How many here fly gliders too?

[Rob Milliken]

Yeah i mess around with gliders as well. Took a break for a few years. I'm in the UK for a couple of years on a work assignment and have taken it back up again for something to do on the weekends. The club i fly at has a ridge which is pretty slick (though not had the chance yet to ride it). I'm solo but still in the twin-seater k21's - i'm too light to get into the Astir CS (79kg min!!!) and not enough time for the LS4.

 

When i come back to Melbourne i will probably get back into it. I like the idea of a syndicate Taurus/Sinus. I dont know what the soaring is like around Melbourne, but i can imagine flying the aircraft up to Mt Buffalo area turning the motor off and mucking around would be a blast.

 

Anyhow, nice to meet you all. Long time lurker.

 

Rob

 

 

[MrH]

Me, once many years ago, love them - beautiful to look at & beautiful in flight ;)

 

H

 

 

[kevinfrost]

Silver C, Had a Boomerang, Cirrus and cross between a Hutter & Grunau Baby which we use to reflex launch till the club stopped us as it was banned because of the danger. It was like being shot out of a sling shot. 13 types with a lot of ridge flying, great fun. I miss it.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

I have a had a few hours, not licensed but so all with an instructor.

Same here, initially a little bit in the mid 80's and then some more in the mid 90's. Closest I've come to it since then is a TIF in a Jabiru a year ago at The Oaks. So I've had some "Stick & Rudder", but I found getting used to the ground steering on the Jab' a bit hard, being the opposite to the trike ground steering - but I've heard you get used to it eventually.

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Just thought it would be interesting to see how many of us here fly gliders, or have flown them in your past.

Hi Tommo

Great to hear your enjoying the gliders. I have some gliding experience and presently enjoying learning to fly RAA.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Got a Silver C and gold distance and duration, about 200 hours over 600 takeoffs (and landings) and an Assistant Instructor's rating but last flew one in 1987.I did 5 hr 07 mins with an 8000' height gain to get the Silver C in an Astir CS KYP, and I did 4 hr 28 Min and 250 km out and return in Blanik GOY to win the Rose Week Festival with Peter Johnson. Also quite a bit of time in an Rf5 Fournier MG which helped me with bouncy taildraggers later on. Mike Valentine, John Viney, Ingo Renner and Peter Johnson are some of the names in my log book... great pilots all.

 

A wonderful sport but it seems to have lost a lot of followers in recent years.

 

kaz

Hi

Isn't it great to get the 5 hour duration monkey off your back. When I did mine the launch point awarded 5 hours and 30 seconds. But the down load of the logger recorded 5 hours and 2 seconds (from release). I was so glad that when I landed and flew past the crew at the launch point I decided to hold off and keep flying as long as possible just off the deck. I knew that my total time was just under or just over the five hours so held off after rounding out as long a safely possible; too give it my best shot with no regrets. It paid off, luck was on my side. As you know when the fuel (lift) runs out you must land soon. The flight was in a Blanik at Central Queensland.

 

Cheers Mike

 

 

[kaz3g]

HiIsn't it great to get the 5 hour duration monkey off your back. When I did mine the launch point awarded 5 hours and 30 seconds. But the down load of the logger recorded 5 hours and 2 seconds (from release). I was so glad that when I landed and flew past the crew at the launch point I decided to hold off and keep flying as long as possible just off the deck. I knew that my total time was just under or just over the five hours so held off after rounding out as long a safely possible; too give it my best shot with no regrets. It paid off, luck was on my side. As you know when the fuel (lift) runs out you must land soon. The flight was in a Blanik at Central Queensland.

Cheers Mike

5 hours is a big day in anything but 5 hours in a Blanik is either the stuff of champions or it was a hell of a good day! I know I felt like I'd been wrung out when I did mine and I didn't have to work that hard in the CS. Well done Mike .

 

kaz

 

 

[pylon500]

5 hours is a big day in anything but 5 hours in a Blanik is either the stuff of champions or it was a hell of a good day!

Not trying to brag (mainly because of a mistake) when I went to do my 5 hours, in a BLANIK, I forgot what time I took off.

Took off with a digital watch at 11:50 and thinking to myself "OK, ten to twelve".

 

After an afternoon of street running, NOT playing with clouds ( 'cause I wouldn't do that....) and running away from lightning strikes, (the day seriously overdeveloped) I got to thinking, "did I take off at 11:50, or ten to twelve, or was it twelve fifty?, crap!"

 

So I just stayed there til I could see the sun going down and ended up landing after 6 hours, 15 minutes.

 

I also got to 9300ft to get my Silver height as well, launch was about 3400ft.

 

Just out of interest, the day before I did my silver distance in a Ka6, 105 klms, that took me 2 hours 25 minutes, I'm definately no competition pilot.

 

 

[Yenn]

I can't match the above, ut I did enjoy some time in the original Kookaburra at Cobar in 1972, but it was damaged before I soloed and I ended up doing a bit of maintenance on it. I then arrived at Narromine and managed to double my previous time after an aero tow and had to come down due to failing light. More recently I did about 20 mins at Dululu and had to come down due to lack of cash. I really ought to get back into it as it is great fun.

 

 

[justplanecrazy]

Thanks to Air Training Corp, I did a week of gliding @ Renmark as a teen, with 2 solo flights. A fantastic experience and would love to do more.

 

 

[Ardydublu]

First starting Gliding at Adelaide Soaring Club in mid 70's and had a 1/3 share in a 17m Glasflugel H401 Kestrel for a couple of years. Also had unrestricted PPL. Life's disasters (Broken marriage/finances) forced cessation of flying early 80's. Only resumed flying a few years ago to discover RAAus, but I still reckon that you can't go past gliding for pure recreational flying fun. Now flying motorglider (Grob 109) at Murray Bridge Gliding Club and had a 6 hour duration flight covering 313kms with a top of 12800ft only last Wednesday 7th Dec. 2011. Took a Lancair jockey friend of mine with me and he was blown away by the experience. Best fun ever with your pants on!!!

 

 

[winsor68]

Ra-Aus needs a G(lider) endo... there are a few good Lsa registerable motorgliders that would make good mounts for all the ex GFA CFI's amongst the current instructor ranks...?

 

 

[Blueadventures]

I can't match the above, ut I did enjoy some time in the original Kookaburra at Cobar in 1972, but it was damaged before I soloed and I ended up doing a bit of maintenance on it. I then arrived at Narromine and managed to double my previous time after an aero tow and had to come down due to failing light. More recently I did about 20 mins at Dululu and had to come down due to lack of cash. I really ought to get back into it as it is great fun.

Hi Yen.

 

How's your RV comming along. Thanks for the hospitality recently at the airfield and your home.

 

I'm still taming the Skyfox.

 

When I get down to the Dixalea (via Dululu) club I'll finish the annual on my Blanik at then your welcome to fly over and join me in some gliding. I expect to get down in January and it'll take best part of a day to finish the remaining checks then I get her in the air again.

 

Cheers Mike

 

 

[domus36]

Just thought it would be interesting to see how many of us here fly gliders, or have flown them in your past.

I was flying gliders till 1976 ; AS K13 , Bergfalke, Blanik L 13 (with this one I climbed till 4,600 meters over Guidonia, Italy- the tow leaved me at 600 meters)

 

 

[pudestcon]

After reading this thread I thought I'd give it a go. So, I went to Beverley today at the invitation of my fried Stefan who is an instructor with the Beverley Soaring Society to do a TIF. I had a great time but had to cut the flight short because I was getting motion sickness - buggar!! The glider is so much different to flying a Thruster it ain't funny!! I even had trouble keeping the glider balanced - watch the string, watch the string. Glide ratio is just a little better than my Thruster too:augie:

 

Pud

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I posted before on this thread with what I flew back then I went for silver C in the Bergfaulk but I couldn't use any cushions and anyone who has flown a Bergie knows how much rudder you had to use with them but the seat and back was just plywood I should have just used at least a thin cushion and after 4 hrs or so I had to land my back and bum were killing me. The flight that will stick with me all my life was a terrible day there was a inversion at about 3000 and no one was getting through. I was flying around and saw Bjelkie Joe's king air coming in so waited for Berryl to land and when coming in on downwind over the terminal at Kingaroy at about 1200 the Kingair must have burst a big bubble sitting over the parking tarmac and wooska this huge push hit me from underneath so instantly I banked her over and started to ride the thermal up. Well blow me down the vario was off the clock and I was gong up like a rocket so much so I burst through the inversion and kept going up. At about 6000 I saw this big wedge tail coming up the core towards me and when he got to me he came out and formatted on me about 2 mtrs from the canopy and was thermalling with me just above the cockpit and watching me I was starting to get a bit worried because i had only recently read about a Italian pilot who had a eagle get pissed off with him and attacked the canopy and burst it the guy managed to kill the eagle and land but he was badly cut up. Anyway the eagle stayed with me till around 7000 then went back into the core and he kept going up at 7500 I thought I am going to get hammered by the CFI and decided I had better head for home. There was so much lift I had to crack the brakes to try to get down and even so then I had to find some sink. When I landed the CFI was walking over to me and I thought now I am in for it starting to thermal while on a high downwind well he did give a bolocking about it but then told me everyone was swapping the bins around and watching me go through the inversion and also they saw the eagle they couldn't believe it either so all in all it was a bad day for some decisions but a fantastic memory I will have all my life.

 

I really loved gliding it is such a pure form of flight and if you are not good at it you won't stay up it teaches the finer points of the skill of flying

 

Mark

 

 

[Exadios]

After reading this thread I thought I'd give it a go. So, I went to Beverley today at the invitation of my fried Stefan who is an instructor with the Beverley Soaring Society to do a TIF. I had a great time but had to cut the flight short because I was getting motion sickness - buggar!! The glider is so much different to flying a Thruster it ain't funny!! I even had trouble keeping the glider balanced - watch the string, watch the string. Glide ratio is just a little better than my Thruster too:augie:Pud

If you went on the flight on the Saturday (2012/02/11) then that was a reasonably rough day. I few people told me that it was the roughest day they had flown. I have seen rougher myself but it was up there.

 

My point is that it was not a typical day - big time "stipple". So your motion sickness may have been a result of the day. Give it another try on a better day. Learning to fly a glider has a lot to offer a power pilot in that it teaches skills that are usefull to powered flight.

 

 

[nomadpete]

All disciplines of flying are good. The more variety you can experience, the more broard your knowledge of the air. And therefore the better equipped you are to bag out the 'other' kinds of flying.

 

Started out with gliding but sadly have let it slide the past couple of yrs. I reckon stepping from my Lightwing into a 'proper' glider is like getting into a F1 racecar. Gliders are relatively such high performance aircraft. Anybody reading this, who hasn't yet gone gliding, should get out of their comfort zone (or armchair) and get out to their nearest gliding club. Be prepared for a relaxing and exciting day. Just don't expect to do a hit and run.

 

Peter

 

 

[pudestcon]

If you went on the flight on the Saturday (2012/02/11) then that was a reasonably rough day. I few people told me that it was the roughest day they had flown. I have seen rougher myself but it was up there.My point is that it was not a typical day - big time "stipple". So your motion sickness may have been a result of the day. Give it another try on a better day. Learning to fly a glider has a lot to offer a power pilot in that it teaches skills that are usefull to powered flight.

Yeah, it wasn't that good a day. I spoke with Greg Beecroft after he came back from the set task on the day. He gave it away after turning at Grass Valley for the leg to Shackleton as the thermals were very variable. So he only did one leg, and, as you would know, Greg is no slouch in the gliding department!! I think he was the only one to even make the first leg. There was one outlanding and another pilot came very close before jagging some lift.

Pud

 

 

[Exadios]

Yeah, it wasn't that good a day. I spoke with Greg Beecroft after he came back from the set task on the day. He gave it away after turning at Grass Valley for the leg to Shackleton as the thermals were very variable. So he only did one leg, and, as you would know, Greg is no slouch in the gliding department!! I think he was the only one to even make the first leg. There was one outlanding and another pilot came very close before jagging some lift.Pud

Yes. Paul Oakley landed out from YNRG. The rest aborted their tasks south of Pingelly.

 

It was only a 6500' day and it seemed impossible to center the thermals. A number of times I had my wing lifted so strongly that I had to use full airleron and rudder to counter act it but when I turned into it there was nothing there! Weird.

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

All disciplines of flying are good. The more variety you can experience, the more broard your knowledge of the air. And therefore the better equipped you are to bag out the 'other' kinds of flying.Started out with gliding but sadly have let it slide the past couple of yrs. I reckon stepping from my Lightwing into a 'proper' glider is like getting into a F1 racecar. Gliders are relatively such high performance aircraft. Anybody reading this, who hasn't yet gone gliding, should get out of their comfort zone (or armchair) and get out to their nearest gliding club. Be prepared for a relaxing and exciting day. Just don't expect to do a hit and run.

Peter

Gday Nomad Pete I am also from Twba and fly a Jab from Wyreema.Where do you fly from? Perhaps you wouldlike to catch up sometime?

Andy

 

 

[kgwilson]

The flight that will stick with me all my life was a terrible day there was a inversion at about 3000 and no one was getting through. I was flying around and saw Bjelkie Joe's king air coming in so waited for Berryl to land and when coming in on downwind over the terminal at Kingaroy at about 1200 the Kingair must have burst a big bubble sitting over the parking tarmac and wooska this huge push hit me from underneath so instantly I banked her over and started to ride the thermal up. Well blow me down the vario was off the clock and I was gong up like a rocket so much so I burst through the inversion and kept going up. At about 6000 I saw this big wedge tail coming up the core towards me and when he got to me he came out and formatted on me about 2 mtrs from the canopy and was thermalling with me just above the cockpit and watching me I was starting to get a bit worried because i had only recently read about a Italian pilot who had a eagle get pissed off with him and attacked the canopy and burst it the guy managed to kill the eagle and land but he was badly cut up. Anyway the eagle stayed with me till around 7000 then went back into the core and he kept going up at 7500 I thought I am going to get hammered by the CFI and decided I had better head for home. There was so much lift I had to crack the brakes to try to get down and even so then I had to find some sink. When I landed the CFI was walking over to me and I thought now I am in for it starting to thermal while on a high downwind well he did give a bolocking about it but then told me everyone was swapping the bins around and watching me go through the inversion and also they saw the eagle they couldn't believe it either so all in all it was a bad day for some decisions but a fantastic memory I will have all my life.I really loved gliding it is such a pure form of flight and if you are not good at it you won't stay up it teaches the finer points of the skill of flying

Mark

What a great story and adventure. Brought back some great Gliding memories. I couldn't agree more with your last sentence.

 

 

[Keenaviator]

There are different forms of gliding too. How about HANG gliding and PARA gliding? I took up paragliding about three years ago and found it very addictive, so much so that I have sold my beloved Corby Starlet due to insufficient space to carry my PG. I now have a Jabbie UL450 kit project which is nearing completion. By the way, the UL450 has a claimed glide ratio of 18:1 and sink rate of 250' per minute so I'm thinking there are going to be fun quiet times (deliberately) apart from the sound of a vario happily beeping away. Plus of course there is now room for a couple of PG wings and associated gear.

 

 

[Wayne T Mathews]

There are different forms of gliding too. How about HANG gliding and PARA gliding? I took up paragliding about three years ago and found it very addictive, so much so that I have sold my beloved Corby Starlet due to insufficient space to carry my PG. I now have a Jabbie UL450 kit project which is nearing completion. By the way, the UL450 has a claimed glide ratio of 18:1 and sink rate of 250' per minute so I'm thinking there are going to be fun quiet times (deliberately) apart from the sound of a vario happily beeping away. Plus of course there is now room for a couple of PG wings and associated gear.

Before you go shutting down your RA Aus registered aircraft inflight, Keenaviator, you might want to talk to the Ops Manager, Zane. Fore if he finds out you've deliberately shut down your engine without a CFI on board with you, the odds are better than fair Zane'll be talking to you, and I doubt that it'll be a pleasant experience.

 

 

[Keenaviator]

It'll be quiet enough at idle.