Gliders

[Admin]

Just curious whether we should create a forum for Gliders - similiar to the current GA forum we have here. My only concern is whether we would get enough posts to warrant onefor if we don't it becomes just another forum that takes up space on the main page and not generating any interest

 

 

[Captain]

Ian

 

I fly them and I own one .... and it appears that a few of us do or have.

 

On the negative side,Gliding has a dedicated Forum at www.ausgliding.comwhich has not been wildly patronised and many on that Forum prefer to use the email list/ring.

 

On the other side, they are Recreational Flying aircraft.

 

You have the option of giving it a fixed trial period and dump it from the front page if it is not reasonably active.

 

Regards Geoff

 

 

[pylon500]

Even as a former glider pilot (260hrs, 19 types & Silver C) I doubt that I would really need to post in a dedicated gliding thread.

 

I don't think I've ever even bothered to look in the GA thread! :;)2:

 

I do miss gliding now and then, but I cure that when the thermols are booming.

 

Hey Captain what you got?

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Captain]

G'day Arthur

 

ASW28-18E ... similar to the factory pics below.

 

My main justification (to my wife) for building the J230 was so that I can fly it down to where the Glider is kept when the X-country weather window is good ..... and save time driving.

 

To my surprise, she endorsed that logic. I should have used it earlier.

 

Regards Geoff

 

Captain

 

 

 

 

[Guest micgrace]

Hi Arthur/Ian

 

Might try some of that logic too. Every cent has to be wrung out. Interestingly she was the first in an ultralight before me. She was a real estate agent and needed some photos of a property from the air so enlisted the help of a friend with a Drifter.

 

I wouldn't mind a post on gliding incorporated. Done a bit of that. Although I haven't returned after a cable break (that's no fun) Maybe I should do some more?

 

I seen what the pics were like. That was it for me dump the GA flying a tincan (152)around in a circle endless medicals etc.

 

Prior to that to fly I thought you had to go GA. The instructor at the time never mentioned it. Maybe a lot of people have that impression still.

 

But this is for comments for this website. How about a direct link to take you straight back to the forum after posting? Or I am missing something?

 

Micgrace micgrace

 

 

[pylon500]

G'Day 'Captain'

 

Gee, with a machine like that, I was supprised that you would even bother to fly ultralights, but as you say, it sure beats driving! ;)

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Admin]

That is a beautiful machine Capt

 

 

[Admin]

Ok, so it seems a Yes for a Glider Forum

 

I will set it upbutI willsay after a month or so if there isn't much activity in it then we might have to re-evaluate whether it is really worth having.

 

Now there's a challenge to all the glider pilots - let all your glider colleagues know about it and let's try and make it a valuable contribution here.

 

Hey, you now even have me interested so I might look at going up in a glider now but there is something about having that fan up the front but the experience would help any pilot should that fan decide to suddenly stop :confused:

 

That reminds me of a time at my club when a Glider Pilot was training in a Gazelle for their conversion. So there they were, a highly experienced instructor and a glider pilot practicing forced landings when a circlip in the carby broke and they had a real life engine failure - what better situation could you get - a highly experienced instructor and a glider pilot doing a real forced landing. I heard they didn't even bother doing a Mayday call and just simply glided/landed into a paddock and "Phoned Home"

 

 

[Captain]

Ian

 

You make a valid point.

 

When you are used to the "silence" it isn't (quite) as daunting when the noise stops.

 

But another point I would make is that X-Country Glider pilots spend their entire time looking at or for good paddocks all the while during a flight.

 

When you are doing that all the timeI believe that itmakes spotting & prioritising suitable paddocks easier and it also gets you schooled in spotting the indicators of powerlines (shadows of poles, growth around the bases of poles etc) although is this outlanding caper there are NEVER any guarantees.

 

Regards Geoff

 

 

[Ross]

Often in western areas where there are grazing stock in paddocks with few trees if any at all, the small area probably a metre or so wide around the base of power poles may be bare of grass. Stock often use poles, fenceposts or trees as back or rather body scratchers. This often provides a stark contrast in colour to the surrounding general grass land or crop colour. In a drought situation everything may be the same colour including the air and the poles.

 

Regards Old not bold glider pilot

 

 

[maxamos]

I would agree that a glider forum is a good idea, but when looking at the dates there hasn't been much traffic on it of late.

 

Have just completed my A and B certificate, and also my 5hr endurance on my conversion flight to single seaters, which made me pretty happy.

 

I have only just taken up flying about two years ago, and started of with a glider trial flight thinking about getting into it. Decided as it was April, and I live in Victoria, that the season was on the decline and that it would be better to leave it until Spring / Summer. Then I thought it would be a good idea to get a lesson or two in powered planes to get better stick / rudder control. At this point I didn't know that RAA existed and considered ultralights powered hang gliders. Next thing I was having a ball flying Jabiru's and completed my RAA licence early last year. Still like flying anything I can, but am tending to fly gliders more as it is a bit easier on the finances. Lots of fun too, and it has really improved my flying, especially with the spin and stall training. Thats one side of gliding training which is a real advantage to novice pilots, all the low speed flying.

 

Anyway, glad to see the glider forum.

 

 

[bushpilot]

Ok, so it seems a Yes for a Glider Forum I will set it upbutI willsay after a month or so if there isn't much activity in it then we might have to re-evaluate whether it is really worth having.

The difficulty with this approach is that glider pilots (or those interested in gliding) will not readily find this Forum. Telling those that have found it to tell their friends to come to this Forum, can only work if a significant number are already here.

 

I found the Forum through an advert. in RAA mag. So an advert. in GFA mag. (which is also the HGFA mag.) would likely attract an audience. But to justify the expense Ian has to decide if they are really a target audience segment...

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

 

[Yenn]

Gliding is great fun but not easily available to me. I have found it a challenge jumping from a plane like a Thruster with the glide angle little better than a brick into a high performance glider. The approach has to be flattened out until it seems impossible to make the field, and even then it took all of the action of speed brakes and was nearly an overshoot. Good job the instructor was with me as I am sure I would have come in too step.

 

 

[Guest Graham Lea]

Call the gfa and get them to advertise it in their mags etc..

 

It may take a bit more time than you have allowed...

 

Knowledge seems to be passed by talk among the group rather than anything else at times...

 

 

[BigPete]

We (Echuca Aero Club) had the Bendigo Gliding Club over this weekend just gone. :thumb_up: What a great, friendly, knowledgable bunch they are.

 

Saturday was a bummer weather wise, :yuk: but excellent opportunity to sit and talk gliding. :big_grin: Sunday saw me working (band gig) until 3.30pm and caught the last hour of the day. :thumb_up:

 

I know there are a lot of ex and current glider pilots on this forum (some I can call friends). They are very good energy managers and never (well hardly never) need power on finals. :big_grin:

 

Because they are so dependant on each other when they fly (lots of things to look after to get gliders in the air) they are by nature a close knit group. I enjoyed myself immensely and will seek out their company again.

 

regards

 

(enlightenedPete)