My 1st gliding experience
As a follow up to previous thread (“Looking for pointers/advice/ideas’) I started regarding my experience hitting mountain rotors over the Scottish highlands in the Maule, several replies to that thread advised that I try gliding to better understand updrafts/thermals/rotors and mountain waves etc. Well i finally did it !!
Last Monday on my way to Vegas I stopped off at Crystalaire Soaring Academy situated at 3400ft at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains to the South and the Mohave desert to the north, I was told that several records had been set from this field.
The 90 minute flight started with a tow from a 285hp piper Pawnee (at least I think that what is called) which I was told is a converted Ag sprayer with a reel for retracting the tow line where the hopper would be. Released at 8000ft the hunt for lift was fascinating, the instructor seemed to be able to read the sky like a POH explaining about cold air coming up the valleys from the beach causing sink etc. he intuitively know where the lift would be both in the mountains and over the desert which was impressive, after a few “ lets head over to our X o’clock” we were at 12000ft MSL and skirting round the tops of Mount Baldy (closer than I would dare to in the Maule) then headed out over the desert and followed some birds who must have attended the same lift training school my instructor went too. The descent took forever and on short final I was somewhat apprehensive as it seemed my ass was about 2 inches off the ground just prior to landing, the slight knock I received on touchdown was nowhere near the one my wallet took that evening on the blackjack tables.
All in all an absolutely amazing experience, can’t wait to get back to Scotland and stop by Roundyhill and score another flight.
Last edited by piperboy84; 24th August 2012 at 03:27.