Hi All. Has anybody on here done a glider experience day, and if so, ws it worth it?
My cousin is a glider pilot and does these sort of days so i could easily arrange something with him, but he's a bit of a trek from where i live, so thought i would ask on here if anyone has done it and if you would recommend it before giving him a call.
Cheers,
Ivor.
I've flown in a variety of aircraft when in the military but one of the most memorable was flying with my C.O. who at the time flew gliders in competition and was capable of making the things do the most amazing stunts. Gliding is great fun, I'd grab the opportunity if you have it, it's a blast !
Scarey if you ask me
Ive been in loads of planes
Fixed wing, Biplanes, Jets and even had a go in a tornado with a mates brother whos in the RAF
had a go as a passenger in a Glider and I Sh@t myself not nice at all
bloody wind blows you all over, plane drops when it hits and air pocket or goes up when it hits a thermal over the coast.
I was holding onto the seat so much in front .... oh my god
when I got out I felt like kissing the ground like he Pope.
Fair play to those who do it but not for me
Originally Posted by Artistmike
Couldn't get two more completely different views !! Its for this very reason that seeking opinion is worth it, although it hasn't helped me so far with this decision, lol.
powered flight for me any day, balloons and gliders a big NO!
Quite scary, pretty sharp launch and landing angles but a fantastic experience up there, terrific views, and very reactive helm(?) go for it!
Yep been up several times. Both times in Upavon and it was fantastic. The first time was a kind of stunt flight with a loop the loop and some tricks, the second time was in a really old plane from about 1960s.
We were lucky both times as they were lovely summer evenings and we could see for miles. It is an amazing experience which I would do over and over again, all you hear is the wind whistling around the cockpit.
It's not quite the same thing but my dad went up as a passenger in a microlight once and he said the feeling of exposure terrified him. how high are the sides of the cockpit in a glider? Do you feel cocooned, or exposed? i know there is a canopy, but i guess if it comes down to just above waist height it could feel exposed.
Tried to learn to fly a glider some years ago - winch launch, absolutely terrifying, never again.
Have been a passenger in a powered glider - not too bad.
Highly recommended.
I have only flown ultralight planes myself, and the contrast to gliders is huge. I like the intimate contact to air.
Again - not a glider - but I went up in a microlight for the first time the other week - piloted ably by my uncle. Bouncy and bumpy and very 'open' if you know what I mean, but I loved it - and I'm not a fan of heights. I reckon I'd love a go in a glider.
N
Go for it. Possibly avoid winch launch on the first go - they accelerate VERY quickly and the climb out angle is very steep.
My dad instructs at Lasham and I've been up a couple of times with him - it is epic. I'm a CPL/IR holder and I could barely control it in the thermals (massively over-controlling). I passed control to my dad and everything smoothed out - humbling.
The best experience was thermalling with a Red Kite. We were one side of the turn and he was the other. Just mooching around in the air watching each other.
When I was in the RAF cadets (26 years ago) I did a 10 day gliding course. It was amazing. I ended up doing around 50 winch launches from the front seat and finished up going solo. Winch launching is fun, you get to 800 feet very quickly then have disconnect. The glider typically rises to 1000 feet before you level off and start your circuit. It takes a lot of practice to balance the inputs and manage the rate of descent to hit the correct heights on the circuit. Landing is fun too, controlling the descent through the air brakes before touching down and losing speed, keeping the wings off the ground for as long as possible to avoid a ground loop.
I would absolutely recommend doing it. It's the best flying I've done.
A trip up in a glider? Meh - I'd take it if it was free, but I'll not go out of my way.
This? I'd pay a lot of money to guarantee I'd experience this!!!
Yes yes yes...
I had a go as I was bought an experience by my wife. One of the most involving, exciting things I've done. I did have control of the thing too, and it's fantastic. Quite tiring- you feel as though you're wearing the aircraft, constantly making little corrections. Winch launching is the best themepark ride you'll get anywhere. The instructor was excellent. I think I had a towed launch and three winch, and I loved it. I was worried that I'd be scared, but it's so absorbing and exhilarating, that just takes you along.
I went to the Gliding Centre at Husbands Bosworth, near Lutterworth. Highly recommended.
Go for it:
...you might like it. If you don't go, you'll never know.
Very true.Go for it:
...you might like it. If you don't go, you'll never know.
I won a go, but it was terminally dull the day I went.
I think the winds were wrong, but we just seemed to get towed into the sky (on a winch) and then come down more or less straight away.
The "soaring on the winds like a bird" thing just didn't happen and I've never been back.
M
I qualified at A Cert level (solo flight, but without complex navigation) in gliders with tow launch years ago. Highly recommended, but not for the fainthearted.
I think they usually do a few aerobatic tricks on those experience flights, but nothing compared to the instructor putting you in a stalled inverted spin at 5000 feet before calmly announcing "Your aircraft."
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