Guild Wars 2

on new HoT accounts immediately (level 2) in Tyria, or does the account have to have Glider Basics, which implies at least one level 80 campaigning in HoT for a bit?

You have to have unlocked the basic glider mastery in HoT so you will need at least one level 80 to start HoT maps. That first mastery unlocks rather quickly, it’s just the getting your first character to 80 may take a bit of time.

Yes, I understand unlocking it.

I could not answer my OP because my account has several 80’s and I opened it early. I am talking a friend into HoT, a first timer to GW2, and wondered if they could glide coming right into the game, in Tyria, while leveling or needed a character to 80 to open the skill for Tyria use.

As Behellagh said, you need at least one level 80 character, and you can’t start gliding until you begin masteries (which requires doing the first little bit of the HoT story).