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Show Glider pilot develops own propellant True, motorized hang gliders have been around for several years, but one that will reach an altitude of 21,000 feet, travel 400 miles on a tank of gas and land in any open field was unheard of until the claim was made by a Neola hang glider instructor recently. The superior aspect of this motorized hang glider is a retrofitable tricycle designed and built by Bruce Yancey of Neola. The tricycle will connect to any stock hang glider, and allows the hang glider to move independent of the tricycle. tricy-cle. It is propelled by a 45 M horse power snowmobile engine mounted directly behind the pilot. "It is the most powerful motorized hang glider today," said Steven Yancey, a brother to Bruce. "The second se-cond most powerful has a 36 horse power engine." The tricycle is equipped with a spring suspension which facilitates hard landings lan-dings in most open fields. "The suspension is made to take . rough landings in a field or hunting and fishing spot," Bruce Yancey said. Mounted to a stock hang glider the motorized craft can take off in 60 feet at about 60 climb. Once in the air the craft is controlled by .two rudders on the tips of the hang glider wing. "By turning the left rudder I go left, by turning the right rudder I go right, turn both rudders and I go down," Bruce Yancey said. The 220-pound flying machine will reach up to 45 miles an hour, and the Yanceys claim it will out climb a Cessna 150 airplaine after an altitude of 10,000 feet. Normal altitudes of a motorized hang glider are around 13,Q00 feet, but Bruce Yancey has flown his craft at 18,000 and pushing it hard, up to 21,000 feet. "The craft could be used to check on livestock, hunt coyotes, or to fly up to a lake to go fishing," said Steven Yancey. Mounted on either side of the tricycle, below the engine, are two five gallon plastic tanks of fuel which will allow the craft to travel 400 miles. Bruce Yancey's interest in motorized hang gliding springs from his experience ex-perience as a hang glider instructor. "He holds the unofficial altitude record for gain from point of launch to 21,000 and the unofficial cross country record of 42 miles in seven hours with an unmotorized hang glider," Steven ' Yancey said. 1 |