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I just re-viewed "Turkey Shoot at Makapuu" (S08E19). I was curious how they did the shots of the hang-glider far above the ground showing the "pilot," so I contacted John Thorp who was involved with the production of the episode. I had met him 24 years ago at the H50 convention in Burbank. I have incorporated his comments into my write-up. He also worked on "Practical Jokes Can Kill You" (S09E23) and other shows.
http://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log8.htm#187
Cool interview. Did you notice in one or more of the early launching scenes it really looked like the person or persons holding the tip of the glider down were not using the safety equipment yet near the end of the episode the camera zooms in and makes a clear effort to show the assisting person click on a safety harness so they can't be pushed off the edge of the cliff. I wonder if someone got a safety tongue lashing! In one of those early scenes I was shocked at how cavalier it was done.
Yes, I noticed the "unsafe" launch of the hang-glider. I think the guy named Carl (Byron Akiona, his only role on the show), who was the "ground crew," was either a stunt man or familiar with hang-gliding. In the second of the first three pictures, where he does not have a belt holding him to the launch pad, you can see he is standing in front of the 1,300-foot drop. In the first of the next three pictures (where he is wearing a purple shirt), he puts a belt on. A good thing, too, when "Molly" launches, she almost kicks him in the head!