Launch and Recovery  Procedures and Flight  Maneuvers Chapter 7 Introduction In the early days of soaring, gliders were launched from  the top of a hill into the wind by means of bungee cord, a  stretchable cord made of rubber bands. The tail of the glider  was held back or tied down, and the bungee was attached  at its midpoint to a hook on the nose of the glider. Then, a  group of people took each end and, when the signals were  given, they walked, then ran with the bungee as hard as they  could. When the tension became quite high, the tail tie-down  was severed, or released, and the glider shot ahead as though  it had been launched from a slingshot. 