I don't have much power experience, but I have a fair amount of gliding experience at a club near Swindon.
November 14th 1999, steady wind day, mostly dry field and fairly clear day with some sparse cumulostratus. Just had two check flights to practice winch launch failures, then the instructor did the old trick of sitting in the back until my checks were complete at which point he said:
"Well I hope everythings ok to go because you're doing it on your own!"
Oh hell, I didn't have time to panic I just had to get on with it. At the same time I remembered that our club is one of the best for training due to our wierd field shape and short launch run so I was real happy in a bladder destroying kind of way...
The launch started alright, please don't break cable please please; then the speed became a bit quick so I fishtailed to signal the winch to ease off a little. Back to 58kts thats better, then the back-release - 1300ft launch, not bad for a 900 yard run with a large V8 engine on the back.
Since it was November there wasn't any thermic lift around and certainly no wave near Swindon at this height. I remember looking at the fantastic visibility on this day, the Uffington White Horse and a Cessna violating our airspace - gee what a surprise. At 1500ft staring at the GPS no doubt and still going through where our winch cable can reach! Slice and dice, nice!
After then I practiced some tight turns, set up a good circuit, came in a little high but corrected with more break to get back on the ideal slope, didn't hold-off for quite long enough but handled alright and came to a stop to the side of the field away from the cables where I should be. Then the shaking started, what the heck had I just done - my first solo! Weehee!
I climbed/clambered/fell out of the glider and jumped up and down like a madman, quite a feat with that parachute... :/ I was greeted by my instructor who shook my hand and said "Well done, not much wrong there". Then I knew the expence was really worth it.
Since then I have more than trebled my hours, achieved the qualifying flights for the Bronze and X-country this time last year and due to college caused delays shall be doing the written tests shortly. I would hope to do my first x-country this year and reckon its dooable.
Some interesting experiences on this thread. Certainly I'm not the only one who really loves flying!
Graeme Scott
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