Anyone been glider flying?

**superman** · 27th February 2011, 15:18

Just went up today in Drury, shat my pants but was awesome. Something very relaxing about being a km high with no engine and going up at 5m/s

Stayed up for about an hour before had to come down for others to use the glider.

Think I might have found another hobby

The take off is just amazing, better feeling than any theme park ride I've been too. Here's a taste of a winch launch from youtube.

**rwh** · 27th February 2011, 16:12

Many years ago - I was about 8, I think. Shocking airsickness and had to come down pronto. Not keen on the tight twists to stay in the thermals. Tow plane launch, not a winch.

Given my understanding that jets are very efficient when cruising but not during takeoff, and that's when a large proportion of the fuel is burnt, I figure they should use winches (or catapults like an aircraft carrier) on commercial airliners

Richard

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 27th February 2011, 16:39

Did it at the Southern Rider Rally last year had an absolute blast both tow plane and winch lauch :-)

**marty** · 27th February 2011, 18:35

Originally Posted by rwh

Many years ago - I was about 8, I think. Shocking airsickness and had to come down pronto. Not keen on the tight twists to stay in the thermals. Tow plane launch, not a winch.

Given my understanding that jets are very efficient when cruising but not during takeoff, and that's when a large proportion of the fuel is burnt, I figure they should use winches (or catapults like an aircraft carrier) on commercial airliners

Richard

yeah cause towing 400 tonnes down a runway wouldn't use too much energy. and what happens if the rope breaks?

actually, the logistics and cost of operating a winch are not that great - there is also great danger associated with the use of a winch.

**superman** · 27th February 2011, 18:50

Originally Posted by marty

yeah cause towing 400 tonnes down a runway wouldn't use too much energy. and what happens if the rope breaks?

actually, the logistics and cost of operating a winch are not that great - there is also great danger associated with the use of a winch.

Yeah there's a couple of fail safes, a linkage on the tow rope which given a certain amount of pressure snaps if the rope won't release. So that was nice...

It's cool how all the controls act directly onto the aircraft though, rather than through hydraulic lines. You get a complete accurate feel, wasn't too keen when I was given the controls though. Hard to trust a non learned pilot with your life...

**Pussy** · 27th February 2011, 18:54

I did a couple of glider flights many years ago as part of doing a glider tow rating. Quite enjoyed it! Beats the hell out of a noisy Fletcher cockpit

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 27th February 2011, 18:59

Southern Rider Rally Gliding Winch launch

**CookMySock** · 27th February 2011, 19:31

I spent an hour (glider) airborne with an instructor after I finished my PPL. It was bumpy as shit and after continuously watching for the airfield (no motor you see!) and bashing my head on the lid I decided I could leave it more than I could take it. So I left it.

Paragliders, well, thats different! Always somewhere to land, cheap to buy, fits on the back of a motorbike, and a much quieter pace.

**racefactory** · 27th February 2011, 19:42

Yes it's awesome, I've flown a full session and landed it. Bit of flight simulator on the computer when I was in school and the guy saw I knew what was what, awesome to let me do that.

**geoffm** · 27th February 2011, 20:32

Did it about a year ago in Drury - damn fun, and would be a fun, expensive and technical hobby. I could see myself doing it.
My then 8yo son also went up for 45 mins - loved it.

**marty** · 27th February 2011, 20:42

Originally Posted by NighthawkNZ

Southern Rider Rally Gliding Winch launch

not exactly great glider flying conditions! good for a circuit only i would say. thermal activity in the waikato today would have made for some ideal thermalling conditions. as opposed to ridge-soaring - not much of that happening today up here.

**mashman** · 27th February 2011, 20:42

Yeah, couple of years ago at parparam... fackin superb. He threw it about a bit and fook me, having all of my internal organs instantaneously rammed into the same spot of my rib cage, when he buried the nose, has to be one of the more bizarre sensations i've experienced. My only regret was not taking the controls when offered... Hope to do it again some day.

**superman** · 27th February 2011, 20:53

Originally Posted by geoffm

Did it about a year ago in Drury - damn fun, and would be a fun, expensive and technical hobby. I could see myself doing it.
My then 8yo son also went up for 45 mins - loved it.

There's a membership option that's $600 a year or you can bulk pay some $1600 and then all you have to pay for is the launches not however many minutes you spend in the gliders. So pretty hefty, but not as bad as I thought it would be being able to fly machines worth over $50,000.

Dad was talking about the launches he used to do back when he was younger in Swtizerland. No winch or aerotow. Pulled the glider back on a big rubberband and just shot it off the mountain

**rwh** · 27th February 2011, 21:17

Originally Posted by marty

yeah cause towing 400 tonnes down a runway wouldn't use too much energy. and what happens if the rope breaks?

Well, I was suggesting it for a bit of a laugh, hence the smiley, but I'll respond anyway.

Same amount of energy as is required from the jet engines, but a stationary electric or steam engine should be able to do it much more efficiently. If the rope breaks, I guess you either come down again on a sufficiently long runway, or you open the taps and do it the normal way. And then possibly loop around and come down again, if you no longer have enough fuel.

Richard