This practice had its origins in the experiences made by Otto Lilienthal with gliders and other flight devices that he piloted himself. Francis Rogallo, when working for NASA, developed a flexible triangular wing, easily manoeuvred and dismountable and Bill Moyes stimulated the use of this wing for playful ends.
Hang gliding is a type of aircraft with only one wing supported by aluminium pipes; its name is due to its triangular shape similar to the letter delta of the Greek alphabet. This sport consists of jumping of an elevated place, top of a mountain or mount, strapped by the waist and landing in an unsheltered place.
The Paragliding derived from the controlled parachutes resulting in a wing without a rigid structure made of light cells and lighter than the hang gliding, but equally manoeuvred. On contrary to the parachutes, these devices allow to gain altitude and speed, being able to make long flights similar to the hang gliding. In the Paragliding the pilot is seated in a "suspended chair" in the wing.
These two activities are regularly practised in Madeira. The mild and steady climate during great part of the year makes of the islands of Madeira and Porto
Santo excellent places for the practice of Hang Gliding and Paragliding.
Some clubs and companies organize, from time to time, courses and strolls for non-practitioners, being possible, to a visitor of this archipelago, to better appreciate the islands' landscapes.