Any glider pilots out there?

MrJangles · 01-07-2002, 08:08 PM

I have been simming since the very first FS and am a certified glider pilot. I was just wondering how many others there are out there with their private glider. I have found that we are a very rare breed of pilots since soaring is probably the purest form of flight.
I have been flying power aircraft since I was 9 yrs. old and have logged over 150 hrs. until I started with glider. I have also had the oppurtunity to log 12 dual hours in a King Air B200 and ride jumpseat in military cargo aircraft such as the C-141,C-17,and C-130.

**NedUT** · 01-07-2002, 09:50 PM

MrJangles,

Haven't soloed or licensed yet, but I've been up a couple times around Heber, UT (36U). (Flew most of the approach myself on the 2nd flight - I'd have been ok with flying the landing had the instructor not asked for the ship back.)

I love soaring (my granddad and I were in the process of building an American Spirit (I think that was the name of it, anyway) back about 6 years ago), and once I can lose enough weight and find enough money I'm fully intending to get back to it. Nothing beats that pure feeling of flying you get, does it?

See ya in the pattern!
-Ned_UT

**Trev** · 01-07-2002, 10:12 PM

I'm an x glider pilot. Flew them from about 1974 to about 1984 here in New Zealand. Did about 120hrs. Had ratings in Twin Astir,Single Astir, Cirrus, ASK13, ASK7, K6E, K6ER also Aero Tow rating and winch rating and was rated to take passengers. If I can find them I will post a couple of photos here.

Trevor

**lnuss** · 01-07-2002, 10:48 PM

See: http://home.earthlink.net/~mikeke/pe...ial_sports.htm and http://home.attbi.com/~lfn3/Av_Pix.html for aircraft I used to fly.

Larry N.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...8f655d5d5a.jpg

**Trev** · 01-07-2002, 11:10 PM

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...8654a4a17b.jpg
Twin Astir
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...cf55b7631e.jpg
Single Astir
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...2e575f3b8f.jpg
LS4 I took from the Twin Astir in wave at about 9000FT.
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...b159800ac0.jpg
Citabria towing Twin Astir

Trevor

**NedUT** · 01-07-2002, 11:12 PM

Larry,

Great photos! Loved seeing them. (The 2-33 is the ship I made my two flights in up at 36U - definitely a nice training glider... granted, any glider is a bit narrow for a guy of my Scottish girth ;-))

Thanks again!
-Josh

**NightEye** · 01-08-2002, 12:19 AM

Awesome Stearman pictures Larry. Saw one at Sun 'N Fun last year, it was the best performance at the show (other than the nut who decided to strap a jet engine to the bottom of his bi-plane, Pitts I think, that was insane) - so slow and so graceful, I held my breathe everytime it came back down and just barley skimmed the runway to pull back up for another manueaver.

**Hakan_Olsson** · 01-08-2002, 02:04 AM

I flew Bergfalkes and K8 in 1978-80 and then I went for powered flight.

Hakan

**Steve_FSD** · 01-08-2002, 02:25 AM

yup

http://www.fsd-international.com/temp/gl_cnsw.jpg

Had to get a license before I could tow 'em ....

I never enjoyed flying them. Too hot down here in summer, too cramped, no ventilation ... the glass single seaters were nicer than the Blaniks - I never got used to the creaking of those old chooks.

Towing with the Pawnee 250 was much more fun, especially with the winder open ...

....
Steve Small
Canberra Australia
www.fsd-international.com
http://www.fsd-international.com/ima..._FSD_small.gif

**Paul_W** · 01-08-2002, 02:50 AM

I did three solo circuits in a Mark 3 open cockpit glider of the Air Training Corps at RAF West Malling in Kent, England "some years ago." The launch was via a winch, typically to 800 feet, and provided about three minutes of floating time.

As a passenger in a Sedbergh glider I was once aloft for about 45 minutes thanks to a rare thermal at Kenley.

I also learned a lot about optimism in those days by hanging around in the crew room at Kenley waiting for the rain to clear up. That hopefulness in the face of dreary weather paid off more than once.