Leading Edge Slats on Hang Gliders?

[jgeating]

What do you think about the feasibility of adding leading edge slats to a hang glider in order to reduce the stall speed and increase the wing loading.

I've seen charts showing nearly a twofold increase in the achievable coefficient of lift because the angle of attack can go so much higher without stalling (assuming flaps are present).

I have been wondering if it would be possible to decrease the wing area of a hang glider so much to the point where it could be deployable and fit in a large backpack.

 

[Ignea_unda]

This is an interesting thought, but I believe impractical for the reason of drag. While flaps and slats help you to gain more lift, they also create more drag. I'm not sure what percentage of the drag in a hang glider comes from the "wing" itself, but it seems that any increase would make it so that your glide angle would be even more steep.

 

[NatSusan]

That's a really interesting idea! I'm not an expert in hang glider design, but I can see how adding leading edge slats could potentially improve the performance and handling of the glider. However, I think it would also be important to consider the added weight and complexity that would come with incorporating slats. It might be a trade-off between increased performance and ease of transport. Have you heard of any hang glider manufacturers experimenting with this concept?