Anyone tried soaring? The owner of the business I started with, as a peon, was a glider pilot and took me for a ride at the Soaring club which used to be in Chester SC (now called Bermuda HIgh in another location). Even if you don't fly, it is fun to go see the gliders land or get a tow.
I went for a 20 minute glider ride one time. I was about 10 yrs old. We were towed up with a small plane, and came down. I did not really like it at the time. I think having more testosterone in your blood helps. I then flew R/C. But, I have never been fond of gliding. It seems that it is hard to gain altitude, when you really need it.
N
Gordon, I finally watched all the video, that you linked. My internet has been running a bit slow, because of heavy usage. And, more users slows it down.
but that was COOL!
N
I love flying - my definition of a good day being one where I get off the ground
Once (before kids) I did a lot of hang and para-gliding. More recently it has been in gliders.
I would encourage anyone who thinks it looks good to wander down to their local club - they are always friendly and keen to show off the sport.
A high school friend mowed the lawn of a local author (several years worth IIRC) in exchange for tuition at the Schweitzer School on Harris Hill in Elmira.
He graduated, got his license at 16. He flew as often as his funds permitted and took me for a ride at a yearly gathering of gliders and pilots at the Westford Airport near Cooperstown. I was fascinated by their ability to find lift over ridges and cornfields.
Flying, with only the sound of the wind rushing by...amazing.
Rick
I've never flown in a glider.
I've looked for lift in the mountains in a C172 which is underpowered for that.
I can highly recommend aerobatics. Some of the most fun I've had in an airplane is doing aerobatics in an SNJ Texan.
Those high performance gliders look amazing. The one I rode in was a trainer. Some days are better than others, the day we flew we encountered some astounding thermals. All we had was a gauge that showed lift in feet per minute, but you could feel the glider rising like an elevator. If you hear in the video he had a climb indicator that has a variable high or low tone indicting lift (or sink) so he has an audio input as well as tactile and visual. There is a sailplane called a Genesis2 that I have wanted to own somehow, but at this point I am only dreaming.
Flying in New Zealand must be awesome. I have watched hang gliding off of Lookout Mt. and the coast of Cal.
A friend (since passed too soon) got his regular license at 14, the minimum age possible. Once he was able to take passengers he took me up and just about made me sick doing spins. When my Dad was still alive, my wife and I hired a ballon ride for his birthday. That was the ultimate quiet ride, but the pilot had little to no control on where we floated off to, and when the burner was at full roar I felt like I was getting singed.
The powered parasailing looks fun, and maybe even affordable!
Aerobatics in a glider is a heap of fun - yes it is possible - loops (inside and outside) are awesome, but those long wings make for slow barrel rolls
I took lessons at a small airport south of Nashville, TN back in the early 80's. This was after lessons in a cessna 150 during my college years.
Soaring was awesome, such a clean feel of flying. Once you learn to 'on-tow' it's a cinch. Being 'on-tow' is akin to flying in formation, something I didn't have any experience in prior to soaring. Maybe my third lesson it kicked in and then it was all fun.
You can really feel the plane and it's reactions to your control without power behind each move. I liked power flight, too, but aerobatics in a glider is a lot more fun and natural feeling.
Don
edit: Puckett Airport in Eagleville, TN. Quite a character ran the place. An older guy (and this was 30 years ago) whose hand shook constantly. I arrived early my first time and kind of looked around the airport and fond this old glider, holes n the floors and such, and asked him if he was fixing it up. He said, "No, that's from the Korean War. We use it for lessons." Sure enough, that's what my lessons were in.
