Narrative:

As we were flying through the pass, approximately 75 hang gliders at the ridge. Bur approach reported to us, 'hang glider activity in the area.' the experience was similar to flying almost into a flock of birds. They were from the top of the ridge to the bases of the clouds (about 6000'), and on both sides of our aircraft. They were flying IMC and in random directions. Supplemental information from acn 176440: while in an en route descent into bur from the north, we encountered a swarm of hang gliders. Bur approach said, 'hang glider activity has been reported in the area.' they were flying IMC above 6000'. After discussing the situation with the local FSDO, I was told they have no special use airspace and do not operate under any rules or regulations. I find this very alarming and extremely unsafe. Callback conversations with both rptrs revealed the following: no flight plan was filed. This was a VFR part 135 chkride. The bur ATIS contained information about hang glider activity and they also received information from approach control. Aircraft was not on radar vectors, but receiving traffic advisories from bur. One reporter stated that this area is used by a lot of fixed wing aircraft and recommends that the gliders be restr to 5000'. The cloud conditions was not solid overcast, but a large cloud over the hang glider area. One reporter says not sure if gliders were in the clouds or not, but they were close and it appeared they were. Pilot did not know this was a designated hang glider area; however, the check pilot was aware and advised the pilot. They expected to see activity, but not as many as they saw--maybe up to 100. This also occurred on a wkend, which might account for the large # of gliders. Their aircraft flew right through this aircraft and the pilot stated that it appeared that some gliders took evasive action to miss them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX REPORTER COMES IN CLOSE PROX TO HANG GLIDERS NORTHWEST OF BUR. CLAIMS THEY WERE OPERATING IN IMC IN RANDOM DIRECTIONS.

Narrative: AS WE WERE FLYING THROUGH THE PASS, APPROX 75 HANG GLIDERS AT THE RIDGE. BUR APCH RPTED TO US, 'HANG GLIDER ACTIVITY IN THE AREA.' THE EXPERIENCE WAS SIMILAR TO FLYING ALMOST INTO A FLOCK OF BIRDS. THEY WERE FROM THE TOP OF THE RIDGE TO THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS (ABOUT 6000'), AND ON BOTH SIDES OF OUR ACFT. THEY WERE FLYING IMC AND IN RANDOM DIRECTIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 176440: WHILE IN AN ENRTE DSNT INTO BUR FROM THE N, WE ENCOUNTERED A SWARM OF HANG GLIDERS. BUR APCH SAID, 'HANG GLIDER ACTIVITY HAS BEEN RPTED IN THE AREA.' THEY WERE FLYING IMC ABOVE 6000'. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH THE LCL FSDO, I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NO SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE AND DO NOT OPERATE UNDER ANY RULES OR REGS. I FIND THIS VERY ALARMING AND EXTREMELY UNSAFE. CALLBACK CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH RPTRS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THIS WAS A VFR PART 135 CHKRIDE. THE BUR ATIS CONTAINED INFO ABOUT HANG GLIDER ACTIVITY AND THEY ALSO RECEIVED INFO FROM APCH CTL. ACFT WAS NOT ON RADAR VECTORS, BUT RECEIVING TFC ADVISORIES FROM BUR. ONE RPTR STATED THAT THIS AREA IS USED BY A LOT OF FIXED WING ACFT AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE GLIDERS BE RESTR TO 5000'. THE CLOUD CONDITIONS WAS NOT SOLID OVCST, BUT A LARGE CLOUD OVER THE HANG GLIDER AREA. ONE RPTR SAYS NOT SURE IF GLIDERS WERE IN THE CLOUDS OR NOT, BUT THEY WERE CLOSE AND IT APPEARED THEY WERE. PLT DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS A DESIGNATED HANG GLIDER AREA; HOWEVER, THE CHK PLT WAS AWARE AND ADVISED THE PLT. THEY EXPECTED TO SEE ACTIVITY, BUT NOT AS MANY AS THEY SAW--MAYBE UP TO 100. THIS ALSO OCCURRED ON A WKEND, WHICH MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR THE LARGE # OF GLIDERS. THEIR ACFT FLEW RIGHT THROUGH THIS ACFT AND THE PLT STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT SOME GLIDERS TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS THEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.