Glider TIF

[Marty_d]

My wonderful wife bought me a gift voucher for a TIF at the Soaring Club of Tasmania for my birthday a couple of weeks ago.

 

Went up to Woodbury today and had a nice half hour flight in a Grob Twin Astir. The instructor was kind enough to let me drive from time to time which made it fun.

 

Unfortunately I started feeling a little squiffy near the end (saying yes to a couple of 2G turns probably didn't help!) - but didn't have to use the barf bag so all good.

 

 

Nice little Scheibe motor glider, powered by VW. Apparently the owner has done a few trips to the Gulf of Carpentaria in it, must be long trip at 50kts...

 

 

The tow before me.

 

 

Pawnee tug plane. Powered by O-320 converted to use mogas.

 

 

First time I've seen a plane, in the air, this close. Instructor told me the rope keeps us apart though...

 

 

View from 2000' agl. Mount Wellington (Hobart) visible in front of wing tip, despite being 100km away.

 

 

View from the front seat.

 

 

View the other way. Not quite as pretty.

 

 

On the ground again.

 

 

[Discus647]

Nice pics, gliding teaches you real flying imo

 

 

[Mike Borgelt]

Nice to see one of our B700 variometers in the panel.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

View the other way. Not quite as pretty.

 

Oh Marty. . . . I can forgive the facial fuzz,. . . . I always mentally pictured you as a lanky, longish haired Hippyesque character,. . .strolling around with a Cleco tool in your back pocket ? ? ?

 

( Lovely Pics by the way. . . I Luuuurve Gliding. . .)

 

 

[Marty_d]

Thanks Phil... but lanky I ain't, and never have been!

 

 

[Nico13]

Nice one Marty, looks like you had a great day for it.

 

Haven't been gliding for forty years, should go and do it as I loved it back then.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I'm plurry green with envy, Marty. What a great birthday present. Keep hold of that woman.

 

I love the motor glider, a great way to travel. I've flown a Twin Astir (40 years ago)- it's the toy to dream of.

 

My last attempt at soaring was a disappointment; the aircraft available at Lake Keepit was designed for Hobbits, and even after I removed the seat cushion my head was jammed against the canopy.

 

I always wanted to own a sailplane, but they're way out of my price range. Interesting that now (thanks to RAA) it's mobs cheaper to fly with an engine.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

My first fullsize flying was learning to fly in gliders at Kingaroy back in the mid 1980's. I can not recommend it highly enough as it teaches you to fly properly. It teaches you how important rudder is when flying. Most power pilots only use it on the ground. If you can keep that glider up for a couple of hours you can really fly. The twin astir is a lovely plane to fly..its a bit heavy and also heavy on the aileron but lovely none the less.

 

Remember ...aileron will kill you ...rudder CAN save you

 

 

[Soleair]

Nice one, Marty! Gliding is the purest form of flight, IMHO. And exciting, too - every landing is a deadstick, with no go around option. It is a bit strange being so close to the tug.

 

I did a summer of gliding in 2010, & got to start on my (UK) Silver C. Absolutely loved it. All my time was in a trusty old ASK 13, which had superb spin behaviour. The downside of gliding is the ratio of time in the air to time faffing about. I needed the best part of a day to get a slot.

 

But I'm sure the skills I learned in the glider greatly improved my power flying.

 

 

[Marty_d]

And exciting, too - every landing is a deadstick, with no go around option.

I always wondered about that too. But I have to say the amount of control the instructor had with those speed brakes was phenomenal. He pointed us at the threshold and literally touched down within 5m of the first set of cones - at no stage did I feel any nervousness about the lack of go-around option!

 

I'm plurry green with envy, Marty.

Says the man with his own Jodel to pootle around in!!

 

But yes it was a great present and I did appreciate it.