Mt Fuji Hang Gliding - One of the more popular spots for...

TAGATA, SHIZUOKA-KEN, JAPAN - 2017/11/25: Mt Fuji Hang Gliding - One of the more popular spots for hang gliding is in the Izu Peninsula south of Mount Fuji, where wind conditions are idea and the terrain is hilly with flat valleys for safe landings. Plus, the backdrop view of Mt Fuji is an extra plus. Hang gliding is a recreational activity using an air glider made of aluminum or composite frames covered with lightweight sailcloth which forms a birdlike wing. The hang glider will use a harness suspended from the frame, and controls the glider by shifting body weight in opposition to the frame. With improved methods and hang gliders pilots can drift and soar for hours, gain thousands of feet of altitude using updrafts, perform aerobatics, and glide cross-country. Because of the poor safety record of early hang gliders, the sport has long been considered to be unsafe but advances in training and glider construction have led to a much better safety record thanks to being built using sturdy materials plus modern gliders now have built-in dive recovery mechanisms. Pilots carry parachutes enclosed in their harnesses in case of serious problems. Pilots also wear helmets. Therefore, the accident rate from hang glider flying has been dramatically decreased by pilot training. People in hang gliders wrap themselves in harnesses such as pod harnesses that are put on like a jacket. The most common method of launching is from a hill on foot with ideal wind conditions. (Photo by John S Lander/LightRocket via Getty Images)