On 12/1/2016 7:46 AM, Charlie Papa wrote:
The current issue of AOPA PILOT features an article I wrote about flying at
Omarama New Zealand titled IN PRAISE OF SOARING. I think it can be
accessed by non-AOPA members at
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...ise-of-soaring
.

I wrote it for an audience of power pilots who often show an attitude of
condescension to gliders. So I chose to use one of my fellow mountain
flying course students, - Marty, and relate his remarkable tale of bailing
out of an F-104 with a dead engine. Marty is arguably a pilot's pilot,
with 2000 hours in fighters, and his current mount, a Turbine Legend (if
you are not familiar with this one, start with the fact that it has an
appetite for Jet A that consumes 52 gph).

Marty's third flight in a real glider, - if you discount the 104 ride, was
after two conversion flights in a Grob 103, and was with the boss, Gavin
Wills.

Marty's verdict: the best flight of his life!

So I hope it will give Power pilots cause to rethink their attitude to
gliding, and even to get an add-on rating. I hope you enjoy it too.


Thanks...for posting, for making the effort to create and find a print
audience for the article, and for a well-written "What I did on my summer
vacation" essay. Well done!!!

Bob W.