I have never been injured hang gliding (or flying for that matter) in all of my years, surfing yes with reefs, fins, you know the drill Kona. I think that it may be because I was a pilot first and even when I start young I had a healthy respect for gravity. I started on hills that were maybe 75 feet high, which is nothing and slowly built up over time. I would glide on days with modest winds at first and then increase the difficulty, but never with sheers or strong gusts. So it was incremental, just like learning the basics on the land beforehand. I do not glide in bad weather conditions, just like I would not fly into a storm. I do not care in I am in and F-18 and can climb over 50,000 per minute, I just do not do it, there is no reason to take that risk. Other risks are worth taking. I think that this becomes the deeper question, what risks are you willing to take? I wanted to fly like a bird and nothing was going to stop me; delay me…perhaps, but it was going to happen, I was going to hang glide. Being at a location with smaller hills, modest winds as well as having a good instructor while taking a steady path is the way to begin from my perspective.
I was at Kaneohe Bay. At Dillingham Airfield, I think that they flew a lot of sail planes and did skydiving, but if they have that many accidents now, there is a problem with their location, instructors and/or curriculum. My guess is that the location is a challenge for novices as the wind there for the launch is perpendicular (cross wind) for a hang glider and is moderately strong and gusting. Powered hang gliders would be better as they could use the runway and launch into the wind.
Oahu, in generally, is more of a challenge due to wind and elevation for beginners. A great place to hang glide used to be Makapu'u, but not for beginners, not quite like Pipe, but you get the idea.
I was at Kaneohe Bay. At Dillingham Airfield, I think that they flew a lot of sail planes and did skydiving, but if they have that many accidents now, there is a problem with their location, instructors and/or curriculum. My guess is that the location is a challenge for novices as the wind there for the launch is perpendicular (cross wind) for a hang glider and is moderately strong and gusting. Powered hang gliders would be better as they could use the runway and launch into the wind.
Oahu, in generally, is more of a challenge due to wind and elevation for beginners. A great place to hang glide used to be Makapu'u, but not for beginners, not quite like Pipe, but you get the idea.