Although the standard which you will be expected to reach will be the same in every school, the actual training programme and methods may vary. This is because they are determined by the craft (hang glider or paraglider), the type of launch method (hill or tow), the site, and the weather on the day. Once you have mastered controlling the glider on the ground (‘ground handling’) – which is not as easy as it looks! – you will be taught to take off and land correctly. = Your first flights will be in a straight line, only a few feet above the ground. (If you are learning on a hang glider these flights will often be ‘tethered’, with the instructor able to control the glider through his tether rope.)