Hang Gliding Fledge II B

[@johngallagher912]

For those unfamiliar with this design, it is a Fledge 2b. First produced back in the seventies, the Fledge was the first rigid wing glider that was capable of being folded and unfolded for transport.
The fledge in the video is a nearly forty year old model of the fledge that has been rebuilt to like-new condition.

[@Jutte777]

There were three of us in the car going to the local flying site with our Hang Gliders.
We were a bit worried about the conditions as there was a bit of mist. We came around a corner intently peering into the mist to see if it was flyable or not.
Suddenly the mist cleared .. and a Fledge 2 glided pass - wahoo it was on... and it was !
That Fledge appearing is one of my favourite memories !

[@nickcaci7238]

I nervously took up a friend’s offer to give one a go on a training hill in New Hampshire back in 1981. Very statically tail heavy and it would gotten a better glide ratio if it didn’t so many wires. My old Easy Riser was tail heavy too but it’s take offs were more fun. This yellow wing looks nice. I give it a go again if I could.

[@GerardLecomte16]

Ca me rappel quand j'avais 30 ans en 1980 avec mon Fledge en vol de pente en Dordogne. It reminds me of when I was 30 years old in 1980 with my Fledge in slope flying in the Dordogne.

[@goodteacup]

Must have been the best place to fly, can only imagine flying over castles and the scenery!

[@martingraser6938]

Flying a hang glider in the early 80th was the best time in my life. I am 67 now and look back
over 40 jears of hang gliding and parachuting. What a adventure it was in that time.
And I am still alive 😎

[@malibu188]

Impressive wing in its day. I recall watching a Fledge being flown at local sites in Western Australia around the early 1980’s. It also achieved some epic cross country distance flights from Mount Bakewell.

[@Mytyweav]

I too flew a Fledge IIB for a couple years, 1979 and 1980. Still have my harness and Chute... Had some very memorable Thermal flights with that airframe. My first flights in the Owens Valley and Tollhouse were in my Fledge.

[@pedtrog6443]

Nice. Brings back memories.

[@scott3837]

Flew that for 3 years and loved every minute of it. Most people were scared of it at the time because you couldn't weight-shift turns, etc. I loved the flying-launch at Funston....and it spun great...which was sure to freak people out who saw it spin. The 3 was even better. Too bad that Manta went out of business.

[@Star-ty1nx]

I flew a Fledgling 1a (supine position) at Fort Funston and at Big Sur in 1976. Shortly later I moved back to France and bought a Fledgling 2b directly from Manta and flew it in the Alps regularly. In 1981 I came back to the San Francisco Bay Area and I flew my Fledgling occasionally at Funston until 1982 or 1983 (not sure). However, I decided to switch my flying interests to general aviation. I still have my Fledgling 2b in my garage in the Bay Area. While I enjoyed flying airplanes, hang gliders were the closest to flying like a bird, almost free of any mechanical contraption.

[@chrisdrake7849]

Loved the fledge as a kid, flew one later in life, no base tube, just a wire, not that great on glide...I landed short to my surprise after a three hour flight at Dog mt, had a blast!

[@olsonspeed]

The Fledge was a big breakthrough in H/G design. Thanks for sharing your video.

[@rogeriolopes6297]

Outstanding hang glider!

[@soar8hours]

Very nice vintage wing :)
I had one and added a motor to it. lots of hours in it too.

[@goodteacup]

Me too, glider once, added Foxbat trike for practically! Too much fun!

[@paulbeukers2800]

I owned a ASW Flash SC, which was an 'improved' version of the Fledge made by Swiss herr Scherrer. Apart from the then superior flying performance, it was a constructional : read Rene Coulon's comments. Here, in Holland I flew the Flash in windy conditions from the sanddunes, needed 3 men to rig the glider, was very difficult to land in a small space, couldn't unhook, but most of all de connection pf the rudders was too weak andvI remember someone 'flew' them off.
A few years later I built a proper rigid wing .......

[@md.moinulislam9467]

Very good and unique sports design.....!

[@ronaldofernandotome3332]

Legal

[@danblumel]

The design by Klaus Hill, Morgan Utah. I worked for him for a summer. He died about 1977 or 1978. He was building and testing a new larger version for a very fat guy that was large enough for that guys excessive weight.

[@christheother9088]

Classic glider.

[@LoveconQuersall73]

Loved mine

[@jurijfranko9002]

I used to fly Fledge 1

[@paulbeukers2800]

It was a constructional failure

[@francoisdumas8452]

Bonjour
Je suis à la recherche d'un Fledge 2B. Si vous avez cela au fond d'un garage, je suis preneur !
François

[@Star-ty1nx]

Salut François, si tu es toujours à la recherche d’un Fledgling IIb, j'en ai un en excellente condition qui est entreposé dans mon garage depuis 1983. Toutefois il se trouve en Californie. C'était mon delta quand j'habitais en Haute-Savoie et que je volais régulièrement depuis le Salève. A l'époque j'étais représentant pour Manta Products dans la région Rhône-Alpes et la Suisse Romande. André

[@mystershow]

@@Star-ty1nx Hello André,
Je suis également intéressé si tu n'as pas eu de réponse. Il faudrait voir pour l'envoi depuis la Californie mais je suis partant.
J'ai un petit projet de restauration de vieux parapentes (Ailes de K principalement) et quelques amis deltistes en Suisse Romande pour le côté delta.
Un Fledge IIB a sa place dans la collection, je em souviens que Bertrand Piccard volait avec ça à l'époque :)
Salutations, Valentin

[@Star-ty1nx]

@@mystershow Bonjour Valentin, Merci de me communiquer votre intérêt pour mon "Manta Fledge 2B". Je vais me renseigner auprès d'une agence de fret aérien pour obtenir un devis. Seriez-vous intéressé d'en prendre possession directement à l'aéroport de Genève, ou préférez-vous le recevoir à une adresse de votre choix, ce qui coûtera certainement plus cher. Après vous avoir fourni un devis de transport aérien, et si vous êtes intéressé de poursuivre cette transaction, je préférerais que nous communiquions en privé, hors de youtube. Cheers, André

[@mystershow]

​@@Star-ty1nxje me permets de relancer car ça m'intéresse toujours 😁

[@Star-ty1nx]

@@mystershow Valentin. J'ai essayé de te répondre mais il semble que ma réponse a été censurée par JPAREO ou CZcams.