Hang-Glider Attempts To Break World Record in Texas

The hot and dry conditions in Texas are ideal weather for hang-gliders. I only know this because extreme hang-glider Jonny Durand says the heat helps keep gliders say high in the sky due to "thermals, or rising columns of hot air."

As summer solstice begins, so does Durand's journey to set a world record by flying 475 miles from South Texas to West Texas. Beginning from Zapata, Texas Durand plans to glide across Texas until he reaches his final destination of Lorenzo, Texas.

If conditions allow a successful journey, Durand will hold four world records. The other three records are for reaching a record distance of 346 miles to a prearrange destination, for hitting a top speed of 44.29 mph in Australia and for 56.18 mph over a round trip of 62 miles, also in Australian.

Durand is hoping to just fly as long as he can in the Texas skies and beat the record of 474.4 miles set by Dustin Martin. As long as weather allows and he avoids commercial air traffic, Durand could pull of a record breaking flight this week. He will be flying around Laredo, San Angelo and Lubbock so maybe you might see him in your neighborhood!