On Tue, 30 Nov 2010 02:25:16 +0000 (UTC), Alex Potter
wrote:

When did people become "air minded", and why?


You know what? I don't remember.

Sure I remember that flying toys were among my favorites. Aviation
movies and TV series like "les chevalier du ciel" with Mirage pilots
had me waiting anxiously for the broadcast to start.
Nevertheless, bikes and, later, motorbikes, were my real addiction.

I have no idea when I knew about gliders, probably in my late 20's. No
models, no building, no kites.

I started gliding after some friends introduced me to boat sailing. I
was surprised to feel the emotion of speed at a few knots, while the
sail was producing lift depending on its angle to the airflow. I
jumped off the boat and straight into a K-21 in the local club. Only
to find out how... boring it was. You know, a glide in calm air.

I decided I wanted to learn to fly anyway, so took the course. Gliding
hooked me later, through imitation with the club's best pilots (all
seemed to me to be "the best pilots") who soared for hours to the
mountains and flew competitively.

It's been almost 20 years now, well over 2000 hours, and a national
record +some decent competition results and a few XC safaris.
I now plan to get an Instructor rating.

aldo cernezzi