First Soaring Experience

Jay Honeck wrote:

I was suddenly aware that we were SOARING

Glad you enjoyed it, but you weren't SOARING. You did what we call a
sled ride: Tow up and glide down. A nice experience, but not soaring.
Soaring means staying up.

I don't really have any interest in getting my glider rating -- there
doesn't seem to be any utility in it -- but, man, I sure do understand you
guys that have been raving about it.

No, you don't, otherwise you would have that interest. ;-) Soaring is
not about utility, it's just about the joy of flying.

If you liked that ride as much as you say, then do yourself a favour,
drive to some glider Operation and ask for a cross country SOARING
flight. You'll discover a whole new world: Air isn't just quiet or
bumpy, those bumps actually do mean something (as do the rudder pedals).
The pure joy of flight is just one aspect of soaring, the really
intersting part of it is to watch and understand the air and to take
advantage from that. As I like to say: To fly with the help of the
weather instead despite of it.

But be cautious: Once you've discovered the joy of flying a couple of
hundred miles without an engine, chances are you'll find motorized
flying dull, sell your spam can and buy a glider insted. You wouldn't be
the first to whom that happened.

Stefan

"Stefan" wrote in message
...
Jay Honeck wrote:

I was suddenly aware that we were SOARING

Glad you enjoyed it, but you weren't SOARING. You did what we call a
sled ride: Tow up and glide down. A nice experience, but not soaring.
Soaring means staying up.

The gliding club at my airport gave free flights to powered pilots to foster
goodwill between the two types of aviators. I flew in a two-place Grob with
a pilot that I knew, so he pretty much let me take the stick at about 100'
off the ground.

The neatest part of the flight was finding thermals and gaining altitude. It
was a rush to hear that variometer pitch up and watch the altimeter wind
upwards. I was very proud of the fact that I flew for 20 minutes and was at
3000', the same altitude at which we "cut the cord". It was really awesome.

I really need to get my glider rating. The desire to fly gliders was the
initial reason that I took up flying to begin with.

-Trent
PP-ASEL

Trent,

Was that at SPA ??

Come on out and get your PGL !
We'll be happy to have you.

Doug

"Doug Snyder" wrote in message
oups.com...
Trent,

Was that at SPA ??

Come on out and get your PGL !
We'll be happy to have you.

Doug

Doug,

It was HRJ in Erwin NC. Thanks for the invite! I think the only thing
holding me back is how much of a time commitment there is to soaring. The
club likes you to stay around all afternoon to help with wing running,
towing etc. I just don't have the time right now. My time will free up as my
youngest child gets a little older.

I definitely see soaring as the next step in aviation for me and hopefully
it won't be too much longer.

-Trent
PP-ASEL

My son has been running wings and hooking up gliders since he was 7.

Brian

Here are a few pix from our day in Ames:

http://alexisparkinn.com/2005_soaring_in_ames.htm

What a great time!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I have flown nearly 50 hours in my glider this year ( a slow year for
me) my shortest flight has been 3 1/2 hours. The longest was close to 6
hours.

Jay, how often do you really use your Cherokee for something useful
(utility) and how often do you usually go fly just because you like to
fly.

For you soaring you just have admit to yourself that you are doing it
just because you like flying.

I fly a $15,000 glider, Insurance = $350/year, Hanger= $600/hr (Partial
hanger), Annual/Maint = $200/year. Tows= $50/flight (5 hr flight =
$10/hr)
at $4/gal gas, my soaring is really inexpensive compared to most power
aircraft.

As already noted there is nothing quite like feeling a thermal pushing
you up and rolling over into 45 degree or steeper banked turn and the
Vario go up to 500-1000 ft/min and the Altimeter winding up like a
clock. Or climbing up to 18,000 feet and crusing over the Idaho
Backcountry like it is your own personal playground. www.soaridaho.com

Brian Case
CFIIG/ASEL

"Brian" wrote in message
oups.com...
I fly a $15,000 glider, Insurance = $350/year, Hanger= $600/hr (Partial
hanger), Annual/Maint = $200/year. Tows= $50/flight (5 hr flight =
$10/hr)
at $4/gal gas, my soaring is really inexpensive compared to most power
aircraft.

I sure HOPE that's a typo! ;-) Hangar at $600/hr; is that really per year?

yep, about $600/year. I really don't even need a hanger. The wings come
off and I put the glider in a trailer (takes about 20 minutes to
disassble or assemble the glider) and I put the trailer in the hanger.
We can put 3 or 4 trailers in a normal T-hanger. Or in my case I rent
the L hanger left over at the end of all the T's. Even at that we do
have some really good hanger rates.

Brian

Jay, how often do you really use your Cherokee for something useful
(utility) and how often do you usually go fly just because you like to
fly.

We fly for "purpose" far more than we fly for "fun" -- which is rare, I
know.

We like to *go* places, and have wracked up an incredible amount of
x-country time this year...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"