First Soaring Experience

OIC,

Thanks for the reply.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:05:39 -0400, T o d d P a t t i s t
wrote in
::

there's nothing like the
feeling you get when flying a sailplane XC

You can say that again. The feeling parallels what one might feel
swimming under water through a tunnel; you hope your breath holds out
until you reach the far opening.

On 2005-09-01, Jay Honeck wrote:
Would you (or anyone) mind if I added this video to our Aviation Video
webpage? (See it at http://alexisparkinn.com/aviation_videos.htm )

Not at all! Glad you liked it.

(And, dude -- you guys really need to invest in some "Round-Up" spray-on
weed killer before your runway returns to dirt! :-)

Sigh. There's all sorts of things we'd do with that airfield.
Unfortunately, things are 'complicated' with the owners of the field
(which is part of a farm). All being said, the surface hasn't held up
too badly since it's laid untouched since the end of the second world
war...

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Awesome! That's *exactly* what it looked like!

If you like to see some more soaring videos, then this site has a nice
collection: http://www.alpenstreckenflug.de/text...flugvideos.htm

Stefan

Jay, give it a moment, and a few more flights.

I hear you, Jer, but I just can't afford *another* incredibly expensive
pass-time!

Blue (or, rather, bumpy) skies!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

wrote in message ...
Jay Honeck wrote:

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. It's a real aviation challenge that
gives instant gratification!

There is an incredible amount of finess and control t be learned
and re-learned. The payoff is when you take Atlas to the
back-country of Idaho next year and can predict (within 10 feet)
where you will touch down... and how far it will roll...
and use finess, not brute strength and banging it down.

Did you notice the "touchdown to stop" distance of the glider.
Slow and in control wins the day... the Wright brothers were right!

Airplanes are for going somewhere...
Sailplanes are for going up and down and having FUN!

Did you do "roller coasters"?

Tell the CFI you are studying for your CFI...
you can practice incipient spins...
a REAL hoot in a glider!

It was great meeting you at Oshkosh... and on the cell. :-)

"Soaring is when you are going up...
gliding is when you are going down".

Best regards,

LtCol Jer/ Eberhard, Colorado Wing Checkpilot (airplanes and gliders),
Assistant Glider Program Manager, Colorado Wing, CAP

--
LtCol Jer/ Eberhard, CO-Wing, Thompson Valley CS., Ft Collins, CO
CELL/VM: 970 231-6325, CELL Message: 9702316325'at'mobile.att.net
EMAIL: jer'at'frii.com WEB: WEB http://users.frii.com/jer/
C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider, FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor
CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot, BM218 HAM N0FZD, 233 Young Eagles!

Larry Dighera wrote:
T o d d P a t t i s t
there's nothing like the
feeling you get when flying a sailplane XC

You can say that again. The feeling parallels what one might feel
swimming under water through a tunnel; you hope your breath holds out
until you reach the far opening.

Ha! That's good!

Actually you get past that after awhile. 3000'+ is like breathing air
(eastern US)

Great write up. I did the glider thing last year and it's awesome.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

"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

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?