pilot in which direction they should fly to locate the strongest updrafts or thermals. By helping the primary wings to pitch somewhat further than they would normally do by themselves, the pilot steers the glider in the direction of the strongest lift. The pilot just needs to recognize the signs and go with the flow. Simply stated, the Rouse hang glider is engineered to have an intrinsic inclination to soar!

Variable Washout

When a wing is twisted in such a way that the wingtips have a lower pitch angle than the central or root section of the wingspan, it is called washout. The primary wings of the triadic wing are essentially planked wings. When flying straight. very little washout is needed. This is because the Rouse hang glider uses an entirely different paradigm for providing pitch stability and for regulating stall progression than hang gliders having a sweptback platform.

When the primary wings hinge or pitch in opposite directions, they are increasing the degree of the twist at the root section of the triadic wing. This is a kind of variable washout. The articulated twisting of the primary wings contributes to the total degree of washout over the length of the wingspan. The variable washout adds to the few degrees of fixed washout already present in the shape of the primary wings. Therefore, the total degree of washout is determined by how much the fixed washout is supplemented by the variable washout.

The triadic wing requires less fixed washout while flying straight because its fixed washout is supplemented by variable washout when initiating curved flight. When the Rouse hang glider is flying straight, the triadic wing has only a few degrees of fixed washout because the primary wings are parallel to one another. By having less washout, a larger percentage of the wingspan flies at its optimum angle of attack while flying straight. This improves straight flight efficiency.

When turning, the wingtip on the inside of the turn flies slower than the rest of the wing. Hence, the inside wingtip usually stalls first. Having more washout causes the inside wingtip to have a lower angle of attack. When the inside wingtip has a lower angle of attack, the glider may reach a higher overall angle of attack before a wingtip stall ensues. Reaching a higher overall angle of attack without stalling, permits the glider to perform slower turns. Slower turns carve tighter turns. The ability to circle within smaller thermals increases the success rate of soaring flights.

To execute a coordinated turn, the glider must be banked to one side at least some. To initiate the turning process, the pilot banks the glider by forcing the primary wings to pitch in opposite directions. This effectively twists the triadic wing at its root section and thereby provides variable washout. The variable washout adds to the fixed washout and increases the total combined degree of washout over the length of the wingspan. The variable washout causes the lowest angle of attack to be on the inside wingtip where it is the most beneficial for turning. It delays the wingtip stall and allows the glider to achieve a higher overall angle of attack before becoming stalled.

When initiating curved flight, the triadic wing has fixed washout and variable washout because the primary wings have different angles of attack. By having more washout, a larger percentage of the wingspan flies at its optimum angle of attack. This improves curved flight efficiency.

To establish the turn, the pilot continues with the push-out cycle of the familiar J-stroke. This locks the glider into the turn at a specific bank angle. Then the centrifugal force tends to swing the pilot back toward the center of the glider. That reduces the variable washout. Because of the centrifugal force, the pilot’s effective weight is heavier and that causes the glider to fly faster. When the glider is flying faster, less washout is required to prevent the wingtip stall.

Having more fixed washout improves curved flight but then straight flight suffers. Having less fixed washout improves straight flight but then curved flight suffers. The ACE method of flight control exploits variable washout to increase the washout when initiating the turn and decrease the washout when flying straight. Therefore, ACE gives rise to the best of both worlds. ACE reduces the usual fixed washout compromise between curved flight and straight flight.

Optional Sizing

Because the Rouse hang glider is mechanized by the linkage system, additional options are easy to implement. The leading edge of every tail wing is the same because they must all attach to the same mainframe assembly’s tail wing socket. However, different tail wing shapes and sizes are optional. Different tail wing designs may be chosen to accentuate specific flying attributes.

The total or overall area of the triadic wing is determined by the size of the tail wing selected. Therefore, variable sizing allows only one hang glider to serve as though it were several different- sized hang gliders. This benefit is gained without the expense and inconvenience of having to purchase and transport multiple hang gliders having different sizes. ACE reduces the usual compromise of having to fly in all weather conditions with the same size hang glider.

Adjustable Pitch Stability

Because the tail wing is quick and easy to exchange, the pilot may decide which tail wing segment they prefer to fly with just before the time to launch into flight. ACE provides pitch stability by using a gravity-actuated process to change the amount of lift created by the tail wing. The larger the tail wing being used, the more the lift it creates is going to vary. The larger the lift variation provided by the tail wing, the further the center of lift outruns the center of gravity. The further the center of lift progresses away from the center of gravity, the stronger the pitching moment force becomes. This happens because as the center of lift gets further away from the center of gravity, there is an increase in mechanical advantage. The stronger the pitching force becomes, the stronger the tendency for the glider to return to its trim speed angle of attack. The greater the tendency for the glider to return to its trim speed angle of attack, the more pitch stable it is understood to be. The size and shape of the tail wing selected for a particular flight establish how pitch stable the glider is going to be. Therefore, the tail wing selected just before flying determines the pitch stability setting for the duration of that flight.

The simple and quick method used to switch one tail wing with another allows the pilot to make last-minute changes just before the time to launch into flight. Hence, the pilot may set the pitch stability to accommodate the anticipated weather conditions of each flight. When flying conditions are intense, having enough pitch stability is crucial. Therefore, having variable pitch stability should increase flight safety. ACE reduces the usually fixed pitch stability compromise and permits the pilot to adjust the glider to the specific needs of every flight.

Landing Approach

Most of the time while soaring, the tail wing flies in the downwash streaming from around the root section of the primary wings. The tail wing experiences a lower apparent angle of attack due to the declivity of the downwash that flows from the root section of the primary wings. This permits the tail wing to have a higher pitch angle than the primary wings without stalling. However, this condition changes when the root section of the primary wings becomes stalled.

As the primary wings raise their angle of attack, the linkage system forces the tail wing to lower its trailing edge thereby raising its pitch angle. At a specific angle of attack, the root section of the primary wings becomes stalled. This disrupts the continuity of the downwash streaming from around the root section of the primary wings to the tail wing. That causes the tail wing to become stalled also because its angle of attack is now too high for the direction of the airflow it encounters. It could be argued that the tail wing becomes stalled first and that causes the root section of the primary wings to become stalled. At times, this may very well be true and makes for an interesting debate. Regardless, the key fact to remember is that, when either the root section of the primary wings or the tail wing becomes stalled, they will for sure both become stalled.

When the tail wing and root section of the primary wings become stalled, that area of the triadic wing creates almost no lift. Even so, the glider keeps flying because the much larger outer extents of the primary wings continue producing lift. This partially stalled condition is called stooping flight. The term stooping flight is used instead of the customary mush mode term because of its similarity to how soaring avian lifeforms descend under control at an amazingly steep angle.

Since the tail wing segment becomes stalled when flying at stooping flight speed, the center of lift moves from behind to in front of the center of gravity. This causes a positive pitching moment force. That would be pitch divergent and unacceptable if it were not for a huge increase in drag caused by the tail wing segment. Once stalled the tail wing experiences a loss of lift and a huge increase in drag. This indicates that the tail wing is currently interacting with the primary wings to function as a spoiler and drag brake. Because the tail wing’s increased drag takes place behind and much lower than the center of gravity, it tends to force the glider to pitch its nose downward. This negative pitching force counteracts and overpowers the positive pitching force. Therefore, when flying at stooping flight speed, the pilot must push out harder to reach a higher angle of attack. Because the pilot has to push out progressively harder, they continue to experience increasing feedback pitch stability.

The struggle between the positive and negative pitching forces consumes a lot of the potential energy being transduced into kinetic energy. Hence, stooping flight is quite inefficient where both the glide ratio and the minimum sink rate are concerned. Nevertheless, stooping flight is ideal for descending under control at an exceedingly steep angle into the backend of a tiny clearing or remarkably small landing field. This is crucial when the landing area is limited and surrounded by tall obstructions such as trees or power lines.

When slowing down to stooping flight speed, the root section of the primary wings and the tail wing both become stalled. This disrupts and perturbs the airflow around the tail wing. That causes the tail wing to go into a flutter oscillation and vibrate the control stick the pilot hangs from. Stooping flight speed is slower than the minimum sink speed but slightly faster than the completely stalled airspeed. Thus, stooping flight speed serves as an impending stall warning alarm.

When flying at stooping flight speed, turning the glider becomes somewhat sluggish but it does permit the landing approach to be exceptionally steep without accumulating too much energy retention. Because stooping flight is predictable and acts as a stall alarm, the pilot may stair-step down into the back end of a miniature landing field. This is performed by repeatedly pushing out until the pilot feels the control stick vibrating and then quickly pulling back in again. Each consecutive stair-step causes a rapid and steep controlled descent of approximately thirty feet. This is most desirable when the landing field is quite small and surrounded by tall obstructions.

Widened Flare Window

The duration of opportune time in which to flare the glider for landing is called the flare window. The flare window can be widened, because the pilot controls the glider from an already leveraged position and because the inertial resistance of the pilot’s body is augmented by increased pendulous resistance. The Rouse hang glider has design characteristics that allow it to be flared assertively at a much faster airspeed without popping up into a whipstall. One feature is that the primary wing segments have a high aspect ratio. Another is that the primary wings are planked wings with their center of lift in an essentially straight line. Yet another is that most of the glider’s mass is near that center of lift. Even another is that the tail wing segment is closely coupled with the primary wings. Due to these combined attributes, the Rouse hang glider can be flared quick enough and high enough that it becomes completely stalled before having the chance to pop up into a whipstall.

Because the Rouse hang glider can be flared assertively at a much faster airspeed, it does not have to be slow down gradually while skimming along in ground effect. Therefore, merely a short distance is required to execute the landing. Since only a short distance is necessary, the landing area may be much smaller. This allows more clearings to serve as landing fields and additional hang glider flying sites may be established. Because a smaller space can suffice as an adequate place to land, it becomes safer when flying cross country.

Considering that the Rouse hang glider has an extra-large wing with a lighter wing loading, it can fly slower before it begins to stall. Because stall speed occurs at a slower airspeed, the glider can fly slower before it must be flared. The flare window is widened by the fact that the Rouse may be flared either sooner at a faster airspeed or later at a slower airspeed. Since the glider may be flared over a wider range of airspeeds, the pilot requires less proficiency to perform safe standup landings. However, when first learning to fly the Rouse, beginning pilots may use the control stick vibration caused by stooping flight to indicate when it is an ideal time to flare the glider for landing.

Pilots are seldom injured while in flight. The greatest danger exists when coming back into contact with the Earth. Therefore, the landing is one of the most consequential factors to consider when deciding if it is or is not safe to fly. Because the Rouse hang glider has an extremely wide flare window, it should be the safest glider to fly. ACE reduces the usual design compromise between flight performance and landing ease.

Lengthened Airspeed Range of Efficient Flight

When considering flight relative to the ambient atmosphere but not overland travel distance, the most efficient flying takes place at and between the best glide speed and the minimum sink speed. The tail wing of the Rouse interacts with the primary wings to function as an active flap.

How flaps benefit takeoffs and landings are well understood and does not demand repeating. However, it is worthwhile to describe the special dynamics of the Rouse’s flap-like tail wing.

The ACE method of flight control makes use of weight shift and aerodynamic controls. When applying pitch control, the center of lift and the center of gravity are both translocated. The wing loading of the primary wings and the drag caused by the tail wing varies greatly. The ACE method of flight control exploits these variables to lengthen the airspeed range of efficient flight.

By pulling in, the pilot lowers the angle of attack of the primary wing segments, swings their center of mass forward a little more underneath the primary wings, and lowers the pitch angle of the tail wing segment. Lowering the tail wing’s angle of attack results in the tail wing creating a decreased proportion of the total lift. Hence, the primary wings must produce a larger percentage of the total required lift. This increases the wing loading of the primary wings. It tends to balance out for the pilot’s center of mass to be more under the primary wings because the primary wings are providing more lift. The glider flies faster because the primary wings have a lower angle of attack, the primary wings have a heavier wing loading, and the tail wing causes less drag.

When the Rouse hang glider is flying at its best glide speed, the tail wing is in alignment with the downwash streaming from the primary wings. Hence, the tail wing area of the triadic wing barely provides any lift. Even though the actual size of the triadic wing does not change, the surface area used to create lift is effectively smaller. Therefore, the Rouse performs more like a virtually smaller size hang glider with a heavier wing loading. Having a heavier wing loading causes the best glide speed to occur at a faster airspeed. Achieving a faster best glide speed flattens the glide angle and extends the glide ratio.

By pushing out, the pilot raises the angle of attack of the primary wing segments, swings their center of mass rearward a little less underneath the primary wings, and raises the pitch angle of the tail wing segment. Raising the tail wing’s angle of attack results in the tail wing creating an increased proportion of the total lift. Hence, the primary wings produce a smaller percentage of the total required lift. This decreases the wing loading of the primary wings. It tends to balance out for the pilot’s center of mass to be less under the primary wings because the primary wings are providing less lift. The glider flies slower because the primary wings have a higher angle of attack, the primary wings have a lighter wing loading, and the tail wing causes more drag.

When the Rouse hang glider is flying at its minimum sink speed, the tail wing has approximately a positive fifteen-degree angle of attack relative to the airstream it encounters. Hence, the tail wing area of the triadic wing creates its maximum amount of lift. Even though the actual size of the triadic wing does not change, the surface area used to create lift is effectively larger. Therefore, the Rouse performs more like a virtually larger size hang glider with a lighter wing loading. Having a lighter wing loading causes the minimum sink speed to occur at a slower airspeed. Achieving a slower minimum sink speed without stalling reduces the rate of descent.

By interacting with the primary wing segments, the Rouse’s active flap-like tail wing lengthens the airspeed range of efficient flight. It improves both the glide ratio and the minimum sink rate. ACE reduces the usual non-articulated winged compromise between faster and slower airspeeds.

Master Link

The mainframe assembly and the three wing segments that attach to it complete the triadic wing. The triadic wing and some additional parts complete the Rouse hang glider. However, the totality of the linkage system is incomplete unless the pilot is included. This is because the pilot’s body functions as an essential interrelated component of the overall linkage system.

When the pilot pins their harness to the bottom end of the control stick and grips the base tube with both hands, they establish a three-point connection or link with the glider. This three-way linking up with the glider completes the three-way closed-loop circuitry of the greater linkage system. Therefore, the pilot’s body is literally the connecting master link necessary to complete the closed-loop circuitry of the entire linkage system.

The pilot exerts forces on the glider by moving their hands in relation to their center of mass. This relocates the pilot plus glider center of gravity and manipulates the wing segments. The shape of the triadic wing is transformed by the articulated manipulations that take place between the wing segments. Transformation of the triadic wing changes how the Rouse hang glider flies. Therefore, it is agreed that the wing segments function as artificial extensions of the pilot’s body.

Because the Rouse hang glider is mechanized by the linkage system and because the pilot is the connecting master link of that linkage system, it is accepted that a direct physical interface exists between the pilot and the wing segments. The wing segments are actuated by the pilot’s body and the pilot’s body is augmented by the wing segments. Because of the special principles associated with the ACE method of flight control, it is understood that the wing segments function as an artificial appendage to the pilot’s body. The pilot is intimately interconnected with the interchange of forces that passes back and forth throughout the linkage system. Therefore, the pilot can acutely sense the interplay of forces as they take place between the wing segments.

While flying in the prone position, it feels to the pilot as though the left and right primary wing segments are attached to their respective left and right shoulders. One reason for this is that the primary wings are located above the pilot’s shoulders. Another reason is that the pilot uses their arms and shoulder muscles to actuate the movement of the primary wings. It also feels to the pilot as though the tail wing is attached to their center of mass. One reason for this is that the tail wing is mechanically connected quite close to the pilot’s center of mass by means of the linkage system. Another reason is that, how the pilot moves the primary wings relative to their center of mass, determines how the tail wing must move relative to the primary wings.

Self-Controlled Flying

The pilot is in fact the master link of the completed linkage system. Even so, the pilot is not a requisite for the glider to be capable of flying. The Rouse hang glider maintains flight stability regardless of having a mechanically flexible or articulated wing. Fiberglass coil springs apply an adjustable amount of preload tension throughout the linkage system. The preload tension tends to hold the wing segments oriented in a specific relative alignment. This alignment forms the triadic wing’s default contour. That default contour causes the glider to have a propensity to fly straight, level, and at its trim speed angle of attack. If the pilot does not intervene, when the Rouse hang glider is struck by a gust of wind, the linkage system’s springs absorb some of the shock by permitting the wing segments to be deflected into near alignment with the changes in air current direction as they are encountered. Then the preload tension of the linkage system automatically returns the triadic wing to its default contour. This causes the Rouse to resume flying straight, level, and at its trim speed angle of attack. In this fashion, some autopilot-like yaw, roll, and pitch recovery are provided.

At times, the pilot may prefer to hold the base tube lightly and permit the glider to fly itself. Letting the glider self-control heightens the pilot’s awareness of how the wing segments are moving in relation to one another as they respond to changes in air current directions. Therefore, by interacting with each other, the wing segments also serve as sensors.

It feels to the pilot as though they were holding the left and right primary wings in their respective left and right hands. In fact, the pilot’s hands are connected to the primary wings by means of the linkage system’s hardware. Considering the interactions that take place between the primary wings and the tail wing, the pilot can feel how the vertical airflow or lift being entered compares with that just exited. Considering the interactions that take place between the primary wings, the pilot can feel how the lift on one side of the glider compares with that on the opposite side of the glider. Because the wing segments tend to align themselves with air current directional changes, they trace out the three-dimensional shape of the invisible ambient atmosphere. This accurate description assists the pilot with visualizing the environment in which they are flying. With some practice, hang glider pilots will learn to use this increased awareness to their advantage.

Flight of Fantasy

Avian lifeforms are said to have evolved the ability to fly during the era of the dinosaurs. According to scientists, this was long before we evolved into Homo sapiens. For so long as our species have been looking up there were birds to be seen soaring around overhead. Since the earliest of recorded history, people have always watched the birds, envied their freedom, and dreamed of imitating them. The original experimenters of human flight first envisioned avian lifeforms as a model to go by. Their attempts failed for two main reasons. One reason was that they had yet to learn the underlying principles of flight. Another reason was that they did not know enough about how birds control their gliding flight. Ironically, this information is now available on the internet. It is free to those willing to do extensive research and study.

Contemporary kite makers have perfected the sweptback planform and increased flight control with wing warping. The increase in control has made the activity of hang gliding much safer. Many incremental improvements in hang glider design have resulted in beautifully crafted works of art. Modern kite designers really do know what they are doing and sincerely deserve our appreciation. Even so, they continue to use weight shift alone with its dependency on inertia as the principal method of flight control. Unfortunately, they have yet to take advantage of the amazing interactive aerodynamic controls demonstrated by nature’s natural flyers.

Standard sweptback hang gliders are still somewhat like manned untethered kites. The pilot dangles from the kite and swings their body about to direct the glider’s flight path. Even though much improved, this is the same basic process used by Otto Lilienthal. Otto is said to be the pioneer of hang gliding. He lost control of his glider, crashed, and died in 1896.

Avian lifeforms can fly because they evolved the ability to do so. Humans can fly because they have evolved a superior intellect. Yet, the flying abilities of soaring birds far surpass those of even the very best hang glider pilots. Therefore, it is sensible for intelligent people to use their creative ingenuity to figure out how to fly more like our fine feathered friends.

Serious scientists sometimes conduct thought experiments by contemplating abstract scenarios. They consider how things might be if they were somehow different from what they are assumed to be. By pondering over what-if questions, they broaden their perspective and come up with original ideas. Occasionally, this leads them to a deeper understanding of the real world.

There are fundamental distinctions between the Rouse and all other types of hang gliders. It is judicious to recognize that the Rouse is much more advanced than a manned untethered kite. To differentiate between a conventional hang glider and the Rouse, the reader is now invited to embark upon a flight of fantasy by imagining something like a bad science fiction movie.

Let us pretend that somewhere in the universe there is an alternate reality where a species of humanoid-like creatures evolved the ability to fly. We shall call these imaginary primate-like lifeforms bird people. Infant bird people are born with tiny proto wings that develop as they grow older. The fledglings start out learning to crawl, walk, run, and then fly like their parents. It is normal for bird people to fly because they grow wings that function as a part of their bodies.

Now suppose that sadly some bird people are born with a rare birth defect and do not have any wings. These unfortunate individuals are considered disabled because they cannot fly like others of their kind. Because they are handicapped, it becomes logical to substitute their missing wings with prosthetic wings. Artificial wings are not going to serve quite as well as real wings. Even so, if a synthetic or mechanical substitute were engineered to respond to their body movements as though it were a set of real wings, it would become possible for them to perform gliding flights like normal bird people.

The two previous paragraphs presented a thought experiment. The purpose was to instill an open mindset and consider things from a different perspective. This new point-of-view suggests that, when it comes to flying like real birds, human beings are inherently disabled because they cannot grow real wings. Once we begin to think of ourselves as being handicapped, it becomes logical to devise a prosthetic wing. An artificial wing is not going to serve as well as the natural wings of birds. However, if a synthetic or mechanical substitute were engineered to respond to our body movements as though it were a set of bird-like wings, it would become possible for people to perform gliding flights like the true masters of soaring flight.

Prostheses are inorganic substitutes for missing body parts. Because humans do not grow winged appendages in the first place, the triadic wing of the Rouse cannot be correctly defined as a prosthesis. Even so, the articulated wing segments of the triadic wing are engineered to function as though they were an artificial replacement for missing natural wings. This is because the pilot’s body maneuvers manipulate the wing segments as though they were an artificial appendage to the pilot’s body. That profound distinction transcends the Rouse to a loftier category of a hang glider.

To fly with the supreme capabilities personified by soaring birds demands the exploitation of their interactive aerodynamic controls. The emergence of that is provided by the ACE method of flight control. ACE technology engenders biomimicry into the design of a hang glider and that differentiates the Rouse from all other types of aircraft. The ACE concept is going to eventually endow hang gliding pilots with the realistic ability to emulate the soaring birds that we cannot help but admire. ACE technology will make it practical for us to finely fulfill the long-held dream to truly fly like God’s own paragons of flight.

Safety

It is anticipated that many hang-glider pilots are not going to accept the ACE concept at first. That is as it should be, period. That is because new ideas ought to be met with skepticism until they have been proven by the exacting process of thorough testing. This is especially the case when the ultimate proof-of-concept will eventually be determined by life-or-death consequences.

When a hang-gliding accident results in the demise of the pilot, it is typically due to a crash. Most all crashes occur when the pilot loses control of the glider or makes a mistake in controlling the glider. There is an obvious and veritable correlation between flight control and flight safety. Therefore, a substantial increase in flight control with only a negligible reduction in stability should be beneficial in the endeavor to prevent needless injuries and the loss of human lives.

There has been a prevalent theme throughout this discussion. It is the assertion that the fusion of weight shift with avian-style articulated aerodynamic control can provide a more effectual technology for controlling the flight of a hang glider than with weight shift alone. This compelling truth should be self-evident to those readers who have kept an open-minded attitude.