Glider flight

[ME453]

We went to a fund-raising auction-of-promises do last night at the village school where my partner used to teach, Semley just across the border into Wiltshire. One of the items on offer was a powered glider flight from Keevil (ex-Stirling base), either flying out to the Severn Bridge or doing aerobatics. Guess who won the auction? Yep, moi!!! We were on the same table as the lady who organised the evening, her husband was the auctioneer, and she knew I was keen to win it so she, the devil, was bidding against me but finally relented when it reached £180.00. I've got 12 months to decide when to do it so plenty of time for considering: straight and level or aerobatics!?
Max

[AlanW]

Congratulations........That's something i've always wanted to try, but not got around to doing. I've done parachuting, and a proper sky dive, and a trial flight at the controls of an aircraft. Best experience though, for sheer exhilaration, was an aerobatic flight for my 40th birthday, carried out, over the sea off Lands End, of which the worst moment, was an all out dive towards the sea, before pulling up. When i stepped out of the aircraft back at Lands End airfield, i was soaked in sweat

[K4KittyCrew]

Well done, Max. I'm thinking 'straight & level' is the way to go. Take a video camera with you and take some footage of it all. You'll have forever memories, not to mention a settled stomach.
John

[kookabat]

Powered glider I see, Max? As a wise man once told me, if you go flying (in something that doesn't have a drinks cart) and you don't go upside down at least once, it's been a waste of fuel.

I wasn't ever particularly good at it, but it was great fun. Here's me taking a mate for a fly in a Citabria a few years ago...

(we didn't do aeros in the Tiger Moth though... a little suspicious of the strength of 70-year-old wooden wing spars)

At the least, try a spin in a glider. The wingspan is so wide that they are really quite slow and graceful as they tip into it.

[ME453]

Yes I agree Adam, I think aerobatics at least some of the time is the way to go, I've done some in a Chipmunk and a Tiger Moth and loved it. As I pointed out to my partner last night, this could be the beginning of an expensive hobby!

[R5868]

Max, even more so when you buy a share in your own aircraft. More up your alley would be to buy a kit plane and put it together. You've shown you can build kits to a high standard. Now do one full size or at least 3/4 scale. There's an Aussie company that was producing replica Spits at 3/4 scale or maybe a WW1 replica with a rotary motor. You'd just have to find a two seater model.
Kerry

[ME453]

.....but think of the paperwork.....think of the insurance!

[PAFG]

What a fantastic opportunity Max

[GuyMassey]

Well done Max!

Things have changed at Keevil somewhat, the Gliding Club there were very anti when my father visited them twenty odd years ago. As a Stirling veteran who had been stationed there during the war he thought that they would have welcomed him, but no, sadly he was turned away and told that he had to be a member and kindly leave, nobody even showed an interest in what he had to say. Needless to say he was disgusted and never returned.

Gliding is a fantastic and affordable sport, I have held a licence for forty odd years and would thoroughly recommend everyone try it. Aerobatics are great fun, but not necessarily on your first flight. Your instructor will probably give you a chance to handle the controls and provide you with some very basic instruction. If you want to loop (you will only be able to do this if your combined weight allows) , tell him to save it til the end, that way the flight will not be spoiled if you don't enjoy the sensation.

The following link is to my local club, have a good browse, there are some great pictures and videos as well as a most informative blog.

http://www.dartmoorgliding.co.uk/

Enjoy!

Guy

[ME453]

Thanks Guy, that's an interesting website and has really whetted my appetite. I've had one glider flight before which was enjoyable, though there wasn't a great deal of lift that day, even the buzzards were struggling!
Max