Soaring in glider planes

I am a trained glider pilot BBB

Yeah, me too, I've flown in them a few times, but have not done a solo takeoff or landing.

One thing to say is, it's not usually so smooth and stately in the air as it seems from the ground. Weather conditions in Britain usually mean that the pilot is constantly on the move, trimming the plane to level. Lumpy air moves one wing up, then the other. But sometimes it's very smooth.

Gautam and McTag, talk to me about soaring PLEASE!
Gautam and McTag, WOW! Talk to me about gliding---PLEASE!

BBB

Gautam's done more than me. I've only been on gliding holidays, where you spend more time retreiving the aircraft on the ground than flying them. Near where I live, you can do slope soaring, where the glider is catapulted off the top of a long hill, then you can soar on the updraught afforded by the hill, and try to find thermals which will take you higher. But, you've got to land back on the hill again, or it's a long job getting the plane back.

If you're rich, you can get more flying time in, and also get a tow up to a good height. I've never been towed up by another aircraft, only had catapult launches. But it's great fun!

I would like to learn to fly a microlight, and I considered doing that last summer. Haven't done it yet, though.

McTag's Microlight glider

http://www.kiss400.com/Basicfaq.asp

For the brave at heart who don't need to be sheltered inside a cockpit glider plane.

BBB

BBB, I took up gliding asa hobby when I was a student back in India - and it slowly turned into an obsession !!!

My longest flight lasted for abt 90 minutes and reached heights of upto 3000 feet, soaring was pretty easy in India as we frequently could catch thermals due to the hot weather - and reaching 1500-2000 feet was pretty common and flights lasting for abt 30 minutes !! Have done the works, stalls, spins, emergency landings....it is thrilling beyond words.

Have you read A Gift of Wings by Richard Bach ? If you love flying, then this is the best book you can ever read !

Gautam
Gautam, thanks for the book lead, I will check it out.

What were your emotions while you were soaring?
What sensory memories do you have?
What scary events did you endure?
How much trust did you have in your tow pilots?
Did you fly in an open or closed cockpit?
Did you take passengers in your glider?
Did you own your own glider or rent one?
Are you still gliding or have you given it up?

BBB

BBB, it is an experience beyond words !!! Imagine soaring like a bird in the sky. There is no noise, no vibration, just you and the sky beyond. I always got a sense of "freedom" when I took off - as if nothing is holding me back to this world, I have no worries, and up there, my existance is pure, uncomplicated.

Luckily for me, did not have any scary events, except when the cable broke while we were being winched, but we had enuff height to turn right arnd and land. The scariest part wa slanding with a sideslip - my orientation with the runway used to go for a toss during that.

I was not licensed to take passengers before I gave up (when I moved to UK and real life caught up) - and given the weather here, I am not sure much soaring can be done. Also, it is much much more expensive here than it wasin India.

I used the glider from the gliding club -I was a student, and was not able to afford one, and my dad wasnt gonna buy me one either

Oh, and I flew in closed cockpits always...

Gautam
Tautam, WOW! Thanks. I so wish I could have found a pilot willing to endure me upchucking all over him in the back seat so I could have experienced what you describe.

Sigh

BBB

Sideslip, that's a funny thing to get used to.

When you're in a car, the road comes straight at you. (Unless you're in big trouble!)
But in a glider, with a wind blowing along the ground at at different angle to the way your glider's pointing, you "crab" across the ground at a vector which is the sum of the velocity thingies. That takes a bit of getting used to. I don't know how these eagles and hawks ever manage to catch anything

McTag and Gautam
Glider slide slipping

http://www.gliding.co.nz/Operations/Instruct/p4.pdf

I am a trained hang glider and this past summer I took up paragliding off the mountains. I don't have a fear of heights nor motion sickness so for me it is an exhilarating experience. Just make sure your health insurance is paid up ; ).

NickFun
NickFun, you must think the risk is worth the high.

BBB

Helios, the solar-power flying wing
Helios, the solar-power flying wing

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/Helios/Small/index.html