To the Editor.—
The recent report by Krissoff and Eiseman appears to be the first to document injuries associated with the sport of hang gliding. As an active participant in this new sport I would like to point out some additional factors relating to injuries sustained by hang glider pilots. While it is true to say that most serious and fatal accidents involve relatively experienced pilots flying in less than optimal conditions, those less qualified certainly account for many of the less serious injuries sustained in the sport.
Among the commonest injuries requiring medical attention are forearm fractures. This usually occurs as a result of the pilot losing pitch stability and the glider nose diving into the ground. The pilot's body weight is suddenly thrust forward onto his forearms as his hands are held stationary gripping the triangular trapeze bar. Depending on the angle at which the pilot and glider
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